Dinghy Tow Rope Length

[Sierahotel]

Set the painters length so that the dinghy is surfing down the second wave the boat is making. A few dozen feet back. Varies based on hull speed and boat shape.

Getting the dinghy to surf down that wave may save a 1/4 to 1/2 knot of speed. Then take the painter way in when docking or slowing down to avoid fouling that painter in the prop.

Also one can make a Y shape with the painter to tow it from both sides of the transom to tow more evenly. Just some of the things one tinkers with while underway to get extra 1/10th of a knot.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Sierahotel

Set the painters length so that the dinghy is surfing down the second wave the boat is making. A few dozen feet back. Varies based on hull speed and boat shape.

Getting the dinghy to surf down that wave may save a 1/4 to 1/2 knot of speed. Then take the painter way in when docking or slowing down to avoid fouling that painter in the prop.

Also one can make a Y shape with the painter to tow it from both sides of the transom to tow more evenly. Just some of the things one tinkers with while underway to get extra 1/10th of a knot.

This practice may work well for power boats that proceed at a fixed speed, and thus generate a stable wave pattern, but it has never worked for me in a yacht. When sailing, ones speed just varies too much, and at least in my vessel, the stern wave is usually very small relative to the sea state.

And FWIW, we have towed big dinghies far more than I like to think about. Long ago I found that the biggest hazard is when, sailing downwind, the dink surfs and the yacht does not. Dink comes charging up, a big loop of slack is formed in the painter, the dink goes sideways as it slows and the slack comes out with a big jerk on the line. Bad scene... So, we built a small series drogue for the dink. After some experimentation we found that one with only two standard Jordan size cones (made from heavy vinyl, not spinnaker cloth) on a 5 metre line with a weight at the far end worked well. Keeps the dink firmly at the end of the painter without adding too much drag, and makes for a stable tow.

Cheers,

Jim

[Zanshin]

I use a very long line, about 80-100 feet, to tow my dinghy behind me. I will remove the 9.8HP 2-stroke engine and take it aboard and remove everything from the dinghy including the oars. Here's a short video of a passage to Antigua from St. Barths (90nm) and the waves are between 2 and 3 meters (7-14 feet) but with a very long period. I will take the dinghy aboard on longer passages and when the waves are coming from behind as the chances of the dinghy getting pooped are higher. I also have a knife close at hand should that happen so that I can cut the line quickly.

AntiguaPassageAftView - YouTube

[Dennis.G]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

...
And FWIW, we have towed big dinghies far more than I like to think about. Long ago I found that the biggest hazard is when, sailing downwind, the dink surfs and the yacht does not. Dink comes charging up, a big loop of slack is formed in the painter, the dink goes sideways as it slows and the slack comes out with a big jerk on the line. Bad scene... So, we built a small series drogue for the dink. After some experimentation we found that one with only two standard Jordan size cones (made from heavy vinyl, not spinnaker cloth) on a 5 metre line with a weight at the far end worked well. Keeps the dink firmly at the end of the painter without adding too much drag, and makes for a stable tow.

That was brilliant.

I had a towed dinghy surf up, hit the transom and flip over. More than once. Had to heave-to and right the boat and bail it out in pretty serious seas. Decided I did not like towing the dinghy!

[bobconnie]

Ive towed my boat with my dinks ! Lots of times ! But I never tow the dink with my boat !! Just never liked the idea of it! seen a few upside down, seen a few hit the stern of a boat hard enough to do damage! For us it's much easier to raise the dink aboard, and secure it, then to tow it! I like things that are less likely to cause me more work !! Takes either Connie or I less then 10 minutes to raise our dink and secure it for whatever comes along, Cus no matter what type of weather stuff you have, ya never know what is just a little way away from ya !! Ive seen to many squalls come up QUICKLY, way to quickly to tend to a towed dink ! Just my Old fashion Ideas! (aways prepare for the worst, and anything else is pure easy !)

[Teknav]

If you can't see the dinghy when towing it, you either have an ultra long line attached to your dinghy or you're just towing an empty line! Mauritz

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by Teknav

If you can't see the dinghy when towing it, you either have an ultra long line attached to your dinghy or you're just towing an empty line! Mauritz

Or your dinghy has become a submarine.

[Dhillen]

Love that video from Zanshin, you were flying! What camera did you have attached to the pushpit?

We actually never tow the dink. As bobconnie says, you never know how conditions may change. When it hits the fan I have enough things to worry about without having to try and stop the boat in big seas and pull the dink aboard. Jeez.

Our current boat has davits but our last two did not. We always pulled the dink aboard and lashed her down preparing for the worst - even if just for a 10 mile day. You just never know.

Dhillen

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by D2D

I am about to buy a dinghy tow line.

What is the general rule for dinghy tow rope maximum length - in our case 11'ft rib pulled by a sailing catamaran?

Thanks in advance.

You have a 47 foot cat. Don't tow the dinghy!

[highseas]

When I tow dinghy,which is not often,I tie it tight up against transom with bow lifted out of water(motor off).This cuts drag,no chance of dinghy surfing past me or painter wrapping on prop.Have done this with 6-8 ft waves,works fine.Noticed other boats doing same.

[rtbates]

I've found that inflatables and even our Fold-A-Boat tow best when hauled up so close that the forward 2/3 is out of the water and the bow is hanging in the air from the stern rail. Try it sometime, you might be surprised.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by rtbates

I've found that inflatables and even our Fold-A-Boat tow best when hauled up so close that the forward 2/3 is out of the water and the bow is hanging in the air from the stern rail. Try it sometime, you might be surprised.

Yeah done that quite a bit in reasonable waters. That or at a length so the dink is just surfing on the bow wave crest creates a lot less drag. It's amazing how much drag a dink produces at 5 knots! Just try pulling it in at that speed!

[Zanshin]

Originally Posted by Dhillen

Love that video from Zanshin, you were flying! What camera did you have attached to the pushpit?

I was doing about 8-9 knots in typical Caribbean winter trades, but the waves were much higher than they look in the video.

I've often read recommendations to set the painter a specific length related to the wave period. I personally believe than nobody who has made such a suggestion has actually done this in open ocean waters. Just as there is a formula for the average wave height there is also one for wave period and the reality is that with any wind at all there will never be a regular wave pattern; there will be an overall averaging of waves and each ocean has its own wave series (I often count series of 7 waves here in the Caribbean, but I could be fooling myself) but nowhere close to being a regular pattern. Regardless of what length I chose, there will always come a big wave which hits the dinghy as it is going downhill or uphill.

Although I haven't tried pulling the dinghy up close with the bow pulled so that it comes out of the water, but I think I'll give that a try next time since I think it is better way of pulling a dinghy with almost no danger of it going into submarine mode.

[Mystic38]

One day in NC when i foolishly believed the forecast I saw my HP inflatable airborne and flip over to become a submarine drogue.

needless to say, i do not tow my dinghy anymore

[foggysail]

AHHhhhh-- the question reminds me of my earlier days in sailing. Then I owned an 8' Eli fiberglass dinghy which we towed behind our Hunter 30 using a 40' painter until......

Some @#$%^&* @$$ hole thief saw my dinghy with a long painter sitting on the dinghy dock cut and stole the painter. Yeah, not all the smiling faces one sees on the water are nice guys!

Ever since that time I began storing our dinghy on the bow of the boat. Cranked it up using a halyard after emptying it. I even carried the 8HP Yamaha down into the cabin so that it was out of sight. Had enough with thieves! Today I have a davit crane to lift the dinghy onto our boat's bow with all the necessities such as the outboard, oars and so forth and we do not tow it!