Will 18' boat tow a 26' boat?

[Fordiesel69]

If my 26' breaks down in the water, can I use my 18' to pull it back to the dock? To my understanding, when towing, you do it just a tad above idle, and not try to run the engine hard. Like 1000 ~1200 rpm

 

[nikon]

Re: Will 18' boat tow a 26' boat?

I've towed my dads 34' cabin cruiser with my 20' cuddy....ya you should be fine...yes keep it slow.

 

[Art Bernard]

Re: Will 18' boat tow a 26' boat?

I'd say it depends on what size engine the 18' has and the pitch of it's prop. Like a tug, it's all about power, not size, but in an emergency I see no reason why it couldn't be done. Low and slow, that's how it's done.

Art

 

[seaboo]

Re: Will 18' boat tow a 26' boat?

I have towed a 19 ft tri hull that was VERY waterlogged with my 2 cylinder 580cc jet ski without a problem. I've towed a 28 ft pontoon with 7 people on board with my 22 ft boat (with 6 people on board) without a problem. It is all about water/current conditions and common sense.

 

[Raystownboater]

Re: Will 18' boat tow a 26' boat?

I actually had my 23' pulled by my buddy tying a rope to his waist and swimming. He did it on a dare but actually pulled the boat over 200 yards. Right after that, we were pulled back to the launch by a small aluminum fishing boat with 9.9 on the back. You wont have a problem.

 

[98Shabah]

Re: Will 18' boat tow a 26' boat?

I pulled a 24' pontoon with a seized engine and 5 people with camping gear on board a few miles from one end of a lake to the other with my Kawasaki 1100 waverunner.. It gobbled some gas though. lol!

 

[Bondo]

Re: Will 18' boat tow a 26' boat?

Ayuh,... I tow my 34' houseboat, twice a year with my 12', 7.5hp tinny Tugboat....

Luckily, it's only a 300 yard tow across the river, with little current, 'n only when there's No wind....

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Will 18' boat tow a 26' boat?

They move big boats all over the marina with a flat deck pumpout boat and a 25 HP O/B.

 

[WN2712NJ]

Re: Will 18' boat tow a 26' boat?

Just the other weekend I towed an broken-down 18 foot I/O back to the boat ramp with a 10 foot Livingston and 9.9Merc Bigfoot. Probably never used more than 1/3 throttle. You can't go fast when towing anyway. Biggest concern is you need to be careful about slowing down rapidly, you don't want the big boat ramming the back of the tug.

 

[Lowe170]

Re: Will 18' boat tow a 26' boat?

I actually had my 23' pulled by my buddy tying a rope to his waist and swimming. He did it on a dare but actually pulled the boat over 200 yards. Right after that, we were pulled back to the launch by a small aluminum fishing boat with 9.9 on the back. You wont have a problem.

I want this guy on my crew!

 

[Coastie_bob]

Re: Will 18' boat tow a 26' boat?

Ah, in erie just pay for a boat US membership, Erik at west side will come and get you or the coast guard if you don't get any response from any good samaritans!! Like they say, speed is the killer as well as dynamic conditions (wind, waves and storms) should be good just watch where you're going and plan well ahead.

 

[Coastie_bob]

Re: Will 18' boat tow a 26' boat?

there's actually a safe towing speed which is 3.14 times the square root of the length of the water line of the vessel being towed! FYI

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Will 18' boat tow a 26' boat?

there's actually a safe towing speed which is 3.14 times the square root of the length of the water line of the vessel being towed! FYI

That hurts my head just to think about...

Look at it this way. If a boat is sitting in the water, slow movements require very little energy. My boat is 11 tons and I can push it around in the water by hand.

 

[zagger]

Re: Will 18' boat tow a 26' boat?

The thing to watch out for is wind/current/ wave action. All these will act on the vessel you are towing. Use a strong enough line and apply common sense to task at hand. In perfect conditions you don't need much power or displacement.