How much does towing a dinghy slow you down

[Akapeterc]

We loose about a Knot when towing our 3m rib with a 15hp Yamaha. Only tow it on a bridle I made for short trips. For longer trips we just lift it motor and all up on the davits, but when coastal cruising always take the motor off and put on it's bracket so can lash the tender nice and tight.

[J Clark H356]

I towed my Avon 260 air floor most of 2700 miles on my cruise from Kentucky Lake to Florida - never with the motor on it. I let it ride on the top of the first wave behind my Hunter 356. I carried it on the bow deck some, but not too much. I could not tell much difference when towing. When you tow, set it where you feel the drag on the line. Least resistance is where you should tow it. With an air floor, the dinghy is pretty light. With heavier dinghys I am sure they create more drag than mine. I like towing rather than on my bow deck because I can see better forward from the helm.


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[MVDarlin]

Get a MOB alarm for dingy, so you know immediately when the line parts and it goes adrift.

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[Polux]

If you have to tow a dinghy have a smaller one with an inflatable keel, a very light one and change the engine for a smaller one that you can have aboard. Even so you will lose more than 0.5k but probably less than 1k (with a decent wind).

Mine has 2.40m and only weights 16kg...and even so I have it almost always aboard...but i have a 41ft boat. On a small boat I understand that can be a big problem.

[Paul J. Nolan]

Originally Posted by moseriw

I think towing a dinghy is never ever an option.

Excellent advice, in my opinion.

Paul

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Paul J. Nolan

Excellent advice, in my opinion.

Paul

Paul and moseriw, this may be pedantic,but of course towing is indeed an option. The fact that many posters report successfully towing under some set of conditions or another seems to prove that this is a viable procedure. On our previous boat, where stowing our inflatable was a ~ 90 minute dance, we too towed quite a few thousand miles. Never lost a dinghy, but will admit to some pretty worried moments! Best practice? Nooo, but still an option.

You may never choose to do so, but for many sailors it works ok. There is some risk involved, but common sense and good painters/bridles will get one through a surprising amount of bad weather towing.

Jim