towing another boat on water

[all thumbs]

Just wondering if I ever had to give a disabeled boat a tow back to a dock. I have a 16ft. alluminum fishing boat. What would be a good place to tie a line off to? The tie down hooks on the back of the transom, or the cleats on the gunnel?

 

[TexomaAv8r]

Re: towing another boat on water

The cleats would be easier to get at in an emergency

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: towing another boat on water

Yes, but they are usually not reinfoeced on the backside. In fact, sometimes the cleats are only held on with screws. The transom eyes, on the other hand, are thru-bolted, and usually have a very substantial backing plate. I would personally never tow from the cleat unless it was a canoe that was empty.

 

[all thumbs]

Re: towing another boat on water

I wonder if the transom is up to taking that additional load? I'am sure it all depends on how big the other craft is but lets say around 17 to 18 ft.

 

[noelm]

Re: towing another boat on water

most boats can tow almost any other boat (within reason) providing you take it slow and easy, when you try to plane back home with another boat in tow is when you get into all sorts of trouble, and, remember not to have the throttle at full but only doing a couple of knots as major engine damage can and often does occurr, keep a nice long (strong) rope and "steady as she goes"

 

[zoom50]

Re: towing another boat on water

When I was towed on my first day out on the water last year (oil filter gasket fell off...ouch), the boat towing me had me wrap the rope around the cleat and I held onto it...He said having the ability to release the rope was essential. <br /><br />I must say, it was difficult winding through the channel getting into the marina with high dollar boats all around. Have plenty of crew to walk the boat along boats if needed if you are coming into a crowded marina.

 

[JB]

Re: towing another boat on water

Never tie a towline off, thumbs.<br /><br />Give it a turn or two around a cleat, but hold the end so that you can release it instantly if you lose control of either boat.

 

[all thumbs]

Re: towing another boat on water

Thanks for the input, I guess I was thinking of tieing up similar to pulling a skiier, but now I can see the safety issue with that.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: towing another boat on water

Originally posted by zoom50:<br /> I must say, it was difficult winding through the channel getting into the marina with high dollar boats all around. Have plenty of crew to walk the boat along boats if needed if you are coming into a crowded marina.

I towed a guy in the other day through a busy and narrow channel, I lashed him alongside with a few fenders between him and me - not a problem, but it was a calm day.<br /><br />Aldo

 

[Ross J]

Re: towing another boat on water

I have towed a number of times, including boats much bigger than mine!<br />I have spliced up a short section of rope to go from cleat to cleat, port to starboard with enough slack to reach out the stern a bit but not touch the water. Onto this I have a pulley which i run the towed boats rope through and pass back to them. I tell them they're in charge of letting go the tow if they feel the need. I keep a sharp knife ready my end in case of emergency.<br />I don't know about you guys laws but I reckon if they want a tow from me then they better be ready to work a bit too.<br />Ross

 

[Boatist]

Re: towing another boat on water

I agree with Ross, in a small boat like a 16 foot aluminum you must build a towing Bridle. I have towed more than 30 boat in my boating days. I towed a 35 foot twin engine ocean racing boat in with my little 14 foot Aluminum open boat. I towed a 28 foot by 12 wide twin engine bayliner with a flybridge in with my 21 foot aluminum Runabout.<br /><br />When you tow a larger boat and tie the tow line to one of your stern eyes first thing you will find out is your can not steer your boat. As you apply power the line will pull on that stern eye and try and turn your boat. It is almost like you had two engines and had one if foward and one in reverse and were trying to pull up to the dock. With the towing bridle as you turn the tow line will slide from side to side and alow your to steer. Best ones have a roller to allow tow line to move easily from side to side. Also on the boat your are towing hook to or thru the bow eye not to a weak bow rail of cleat. If you pull too hard and the nylon line breaks or pulls the cleat off the boat the line and anything attached will be flying at you and very high speed. This can be deadly, has been broken arm and legs, and trown people overboard.<br /><br />If your do not make a towing bridle then I suggest you tie around your outboard. This at least will allow you to steer.<br /><br />A lot of good info in a earlier post.<br /> http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=011535#000000

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: towing another boat on water

Ross J has nailed the best solution.<br /><br />Another quick-fix is to feed the line through one of the lifting rings and then tie it off to the nearest cleat. That way, you are towing nearer to the centre-line of your boat, but can still release fast if needed.

 

[QC]

Re: towing another boat on water

Boatist is right on with the steering control if you tow from one side. I once tried to assist a beached houseboat tied only to a stern eye on one side, you have no idea how quickly it starts to get away from you. I tried with a fixed bridle (as opposed to RJ's pulley method above) and I guess it was slightly off center and had similar results. Resorted to attaching to the bow eye and got it off the beach pulling in reverse. I was worried that the drive was gonna pop out of the water . . .

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: towing another boat on water

Quietcat, I have pulled a few beached houseboats of the bank, I always connect up with a pulley bridle (and drape a blanket over the rope), never had a problem.<br /><br />Aldo

 

[notinbig]

Re: towing another boat on water

I tow from cleat, However my rear cleats are plate reinforced on the back side, otherwise the boat will **** and rip your cleat off. Yuck , time to fix the fiber.

 

[QC]

Re: towing another boat on water

Yeah, my problem was no pulley i.e. fixed loop in a ski bridle. It's been 20 years and I think it always went taut on one side, pulled that way and never recovered no matter what I did with the helm.

 

[Boatist]

Re: towing another boat on water

Towing bridle is needed badly when you tow a boat heiver than your boat. Mine is simple and easy to build. All the cleates on my boat have 1/4 inch backing plates bigger than the cleats and as big a bolts as will go thru the cletes. Still for towing a bigger boat I use the stern eyes with my towing bridle. It is pretty simple put the end loop thru my stern cleat and attach, go over the stern and thru the stern eye, leave some slack and to to the other side thru the stern eye up to the stern clete on that side. If it is a really big boat then I go thru the stern eyes twice. Two reasons to use the stern eyes. <br />1: They and very strong and designed for towing or lifting <br />2: They are lower on the boat than the deck cleats, so if tow line should break or pull loose from the other boat better chance that it will hit the stern of your boat than your CREW.<br />Towing line is attached to your bridle with a loop around it so it can slide. You can get special pully that will allow it to slide side to side even easier. Just make sure it is strong enough for what your are towing.<br />When towing another boat use the BOW EYE not a bow clete or railing. Remember if it pulls loose from the other boat with the nylon line streached it will shoot at your boat like it was shot from a Gun.<br /><br />I have towed lots of boat and most have been very rewarding, only had a couple of jerks I wish we had left at sea. On the water you are required to aid boats in trouble if you can do it without risking you vessel and crew. This does not mean you have to tow a vessel, only get the crew to saftey. Still most times eaiser to tow the boat to saftey.<br />Make good decisions. If you are 20 miles out to sea and have plenty of fuel to make it in with your boat and see a larger boat taking on water. Likely you will not have enough fuel to tow this heavy boat half full of water back to Port. So you can stand by until the Coast Guard arrives or you can take the people off and head in.

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: towing another boat on water

allthumbs,<br /> See this thread for additional comments.<br /> Towing thread

 

[Solittle]

Re: towing another boat on water

Reminds me of a story ---------- Uh----- Oh ------- I may have told this before so suffer---------<br /><br />Anyway the wife and I are heading back to the marina from cruising around a barrier island about 7 miles off shore. About a mile from the channel I see this 10-12' inflatable with the engine cover off and an older gent and a "babe" waving at me. I figured they were broke down and needed a tow to the marina so over I go. When I pulled up alongside it was quite obvious that they had been sipping a few (probably all day long). They told me that they had run out of gas and wanted a tow but not to the marina but to their yacht which was 6 miles behind me. The kicker was they wanted a tow not because they had run out of gas but they had run out of booze. I told them that I was headed in and would be glad to tow them to the marina but they were adement. I told them I would notify the dockmaster and headed for the ramp - - water was relatively calm so they were in no danger. I have often since wondered if they sobered up before they got back to their booze.