Need to Move My Sailboat

[Extemporaneous]

What's the best way?

1. It is in the water with out power.
2. 39 feet long.
3. About 10 ton right now.
4. Just being moved within the marina.

I'm planning to assist with my 10' 8" dingy with an 8hp outboard. I will wait until there is no wind or waves. I'm not sure whether it is best to tow it or strap my dingy to the side of it (this is what I leaning toward). I will be towing it backwards. I will have bumpers out and ready. I will also have help.

Any advice or experience out there with this sort of thing?

Thanks,
Extemp.

[Tempest245]

I have seen this done, with the dinghy strapped to the side as you say.

My marina moves powerless boats around all the time, using a long pole like a gondola, we only have about 6 to 8 foot of water though.

Good luck.

[drew.ward]

depending on the marina a few buddies on the hard with good ropes isn't the worst setup. Just have a couple of poles or something in case you start drifting too close to the wall or anything.

[zeehag]

tie the dink to the quarter and run her with a helper in the cockpit to steer boat---is easy once ya get the hang---pulling will NOT work......goood luck--is an adventuire--if the new slip is close enough you might even consider long lining the boat to the new one---but if not too close, quarter her up and use dink for auxiliary....

[Celestialsailor]

Let me ask you if the bottom is clean or does it have major growth. If it does, it will be very difficult to move.

[Extemporaneous]

The bottom is clean.
Just going out to give it a go.
I figure I'm going to attach the bow of the dingy to the side of my sailboat similar to the way one might anchor with two anchors. One line to the stern of the sailboat and one line to the bow of the sailboat.
I'll let you know how it works out (unless I'm totally ashamed of the outcome).

Extemp.

[MarkJ]

Dink lash to the quarter.
You won't need all 8hp, so put in mind that a little goes a long way

I pushed a 50 ft cat with my 3.3 and a 40 footer when some clown with a 15hp was trying to pull it.. waste of time.

Nice and slow. It takes some time to get it moving but you will appreciate it

[zeehag]

please tie your dink to the after part of your boat(quarter) so it will actually do the job--i have towed many boats with less than 8 hp an had excellent luck in htis way.....goood luck!!

[thinwater]

Slow is good.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Extemp,
You've gotten lots of good advice that works very well. Let your big boat do the steering and just use your dinghy motor in the fore and aft position for power. Hope all works well for you. I will jokingly add that if you use fenders instead of "bumpers" you'll protect your boat a lot better.
Kind regards,
JohnL

[tager]

Friends will be more help than you can imagine. Bring some!

[Extemporaneous]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Aloha Extemp,
You've gotten lots of good advice that works very well. Let your big boat do the steering and just use your dinghy motor in the fore and aft position for power. Hope all works well for you. I will jokingly add that if you use fenders instead of "bumpers" you'll protect your boat a lot better.
Kind regards,
JohnL

Thank ALL, it worked out very well. I tied a line from bow to stern and put a farmers knot just aft of the center of the keel. This I tied to the bow of the dingy which put the dingy outboard in (about) the aft quarter. This was done on the leeward side (about 5mph beam wind). Worked perfectly. Played a little with slack dock lines before the move and was able to control the sailboat almost as if I was using one of those pod like setups they have on some tug boats. Just got the Yamaha 8hp and had one of their "dual thrust" props put on it. It's supposed to give you 75% more power in reverse. Don't know about that, but it did seam to work well.
Generally I did only provide pushing power with the dingy and let the sailboat do it's own steering.
As for the bumpers John, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WAS THINKING, I almost deserved to fail with language like that, however, and in the nick of time, I came to my senses and used fenders. That was close!

Anyways guys thanks for your help, all worked out well.
I think this summer I'll head for open water and do some practicing in this configuration.

Extemp.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Extemporaneous

Thank ALL, it worked out very well. I tied a line from bow to stern and put a farmers knot just aft of the center of the keel. This I tied to the bow of the dingy which put the dingy outboard in (about) the aft quarter...
Extemp.

The Farmer’s Hitch is a good knot when a loop in the middle of a rope, leads fair in both directions:

Take three turns of the rope round your hand, then:
1. Move center part (b) over right part.
2. Move new center part (c) over left part.
3. Move new center part (a) over right part.
4. Pull new center part (b) up to form the loop
5. For most satisfying results, remove hand before fairing or loading knot.

[coffee]

As a continuos lurker and newbie just gleaning all I can from this forum, I absolutely love (and greatly appreciate) the fact that you throw these tidbits in Gord. Just wanted to say Thanks!

Also, anyone happen to know how this preforms in comparison to the butterfly knot aka alpine butterfly? Strength and/or ease of untie after load? A quick google didn't seem to turn up much useful.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Extemp,
Glad it worked out well. I enjoy those kind of projects. I get to pretend I'm a tugboat Captain. I watched a fellow in a 6 foot hard dinghy with a British Seagull outboard push his Offshore 41 around by just standing and holding onto the side of the big boat and steering the dinghy around with his legs and feet.
Kind regards,
JohnL