Towing a Tender Behind a Powerboat

[Dive Taxi]

Does anyone have any experience towing their large boat tender behind them? I'm considering getting a small whaler to use as our tender. I see sailboats do it all the time - can it be done with a higher hull speed? If so, how fast??

Thanks for any input...

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Towing a Tender Behind a Powerboat

I'd tow a Whaler or a RIB on plane but not full speed. Under 20 knots depending on lake conditions. Inflatables with inflatable keels can only be towed slowly and empty.

 

[Dive Taxi]

Re: Towing a Tender Behind a Powerboat

Thanks...

The larger boat is a small sportfisher. I cruise at no more than 16 knots. Concerns are... how far behind the boat should it be towed? Effect of bad weather?? In the pacific we get some big swell...

 

[EricR]

Re: Towing a Tender Behind a Powerboat

I worked on a 54' Hatteras sportfish today and they tow a 50' Grady White center console with twin 250 Yamahas behind it at cruising speed of 24 knots (when conditions permit) when they run from the Carolina coast to the Bahamas,

The Grady has a "towing bit" bolted low on the bow, they have a bridle made that attatches to a cockpit cleat on each corner of the stern (for you not familiar with sportfishing boats, the "cockpit" is the stern area of the deck where the fighting chair is in the center) and pulls the boat from the center, about 75' back.

They motor each boat out of the marina/harbor until they are in open water without a lot of boat traffic, and the larger boat stops and drifts, the captain comes down from the flybridge while the second crew member gets the Grady close enough the line can be connected- the outboards are shut down and tilted up leaving just a bit of the skegs in the water so the towed boat will tow straight. Then the person in the Grady hops from the bow of the Grady into the cockpit of the Hatteras.

When they come into the marina they are stopping at (or fuel dock, etc.) they stop the big boat, and "reel" in the towed boat, until a crew member can hop in it, then crank up the outboards. Then the line is cast off and each boat motors in on it's own.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Towing a Tender Behind a Powerboat

There are many variables that dictate how far behind your boat your want the towed boat. Generally, two swell lengths is a good starting point. You want to keep the towed boat "in step" with your boat to prevent shock loading your tow line which is hard on the line and both boats. So, when towing offshore, both boats should be on the peak of the swell or in the trough of a swell at the same time with the towed boat 2 swells behind you. In the Pacific that's going to be about 400 to 600 feet of line. In the Atlantic, about half that.

If towing in calm water, a good rule of thumb is to let out enough tow line for your given speed so the catenary of the line just touches the surface of the water. Again, this is to prevent shock loading and will result in a smooth tow.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Towing a Tender Behind a Powerboat

Have it towed just on top/above .. the rear wake/up..surfing zone wave..(ya know what I'm saying?..where the water comes back together)...least resistance...water there is trying to make up the big boat displacement...

 

[Martinique]

Re: Towing a Tender Behind a Powerboat

Harbormen marine.com sells a dinghy sling so you do not have to tow your tender. No drag and you can go as fast as you want. I used one all last year. Not good for large or heavy boats with fiberglass bottoms though.

 

[AGENT 37]

Re: Towing a Tender Behind a Powerboat

I came across a "dingy" drifting loose out in the pacific last year. It was a 24' RHI with tiwn outboards that got away from a yacht and they didn't notice. When they were contacted after we found it they elected not to recover it. Must have had a good bit of money to consider a boat like that as "dropped change". I don't know what ever happened to it. If it hadn't of been like 70 miles out of port I might have gone out and got it the next day after I got off duty.

 

[Willyclay]

Re: Towing a Tender Behind a Powerboat

Snapped the bow eye off of my 1960 Glasspar Avalon 16 while towing it behind a 62ft houseboat on Lake Lanier, GA when the lake had water in it. The houseboat had twin 350hp Mercruisers but we were below planing speed. The problem was tracking and the bow dug in after crossing the wake.