Best line for dinghy

[JPA Cate]

RichardandHelen,

Yes, before you go forward to drop the anchor or pick up a mooring or tie up to a dock, at the same time you get lines ready for docking, or when you slow the boat down, and will only be going slowly, that is when you shorten the line.

If you tow the dinghy a lot, ;whistling: you will learn a lot, it is not best seamanship, better to keep it secured on deck, but if you do anyway, .... well, one thing we did was to build a series drogue for ours, so as to keep it from surfing into the mother boat when towing it downwind...it works, but makes it slow you quite a bit. The second one we made, we used PVC cloth to make the cones, nylon ones didn't hold up at all.


Ann

[SuW]

Originally Posted by RichandHelen

Do dinks take on much water when it's a bit sloppy? Or is this simply not a worry under "normal" conditions? I'm thinking 3' or less and no torrential rain. Do you ever have to go to the length of stopping to have a look and/or bail out the dink?

Our dinghy takes on copious amounts of water if I forget to put the blanking plate in the dagger-board trunk...hard dinghy with sailing rig and it comes from below when towing through any rough water...we've had to stop a few times and send the mate over the transom to bail...also to seal the blanking plate with a piece of neoprene.

Normal rain isn't much of a problem. We did get one of those long reach suction manual bailers though - we can now lean over the rail and use it for the dinghy or lean over and bail when it's tied to the dock as well...

[Jim Cate]

For towing a RIB or other inflatable, removing the drain plug will keep it reasonable dry while towing, even in heavy rain. Most such devices have check valves (flapper type) built in so that it doesn't flood immediately upon stopping... but do replace the plug when you stop for a longer while, for they often don't seal too well.

Jim

[deblen]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa5CVt_hGMk

[deblen]

Davron Marine Products (Dinghy-Tow)

[james247]

Originally Posted by FabioC

Hi,

I remember there was a thread about this some time back, but cannot find it with the search...



What's the best bow line for the dinghy? Nylon or Polyester?

What's a good length?



Thank you!

Safety in boats is about discipline.
Before you anchor tie to a pen or simply engage reverse - Shorten up the dingy painter.
It doesn't matter if the rope floats or not strong prop wash will suck the line down.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Yes. In part you shorten it to maintain better control. But also, just because it floats does not mean it can't get sucked down if you run it over.

Floating line can get in the prop too if you are careless.

Running over the dinghy painter is bound to happen just at the worst position, when something big and horrible is about to run you down. To make matters worse since the rope will now be wound up tight you can't lift the outboard engine up to free the end from the prop and the knot at the bow is pulled tight too.

How do i know this? I have the t shirt . Our painter is now shorter than the length of the dinghy.

Someone suggested towing two waves back. You can but towing in a running sea isn't good and slows you down. If it has to be done for short journeys we lift he dinghy bows up to the pushpit so only the transom is in the water. For longer journeys over a couple of miles the dinghy comes out and is deflated.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by FabioC

Hi,
I remember there was a thread about this some time back, but cannot find it with the search...

What's the best bow line for the dinghy? Nylon or Polyester?
What's a good length?

Thank you!

I like 20-25 ft for a dingy painter. If I want to tow it much I will use a longer different line. Large powerboats routinely tow large dingys, maybe 100- 150 ft behind.
My luck with towing dingys in all but the shortest hops has not ended well.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I like 20-25 ft for a dingy painter. If I want to tow it much I will use a longer different line. Large powerboats routinely tow large dingys, maybe 100- 150 ft behind.
My luck with towing dingys in all but the shortest hops has not ended well.

Which illustrates the point that there is no "best length" for a dinghy line since it can be either a painter or a towline. Best ask "what is the best length of a dinghy painter and what is the best knot to extend it with a towline (the answer to the second question is, of course, the Zeppelin Bend )

And I'd go with "about twice the length of the dinghy" for the first question.

[a64pilot]

I have my painter length sized so that it can’t quite get into the prop if we accidentally let it go overboard.

I don’t like to tow, best luck I have had is by sucking the dinghy right up against the stern of the big boat, actually lift the bow some.
Still would not be good in a big following sea though.
Towing will eventually end up badly I think.