Towing a RIB

[Ocean Girl]

Follow up
Here is what we've done. I spliced Amsteel from port transom pad eye, trough fwd D rings, and then back to stbd transom pad eye(runs under the boat) I also used tubular webbing to help prevent the Amsteel from chaffing on the tubes when under load. There is a ss O ring that is also threaded in. We then attach to our towline via soft shackle. Clear as mud? The motor was a cinch to get on our stern railing with the gauhouer motor lift.

It tows very well. I have a bungee ( simple store bought large bungee) whipped to the tow line and works well in the shock loading from choppy conditions. The only weak areas that I see in the harness section is where the Amsteel turn up under the boat to go forward to the D rings. The webbing helps but may add something to make the bend bigger.

I'm sewing a small drogue like ann suggested to have on hand, so far surging is not an issue.

Thanks again for all the great input.
Erika

[Ocean Girl]

Here is a pic with the harness, which is permanently mounted to the boat, up and out of the way. You can see the blue webbing on the stern tubes and the Amsteel come up under to the hand hold to secure to inside pad eye.

[Captain Yiannis]

Take care of the towing distance, which is one curve of your wake, ... facing your boat .

[seamountie]

OK, just to appear to be a jerk, however, this is one of those cases that jargon matters. You do not have a RIB (or more correctly a RHIB for Ridged Hulled Inflatable Boat), you have an Inflatable Boat. No ridged hull. There are quite different attachment techniques between the two.

To me, it looks like you have got a very robust attachment system for your IB.

[Captain Yiannis]

It's a RIB.

[Scout 30]

It's not ridged. It's rigid.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

It's not ridged. It's rigid.

Wifey B: Ruffles have ridges....

[s/v Beth]

OC and Rain Dog- I know I am late to this thread, but I think this is an ill fated move. Put the RIB on the front deck! In big water it will become a super liability. In storms, I am always glad that I spent the extra 5 minutes and latched it down to the Cabin/front deck. Now I realize your boat is a little smaller, but I have put a rigid dingy on a 23 foot sloop in the front! There must be a way!
This is Beth set up for ocean work.

[Ocean Girl]

No worries s/v Beth!! If we do go offshore or any real coastal cruising, we will put the beast on deck.
Great thing about this overkill bridle is that it is very handy in a rowdy anchorage. We anchored at molasses key the other day and the current was 3-4 plus knots. Plus we had a very good squall come through Tarpon Belly anchorage, 35+ knots and a counter current. Having a towing bridle, a strong set up that was not yanking at the bow eye, was very handy. My bungees on the painter and tow bridle make a difference too I think.
Thanks for the great advice
Erika

[RTB]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

Great thing about this overkill bridle is that it is very handy in a rowdy anchorage. We anchored at molasses key the other day and the current was 3-4 plus knots. Plus we had a very good squall come through Tarpon Belly anchorage, 35+ knots and a counter current. Having a towing bridle, a strong set up that was not yanking at the bow eye, was very handy. My bungees on the painter and tow bridle make a difference too I think.

It looks like you guys have thought this out very carefully. Nice job!

An advantage with your "beast", is that it isn't likely to blow over during a storm at anchor. I've seen several flipped dinghy's with engines on, after storms while at anchor. A drowned engine is a bad deal when you're a cruiser. Almost flipped mine at Marsh Harbor last year. Lots of wind and fetch. Amazing how many dinghies go missing from boats during bad weather. We've rescued 2 so far ourselves.

Y'all have fun in Boot Key Harbor. Don't let the Velcro get attached to Raindog. Lots to see out there.

Ralph

[BandB]

Originally Posted by RTB

Amazing how many dinghies go missing from boats during bad weather. We've rescued 2 so far ourselves.

Ralph

Yes, amazing how many of those are called thefts until the facts come out.

[Sandero]

I have a 10' alum bottom hypalon inflatable which is towed, but the rather heavy 8hp 4 stroke motor is always removed and stowed on the rail. I use a demountable (inexpensive well made) Garhauer lifting crane which I can do alone. The engine has a bridle on it for that purpose.

The dink is towed using 2 rings which are attacked to the hypalon. A bridle of dacron webbing is attached to a long 3/8" pair of lines each attached to a stern cleat. Finally the dink has an aluminum tube welded to the aluminum at the bow. A 1/2" line which is the working dinghy pendant... (we don't use the bridle for tie up) provide a 3rd line. These 3 lines are long enough such that the dinghy tow distance c an be set to the best wave pattern as we make way. The dink location can be perfectly "trimmed" for the least drag.

I don't know I would do this in large waves such as offshore, but for all coastal conditions we have encountered this has worked. Of course in large following and quartering seas the dinghy does get moved a lot by the waves which may be traveling faster than the boat. This is the only time towing has been worrying.

[Oceanghost]

I towed my dinghy on Coastal trips from Panama City Beach to Destin Florida. I have a 9.5 Rib aluminum bottom with bow locker. 15hp Honda i keep on rail attached to my engine hoist. I had no problems for during several trips until that day i got hit by a squall and the painter line got wrapped around everything possible underneath my boat. I had good distance towing the dinghy. The shifts in wind and waves during the squall with 40 knot winds is presumably what caused it. Plus the dinghy was full of water afterwords. So now i lash my dinghy to the foredeck no matter how nice the weather is offshore. I also broke a painter once towing the dinghy..Hope this helps.


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