Towed in a Bayliner

I agree with you Fred, but if the ferry had not gotten underway until after jeff got in the channel, they do not have the right of way. A split hair I admit.... And I'm not sure it was a "narrow channel" either...

Do you boat during the winter?

Charlie
 
kudos Jeff for towing in disabled vessel!!!!!

I will chine in with some of my experiences towing.

Small coast guard vessels that would tow small vessels do not have tow lights. They do have the blue lights which we all pay attention to.
The CG vessels are rated for safe conditions with limits such as swell size, wind speed and towed vessel size. For example the 25 ft safeboat had operating limits of seas under 6 ft, winds under 20-25 and maximun towed vessel size of 28 ft.

This safe boat weighted around 8000 lbs. So the limits seemed kind of low limits.

With that said I have towed 46' commercial fishing boats with a 21 ft rhib.
With permission! I have also been out in conditions that were not safe but my crew and I have brought them back alive with equipment.

Your concerns before hooking up, does this endanger our vessel and ability to get back, if so standby with your radio or if safe transfer the people to your vessel.

When hooked up have a watch looking at the towed vessel. Keep tow speed down. If rough pay out enough line so you are in sinc with the swell conditions. This helps absorb shock on tow rig. If the towed vessel is not following have them tend to their helm. They should have some steerage. Plan your manuvers ahead of time.

Tow lights are masthead lights that larger vessels display. There are several display configurations for different types of towing. Get the nav rules book to see.

When you get near moorage, I would convert to side tow where I have better control which means you have up to 4 lines attached for control. If no side tow then I would shorten your tow line and slow speed and be careful near obstacles and stopping. Use any wind to your advantage and be safe.

My 2 cents. My 22 angler is not rigged to tow, so I would probably standby with radio and offer that assistance until someone with the proper equipment comes by.

Keep up the safe boating 1tuberider
 
Hi Folks,

Tow lights are for commercial tows only.

In the USCGAux, we do not have lights. If we tow at night, we flash a light on the towed vessel. During the day and night, we have lookouts looking for anything that may interfere with our towing, and will answer the problem by getting out of the way, shorting the tow line, (in calm water we will use a side tow.) or use the radio.

To get an idea what the Commercial Tows do, while making a run down Buzzards Bay in fog, a Tow Captain was telling everybody on channel 16 where he was, where he was going, and warning anybody who might get in the way. For a time, he was calling out to a boat that was coming out of South Dartmouth, warning them that they were steering in harms way. The boat finally turned, and he thanked them for changing their course.

As for me, I calculated that I was going to be heading into New Bedford before he got opposite New Bedford. This was based on his announced course, speed, and where he was at (a buoy at the beginning at Buzzards Bay.) The pros also monitor channel 13. Other boats in the area also announced where the were. All quite interesting.

Fred
 
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