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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Towing a 36' boat with a 25' boat

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/10/2014 : 21:48:50

Today when we headed out for our sail, the bascule railroad bridge was down so we had to wait to motor to the mouth of the Duwamish River. While we were waiting we saw a larger sailboat apparently trying to sail up the river. Not something I'd want to try, there is too much commercial traffic, it's too narrow, and there was an incoming tide with contrary wind, making the current very unpredictable, but they turned downstream and disappeared out of sight and I didn't think much of it.

Finally the bascule bridge opened and we headed downstream toward Elliott Bay. When we made the last turn toward the mouth of the river, there was the same boat trying to claw it's way back upwind obviously struggling a bit.

We got within hailing distance and they were pinched up as tight as they could be with very little room to starboard, it was obvious they were going to have to tack to port very quickly, so I slowed way down and gave them plenty of room while asking if they were OK.

They told us that their engine wouldn't start and they had already called for Vessel Assist, but they were four hours out. We asked them if they wanted a hand. They were really struggling with the incoming tide & river current, plus the wind was on their nose, so while not in dire straits, they were in need of help.

We offered to tow them up to Harbor Island pump out dock (their suggestion), which was maybe a half mile back up river, and a good place for them to wait for Vessel Assist to show up. Rita rigged fenders so I could come in on their starboard side, so we could push them up the river under control instead of pulling them, which would have been problematic due to our disparate size, the contrary wind & currents.

We got the boats tied off to one another with sufficient fenders to keep from beating each other too much (we have some scuff marks that'll polish out), and headed up river. I gave the Seattle USCG a call on 16 to let them know what was going on in case there was commercial traffic in either direction, and they talked to the skipper of the other boat to get their phone number & call Vessel Assist for them again (I think, couldn't hear the conversation over our outboard).

Rita stayed up in the bow to help fend off until we settled in, as did their skipper, Jim, while his wife, Peggy drove. Peggy & I had to coordinate our maneuvers since they had much more rudder than we do, but we figured it out fairly quickly, and got back upstream in fairly short order.

Once we'd ascertained that there was room at the very end of the pump out dock, we did a fairly steep shot at the dock, shallowing out at the last moment, and got some help with lines from a guy working on his boat on the same dock.

We made the dock the first time 'round, which sort of surprised me since I'd never exactly done this before.

After making sure they were OK we headed out for a few hours of sailing, then checked on them when we came back in. They'd decided to just go buy a new battery. Hopefully it was enough to get them a few miles upstream, but they were pretty sure it was actually their alternator that was shot, so probably not the final fix.

Apparently they'd motored all day, shutting off their engine about when they got to Elliott Bay intending to enjoy the nice wind at their back before motoring upstream to their mooring. When they went to restart their engine, nothing. They had no spare battery, no handheld VHF, I'm not positive they even had a cell phone, but I think they did. They had tried to hand crank their Buc diesel, but it wouldn't start.

I think if it had been me, I'd have sailed into the anchorage just outside the mouth of the Duwamish, dropped & set my hook as best I could, called the USCG/Harbor Patrol and let them know what was going on, then tried to get my diesel started by hand while I waited for Vessel Assist to show up. Of course, they'd have been on a lee shore, so maybe they'd already thought of and discarded that idea. Dunno. They had no hand held VHF to talk to any commercial traffic coming up or down the river (it's very busy, with giant barges & all but blind tugs pushing them).

They wanted to pay us, but we declined, figuring we had made a deposit into the karmic bank.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 08/11/2014 : 06:05:29

Paying it forward... Good on ya! A lesson learned about having a hand-held!

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glen
Captain

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359 Posts

Response Posted - 08/11/2014 : 08:41:59

[url="https://www.catalina-capri-25s.net/cgi-local/MBR_gallery.cgi?Album+2251+200"]

[/url]Earlier this season I towed a 34 Beneteau, I wanted to joke with the skipper about salvage rights, but I don’t think he would have seen the humor in it

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 08/11/2014 : 09:14:12

I'd imagine not. These guys were pretty stressed out, but handled themselves well. We didn't discuss anything regarding salvage or topics along those lines till the very end. I did notice that he was careful to do all the tying up with his lines, not mine though. I'm not sure he was actually thinking about it or not, they were just grateful for the help I think.

We didn't think to take any pictures till after we'd cast off from them when they were alongside the pump out pier, and it's on Rita's phone, but I'll post it when I get access to it..

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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 08/11/2014 : 09:24:06

So now I am curious to know what outboard you have on your boat David . . .

Edited by - OJ on 08/11/2014 09:24:25

panhead1948
Captain

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345 Posts

Response Posted - 08/11/2014 : 09:42:41

It is good that you didn't accept money. I read once that if you accepted payment you could be considered commercial and open to damage done while towing.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 08/11/2014 : 09:56:38

quote:
Originally posted by OJ

So now I am curious to know what outboard you have on your boat David . . .

We've got a 2008 Tohatsu 9.8 XLS.

It was grunting with the effort, and I think it'd have been harder had not the woman been as good on their wheel as she was, but she made keeping us on track pretty easy once we established a rhythm. We had to sort of crab upriver due to the contrary wind & current. The wind was blowing us westerly to starboard, and the current was variable due to the incoming tide & downriver flow. Made for an interesting ride, but it was surprisingly easy once we figured out the crab angle (about 10-15° to port to keep us going straight, maybe not even that much).

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