towing a dinghy

C

Capital Sea

New member
Some time back I participated in a chat about towing a Walker Bay behind a 22' C-dory.
Now, I understand all of the limitations and own an inflatable with a 2hp Honda which went to Desolation Sound with us.
Thing is, we live on the protected waters of the South Puget Sound and when a friend put his 10' Walker Bay sailing dinghy up for sale, I jumped at the offer.

The boat has inflated cells from the bow and along the sides. I have a boat cover that can be very securely tied above the floats (between the floats and gunnel )

I have purchased floating tow line and seek help in design of the towing harness.

My intention is to tow this dinghy between State Parks, quiet bays or the yacht clubs island here in the south sound in nice weather in calm to moderate water conditions. The dinghy will be used to go ashore or will be rigged to sail around as we goof off for a day or two.

I am hip to the need to tow at the second wave or even third and the need to adjust for speed.

I assume I tie off at the two cleats at aft corners of the C-dory and intend to transition to one line which will run most of the way to the dinghy. I am told this single line should end at a stainless ring with a small float to compensate in terms of floatation. This design allows the "V" line from the back of the C-Dory to run through the ring at the end of the single line, so the dinghy can travel from side to side while distributing the load evenly.

So, is this the proper design?

Any advice would be much appreciated before I cut this costly line into two pieces.
 
I use the set up shown here towing another CD 22 for towing our Mokai except another bridle is used at the attachment to the Mokai & not shown in this photo. That is a so called floating rope in the photo, that cannot be counted on to float. They will water log & then just when you want it the most not to happen such as an emergency reverse get caught in the prop. To prevent added a serious of floats along the rope. Tested at Lake Powell in Sept and it worked through a series of quick stops & reverses without the rope getting near the props.
Lake_Powell_Yellowtone_2011_092.jpg

Ask you decribed should work for towing. Perhaps adding an additional bridle at the tow would help stability & making sure your towing rope can't get in the props would be a good addition. Best length of rope can only be determined by testing how the tow reacts to different speeds & turns.

Jay
 
I have always wondered if a pair of 10 foot poles, one off each stern quarter attached outside the boat to pad eyes on the transom and then brought together at the bow eye of the "toad" would not keep the dink from riding up on the mother boat and at the same time do away with the need for a floating rope that often does not float. When you moor you could use the two poles attached to the sides of the mother ship to keep the dink from bumping all night.
I have used a jib boom, a spinnaker pole, a reaching strut, and the main boom on my sail boats to hold an 8' Avon off the side of my sail boat when anchored. I towed the same dink nose op on the transom many times (motor off of course) from Catalina to Newport Beach in big seas, often surfing off the tops of the larger swells at well over 8 knots.
I have never owned a boat that would do more than 10 knots so am not sure how this would work at speed but think it might do just fine.
Bob Jarrard
 
The problem with having a dinghy that close to a motor boat at speed is the wake. The wake can be a foot or more high and changes shape as you speed up and slow down. This is way you really need to have the dinghy at 40 to 100 ft behind the boat. If you where to slow down to quickly with a tow that close to your boat the wake could easily swamp the dinghy or flip it over. I once had a dinghy to close to the boat and as I turned the dinghy strayed to the outside edge of the wake and was rolled over by it.

I tow with a 100 ft line. There is not down side to towing with a long line so why no do it. also remember to tow a RIB from the two outside rings back from the bow that are down low and not from the center ring on the dinghys bow. If you tow from the bow ring the rope will pull the dinghy down in the front and cause it to bow steer among other things. The lower rings will pick up the bow and allow the dinghy to ride up on top of the water more.
 
Tom, I agree if the dink can wander but the two poles stop the dink from leaving the flat wake area behind the motor, I would have to watch a power boat wake more than I have but I think that at the meeting point of two 10 foot poles there is never a left or right wake. I use a harness on my Avons that goes through the outside D-rings back to the transom with chafe guard on the contact points. I have also put extra heavy duty D-rings with over-sized round patches from NWRS (whitewater rafting supply company) in place at the mid-point of the sides in place of going to the transom.
When I towed a hard dink, I stored all my extra fenders on top of the middle thwart well secured. If the boat rolled, the buoyancy down low rolled the dink right back up almost every time. All my dinks had self-bailers in the stern, as big as possible and some had two! I also often kept air bags from my kayaks secured in the bow, they tend to get torn out of any tie offs if in the stern.
I used to row a lifeguard dory and it would empty out 18' of water 18" deep in a very short time through the cut outs in the stern and sides. We often got swamped to the gunnels two or three times before we could get off the beach and past the breakers.
Best of all is when there is a harbor launch that comes and gets you on a hall and then takes you back later. nothing wrong with luxury if affordable!
Bob Jarrard
 
This is where my tow has road for about 5000 miles now. Just changed the attachment point to the boat from a single high point at the top rear of cabin to a bridle coming from the two stern cleats. This now allows using a cockpit cover on the extended Alaska cruises. Also slightly shortened the tow rope where the tow now rides more centered just behind the rise of water. Theory being less friction in the bubbled water will reduce drag & slightly increase milage. In the 5000 miles have never had the tow ride over the wake even in the tightest of turns or rough water. At the slower speed needed to be run while towing can't see any need for stability poles with a C-Dory.
PICT0319.jpg

Jay
 
Have towed a RIB for only a short distance & a dingy not at all & think It unwise to tow either behind a Small CD except in protected or calm water.  Most all my towing has been a Mokia (motorized kayak) which tows extremely well even in bad sea conditions.  At speeds over about 13 mph in 2 + feet of chop the Mokai will start going airborne & though still stable think it to rough on it.   Have towed it up to 21 mph & it's still completely stable other then wanting to jump the chop.

Main point of showing the photo of the Mokai being towed was to illustrate where behind the boat it towed best & that it would stay between the wakes in that position in all the conditions I've encountered in 5000 miles of towing.  If I was to consider towing a dingy it would be near that same position & think it too would stay within the wakes, but without the same stability or lack of reaction to wind & wave as the Mokai.

Jay
 
hambone":3q7vdh45 said:
Now there's a great picture.

H :wink:
Click to expand...

Thanks, it was taken on Icy Straight, Southest Alaska about an hour before we anchored In Swanson Harbor at the junction of Icy & Chatham straights.

Jay
 
Thanks for the responses. The idea of a high tie point is an interesting one.
If the center point ring were to drop forward of the outboard when slack, only the single floating line would run past the prop out to the tow. As I stop, this would also make it easy to pay in the tow line without recovering the V line or harness. Could the V line be tied off to the aft ends of the roof rails?
The rigid WalkerBay has a low bow eye which might just be engineered as the towing point. Everything else about this little boat is well designed.
 
I have tied off to the aft roof rails up until this year Using a quick connect to a rope tied between aft rails with a loop in the center for tie point & yes it does work the best for recovery & letting the tow back out.  No need for a bridle on that end set up like this. The draw back being can't use cockpit cover.  The line can & will get into prop or props if not careful & that is the single biggest concern to me while towing.  Think a series of floats like I have would prevent that whether attached up high or to the rear cleats.  With the set up I have now the towing bridle ends are attached to the rear cleats & the ring with  the first float rest directly between the twin motors.  I can raise either motor or both & not interfere with the bridle or tow line & the Permitrims help more than hinder in this regard.   When pulling in the tow I stow the end of the bridle & all but the end of the line in the motor well.  The end of the line is secured to the hand  hold on the rear of the cabin on the side I hip tie the Mokai  to the CD.

Jay
 
If a portland pudgy is an option for you, they tow very well at up to about 22 knots behind our 25 and we have towed ours about 1800 miles in calm and rough water with no problems.
 
Well, I have a Walker Bay 10' with added floatation and the sailing kit. So, the intention is to tow it when we are gunk holing around. If we take a longer trip and plan to spend some time in protected waters then we may put it up on the roof at some point. Will be sure to take a photo when we do.
 
My personal feeling is that if you are towing a Walker Bay, that you will need to either re-enforce the bow eye, or make a bridle around the boat, or terminate it on the transom where it is re-enforced for the engine. You need to spread out the load on that Polyethylene hull.

I like to use a bridle aft, with a block--a ring will have too much chance of chafe.

I have rarely towed dinghies--although I have towed boats up to 22 feet behind trawlers and larger motor sailors at 8 or so knots. I have seen a number of dinghies lost when they filled with water, and all of the sudden there was a lot more strain on the tow rope, or the inflatable flipped. So please do tow the boat only in calm weather. The problem with the PNW, is that is can be calm one day--and a even a few hours later the chop picks up with the wind, and you have a potential critical situation. Maybe OK with a self bailing boat--but not if the boat can fill with water...
 
Jay, your picture of the mokia being towed is the closest I would tow a RIB or Inflatable, thats what 20 to 30 feet?

Bob I am sorry but towing only ten feet behind your dory at planing speed is just asking for trouble. Now if you are just going to putt along at 6 to 8 knots thats just fine. but at any real speed ten feet is just not far enough. And as I think about it if you are using ten ft poles at a 45 degree angle you will only have the boat about 6 to 8 ft behind the boat.

I have towed inflatable dinghies and kayaks behind 4 different motor boats to speeds of 20 mph or more with out a problem as long as its on a long lead. I have never been on a sail boat so I can not say what works there but I have been driving power boats, mostly 10 to 30 ft outboard, since I was 8. And why would you not put it far behind you? Rope is cheap buy a lot of it and get that dinghy back aways. I have to ask what is the advantage of having your dinghy on a ten foot pole??? I cant think of one. not trying to dash your idea but I dont want to see anyone get hurt or lose a dinghy.
 
Tom, yes about 30 feet or slightly longer.  Wanted it as close as possible while still riding well for quick & easy retrieval also do a lot of intricate water ways & liked it's close tracking.  Did a lot of experimenting before choosing this length of tow for me, but your point about a longer tow line for dingy's & RIB's is definitely valid.   The Mokai rides the best close to the point of the start of the wake which forms a pocket that not only smooths the water but keeps the Mokia surfing the inside of the pocket on tight turns.  

Jay 
 
Capital Sea, (too many Bob's around ...and screen names are more specific..

I like to have the bridle in back of the boat from two secure points--either well backed cleats or specific tow eyes. The loop of line is about 5 feet behind the engine, and there is a snatch block (one which can open) along with a float, to keep it from sinking attached around this line from the stern. This allows a towing vessel to pivot and the line will not pull on one side of the towing vessel, allowing better control.

If you look at commercial tow vessels, tugs etc, they will have a tow bit attachment which is forward of the prop and rudder--this is not always possible in our C Dories--but is in some ski boats and wake board boats--thus the "high point of attachment" mentioned previously. It allows better control of the towing vessel.

A ring is more likely to cause chafe, than a block or pulley which slides along the bridle aft.

I hope this explains the reason for a "block"--(pulley).

I agree that although I have seen the rigid PVC pipe used in some conditions, or a short tow, that generally this is not wise and probably should not be done with our C Dories.
 
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