Garry Posted December 25, 2003 Report Share Posted December 25, 2003 I am considering building a nesting Spindrift 10 or 11 for use as a tender for my 36 footer, Rosita. I have used a nesting pram design before, so I am familiar with the advantages of a nesting design. I would occasionally tow the tender instead of bringing her on deck. The pram design tows OK but there is a lot of resistance since it will not plane. With the planing Spindrift design, I think it would be easier to tow. However, I had another experience where I should not have been towing. I was entering an inlet with a following sea and outgoing current. While focusing on the channel ahead, the dinghy was surfing behind and surprised the s**t out of me when it slammed into the transom. It happened twice more before I could figure out how to handle the situation. I spent the next ten minutes steering out of the way of the surfing dinghy while trying to remain in the channel. It was surprising to see the dinghy surf right past me :shock: until the painter stopped it and jerked it around. I would think the Spindrift would be even more likely to surf. I would have to be more careful about towing in open water. Maybe rigging a drag that could be rigged to prevent surfing. I have seen an idea to attach a bucket on a line over the painter to drag at the bow of the dinghy. I wonder you have any other experiences with towing these dinghys I could learn from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Luckett Posted December 25, 2003 Report Share Posted December 25, 2003 Garry, Interesting story and I hope the more experienced with towing a dinghy will join this. I plan to tow. Could you have brought it alongside and tied it fore and aft and with fenders? Merry Christmas, Greg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Day Posted December 25, 2003 Report Share Posted December 25, 2003 Hi guys! Merry Christmas. One would think we would have something better to do on Christmas than type messages into this forum, but I have a lull in the proceedings around here and thought I'd see what is going on. I have towed a dinghy behind my 40' Beneteau a little, but is an Avon inflatable. There never have been surfing problems with it becuse of its configuration. Besides, it wouldn't have hurt anything if it hit the boat anyway. When I know I'm going to be maneuvering a lot, I bring it up and put the bow of the inflatable right up on the stern of the boat and tie it off. That way the painter can't get to the prop and the boat can't get in the way of any of the maneuvers. I think something like that would be a good idea with a Spindrift, too, but I really haven't given it a lot of thought. I sailed tugs in the Navy, so some of the rigs we used there come to mind. The idea is to get the boat under control without leaving lines in the water and keeping the boats from beating each other up. In a harbor situation with relative calm, that's not such a big deal, but when there is a sea, it becomes more of a concern. Maybe some of you old salts might like to chime in on this. Steve "Tugboat" Day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 25, 2003 Report Share Posted December 25, 2003 Back in the good old days of towing, we would find a two to three inch line for tugs, and use 30 feet of line behind the tender, Keep in mind the size of inlet and the size of the tender. you will need a nice ring in the stern center or bridle a line across the stern cleats, and secure the dragline. A bucket creates a lot of drag, and may pull some lightly secured cleats out, if used. I also tow around two seas, behind me, if traffic allows for this length. The greater the sea, make sure though, the tender is not too far, as the line lays in the water and may take the bow under if the tender is around eight or ten feet. Also, we use an eye as low in the stem to keep the nose up, in heavy weather. Tying the tender to the side of the hull, requires oversize balls,two of them or fenders, of around ten inches in diameter, the types used on big yachts, but this depends of the shape of the tender hull as to how it will lay to the hull in heavy swell conditions. Make sure you tie them to the belly portion of your hull, both fore and aft, with the bumpers close hauled to each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 25, 2003 Report Share Posted December 25, 2003 By the way Steve, I am working today, figuring out my new computer junk. :wink: I can actually see the screen for a change, I got one of those new flat screens, instead of those portable tv remote sizes. I am also between guest appearances, to the in-laws and family. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Luckett Posted December 25, 2003 Report Share Posted December 25, 2003 I am just hibernating from the cold weather and hiding from my kids and grandkids. Oh, and moving stuff out of this office to replace the carpet with laminate flooring in the next day or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry Posted December 26, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2003 there was not a lot I cold do since I already had my hands full handling the boat in an inlet with a following sea. I didn't think about adding line to the painter to let it tow farther behind. That might have helped, but it did seem to surf very well since it would surf past me until the painter jerked it around, sometimes in a 360. But it was a lesson that I should not have been towing in open water. It started out as a nice summer day, but a squall came up just as I made the entrance. I probably should have stood off to let it pass before trying to make it in. But I should have brought the dinghy on deck before going offshore even though it was a nice day. Anyway, hope you all had a nice Christmas. Looking forward to seeing other Spindrifts out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustangermatt Posted December 27, 2003 Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 Another trick I have used towing barges on the west coast. Many of our coastal routes involve tidal currents of 6-7 knots and the accompanying turbulance. Occasionally a barge will "take a run" playing crack the whip on the end of a quarter mile of tow wire. In extreme situations this will "trip" the tug when the tow wire comes abeam. Usually the barge is running faster than the tug can go. The trick here is to just let the wire run and remove the pendulum affect. The barge will eventually slow down, you get back in front of it, set the brake and continue on your way. This may not help with the dingy since you may not have enough line to let it go, and in your situation the risk of getting the line in the wheel is greater. A 2 1/2" tow wire doesn't flop around much. I like your idea of keeping the dingy on deck best, thats what I would have done with some of these barges if I could have :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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