having an exclusively towed tender

[Grandbanks3642]

I like the idea of having a bigger tender, after a day traveling at 8 knots its nice to be able to zip around going 20-25 knots. I also like the idea of being able to fish from it and pull the vessel if something bad were to happen. All this cannot be fit into a tender that will fit over an aft cabin (of a GB 36), is it possible to have a tender that is exclusively towed behind the vessel? If anyone has watched the “Tula’s Endless summer” Youtube channel you know that they pulled a 16 foot whaler behind there single screw Marine trader for years, now I am not thinking that big (more like 12 ish inflatable with a console) what would be the problems associated with having a tender that is only towed? (besides line in the prop).


Thanks for any input.

 

[ScottC]

Hi GB3642,


I can think of a few potential issues with the strategy you're considering:



1) Docking and maneuvering hassles
2) Marina rules - you might be required to pay additional - possibly even for TWO slips for an overnight
3) Waterway rules - some canals do not permit towed anything inside locks
4) Risk of being at sea when a storm suddenly comes up. If it gets bad enough and your towing setup is causing problems, you may be forced to cut the tow loose. (Though there is also the possibility the tow could help improve your ride, under certain conditions, as it could act as sort of a drogue). I'm not basing this last statement on experience, but only from things I've read.


If you go with a 12' inflatable, I guess you would be able to get it out of the water, deflate it somewhat and lash it down, in extreme circumstances...

 

[Simi 60]

Antifouling

 

[smitty477]

We had a number of tenders that could only be towed over 10+ years which we towed about 600-800 miles per season. There were a number of both shorter and longer trips where we did not take them along as well as the ones where we did. We towed at speeds of about 7 knots and other times at 15-17 knots as well. From our experiences this is what we found to be important..
- a large enough towed boat to handle the weather , for us that was always over 17'
- self bailing cockpit
- a well designed towing harness
- well thought out towing points (2) on the towed boat
- correctly propped towing boat
Our towing bridle allowed us to quickly bring the tow alongside and maneuver while on the hip or to allow someone to dispatch the inflatable while we docked the towed boat.
The towing harness has 2 attachment points on each end, has a quick disconnect , allows for the tow to be on the back of the second wave, the main line floats, and chafe guard is placed on all potential wear areas.
For us the ability to tow a larger and faster RIB was always a great addition to the cruising that we did - YMMV

Forgot to add - when we traveled to marinas we always told them we had a larger inflatable with us. I believe we only paid an additional fee one time over those 10+ years. We did not pay extra fee's for places all along Long Island NY, or the Ct side, up the Hudson to Catskill, or at Block Island.... guessing maybe 20+ locations without actually looking them all up in the logs.
Hope this helps

 

[caltexflanc]

We towed our 13' Whaler a lot for a variety of reasons (davit winch out for rebuild, berthed in a marina slip with starboard side tie(where dinghy got lowered), convenience on short trips going from anchorage to anchorage/mooring field), and in a wide variety of sea conditions. It worked out great. We had a good friend who happily cruised his 40-ish Marine Trader solo up and down the east coast for years, towing a 14' Carolina skiff.

A few of the comments so far a pretty valid.

1) If it is going to be kept in the water for long periods at rest, then bottom paint is a good idea. We just had the yard apply it when they were doing the big boat.

2) Docking gets slightly more complicated, but once you have your system down, no big deal. And yes, when transient, you very well might get charged, so dock the dinghy beam to the swim platform and be honest with the marina when you reserve. We got away with it a few times when we could lower the dinghy once the big boat was docked and keep it in the water during our stay, as long as it didn't stick out in the fairway. Our big boat was designed to go bow-in, and I would not want to try and back into a slip with a tow working in any case.

3) I can only speak of direct experience with our boat and our friend, but we ran in some rough steep seas, in our case very glad to have the stabilizers on the big boat, and the dinghy handled them beautifully. There are a few little tricks that help (such as having the motor lowered so the skeg is submerged for better tracking). The little boat would skitter around a bit anyway, sometimes a lot, but never came at all close to being upset. It took a few trips like that until we no longer felt we had to keep a close eye on it constantly, just check every now and then in the course of keeping watch.

For the type of cruising we did, having a larger, heavier dinghy with console was wonderful as we used it extensively to explore wherever we were. Makes a decent fishing platform too, especially getting you into shallow backwaters. And when living on a mooring full time for a few months, as we did a couple of seasons, the extra interior space was great for transporting guests/luggage, and all forms of cargo. When anchored or moored in a harbor, always best to understand the rules and regs of the dinghy dock.

And one last note: when we sold the big boat and moved back on land, we kept the Whaler and use it constantly. Right now it has its own dock in our backyard.

 

[AlanT]

Antifouling

+1 on Antifouling. I have not had good luck with antifoul on RIBs (Inflatables). Not so much of a problem in warm waters if you are happy jumping in every week and giving her a scrub. But definitely something to consider in cooler climes.

 

[smitty477]

Antifoul - We used Pettit inflatable boat paint on the parts of the tubes that were immersed. On the hulls we used the typical hydrocoat and it worked well even on the RIBS that were fairly fast boats - did not seem to affect the performance at all.
Preparation seemed to be one of the largest contributors we used "Bio Blue" to prep all surfaces followed by many wipes to supply a clean start.

 

[DavidM]

Most, probably all of the reasons against towing full time have been already stated: storm concerns, docking, locking, anitifouling, etc.

But I am aware of one real positive: being able to use your larger dinghy for fishing and longer trips away from your mother boat. Years ago I met a fellow boater who had towed his 18' center console fishing boat across with his Lord Nelson Victory Tug. He said that the small boat was a big help in getting into fishing spots away from the tug's anchorage, some of which were miles away.

But the one issue that I have near personal experience with (it was a friend) is what happens while towing when a storm kicks up. My friend was in 25-30 kt winds and 4-6' seas off of Galveston when his dinghy flipped. Came close to cutting it away but was able to hang on until the storm passed.

Do not tow offshore or in any large body of water if thunderstorms are expected.

David

 

[Ka_sea_ta]

Maybe a little larger than you had in mind, but we towed the Hewescraft seen in my avatar from Gig Harbor to Cape caution and beyond.... When we would go on our long summer trip having the larger tender allowed us to remain anchored in more remote areas longer using the tender for supplies when needed... For fishing, crabbing and prawning it was easy.... If you are going to tow it really doesn't make much difference the size of what your towing within reason... The Hewes was 20ft if it was a 12 ft inflatable you have the same issues with docking or anchoring. we just side tied the tender it was never an issue. For the rest of the year we had a removable pickle fork davit on the swim step for a 11ft inflatable.

 

[Ken E.]

Hi GB3642,


I can think of a few potential issues with the strategy you're considering:



1) Docking and maneuvering hassles
2) Marina rules - you might be required to pay additional - possibly even for TWO slips for an overnight
3) Waterway rules - some canals do not permit towed anything inside locks
4) Risk of being at sea when a storm suddenly comes up. If it gets bad enough and your towing setup is causing problems, you may be forced to cut the tow loose. (Though there is also the possibility the tow could help improve your ride, under certain conditions, as it could act as sort of a drogue). I'm not basing this last statement on experience, but only from things I've read.


If you go with a 12' inflatable, I guess you would be able to get it out of the water, deflate it somewhat and lash it down, in extreme circumstances...

Scott and I are in the minority here, but I prefer not to tow for the reasons given. Yes, it's fun to have a good-sized tender to fish and run around in, but every anchorage, marina and fuel dock it's the same drill of coping with the tender. When things get rough unexpectedly, you are now having to manage two boats in adverse conditions with a painter line in the water and significant shock loads. I also prefer fishing from the big boat, particularly in rough and rolly conditions which frequently is the case where we go. I have friends who tow successfully each year to upper BC and SE AK and love it. It's just not my cup of tea.

 

[smitty477]

Some things we did with our larger tenders:
- trips to stores and 'places'
- skiing
- tubing
- exploring unusual and hard to reach locations
- diving
- trips for supplies/food/parts/etc
- traveling sometimes 40+ miles

We always had a person on the boat which could detach and take the tender under its own power to facilitate docking if/when needed - they could also help us dock the main boat from the dockside position upon arrival.

 

[O C Diver]

I travel solo and found what little towing I did to be a PIA. With crew on the boat, it certainly would have been easier. But that still doesn't negate keeping track of the dinghy and dealing with problems as they arise. The deal breaker for me would be theft of the dinghy. Maybe less of an issue depending on where you go. Being able to put the dinghy on the roof of the saloon if you have any concern, is priceless.

If I were going to do a trip from say Stuart, FL to an Island in the Bahamas where you were underway until arrival, that might be different. Guess I see it like a cargo trailer. Fine for taking stuff from Maryland to Florida, but not attached to my vehicle every day.

Ted

 

[BandB]

Wifey B: We're against towing too. How much weight can your roof handle?

 

[Nomad Willy]

We towed a light converted 10’ sailboat behind Willy for a few months. Tied it on the hip in port. Mostly had to know what side to tie on before entering the harbor though.
This dinghy towed well for a lightweight but would surf at times making me nervous.
She was very low drag for a dinghy but I was surprised to feel the strong pull on the painter.

I’m sure we’ll try our (new to us) 12’ rowboat from Gig Harbor. It’s a FD hull so may have towing problems like sucking down the stern. We’ll see.

Here's a fair picture of the light 10' converted sailboat dinghy. We've used a 6hp Johnson OB on her and she planes at around 8-10 knots.

 

[smitty477]

I travel solo and found what little towing I did to be a PIA. With crew on the boat, it certainly would have been easier. But that still doesn't negate keeping track of the dinghy and dealing with problems as they arise. The deal breaker for me would be theft of the dinghy. Maybe less of an issue depending on where you go. Being able to put the dinghy on the roof of the saloon if you have any concern, is priceless.

If I were going to do a trip from say Stuart, FL to an Island in the Bahamas where you were underway until arrival, that might be different. Guess I see it like a cargo trailer. Fine for taking stuff from Maryland to Florida, but not attached to my vehicle every day.

Ted

"Being able to put the dinghy on the roof of the saloon if you have any concern, is priceless."
We would typically have a 12.5' RIB or a 3 person jet ski on the boat deck but they could not do nearly the same tasks as the larger RIBS.

 

[AlanT]

Antifoul - We used Pettit inflatable boat paint on the parts of the tubes that were immersed. On the hulls we used the typical hydrocoat and it worked well even on the RIBS that were fairly fast boats - did not seem to affect the performance at all.
Preparation seemed to be one of the largest contributors we used "Bio Blue" to prep all surfaces followed by many wipes to supply a clean start.

Good to know. I used the same Pettit product - but did not use a cleaner other than soap and water prior. Next time will try the Bio Blue, Thanks.

 

[DennisB1]

I towed a dingy with my sailboat (41 ft) for over 35 years. These were a 12 ft Gig Harbor rowing dingy, 11 ft inflatable and a 13ft Boston whaler. Key was using a floating tow line. In smooth conditions the tow line could be short but in heavy conditions a long tow line was used 175 ft. All of the boats would surf but keeping far enough aft allowed them freedom of movement. I towed the inflatable on long runs without the motor which allowed it to tow easily but on one occasion it flipped due to a wind gust and we continued the tow upside down until we could right the boat in calm conditions. The motor and other gear was safely aboard the larger boat.
Docking was either along side or close tied to the stern depending on the moorage/slip arrangement.
With the current boat (a GB49) the dingy is on board rather than towed.

 

[Diverrob]

On our longer trips I tow my 19' aluminum dive boat behind for all the reasons listed above but mostly for diving. We have a routine for berthing and the more my wife gets comfortable driving the tin boat the better it gets. I have had it in some snotty weather and so far no issues, I do run a shock absorber on the tow line as well as a bridal with a fully to reduce chafing. Not ideal for every trip but certainly doable if desired.

Rob

 

[syjos]

I have many friends who tow 16' to 20' fiberglass or aluminum center console outboards behind boats in the 36' to 42' range. All have twin engines. All tow long distances from Puget Sount to Desolation, Broughtons, Alaska. Minimal issues towing.

A few hang chains from the tenders transom to help improve tracking instead of lowering the outboard.

I would not want to tow a tender behind our single engined trawler. Too difficult to manuerveur the trawler when towing and docking. And having to keep an eye on the towed tender would require a rear facing camera.

We prefer easy docking and no hassel so do not tow, even short distances.

When we were looking at boats to buy, storage of a larger tender on the boat deck was towards the top of the list. A pilothouse boat without a fly bridge will accommodate longer tenders.

It takes us 10 minutes to drop or lift the tender.

 

[Cigatoo]

“I would not want to tow a tender behind our single engined trawler. Too difficult to manuerveur the trawler when towing and docking. And having to keep an eye on the towed tender would require a rear facing camera.“

We tow our 8.6’ inflatable with 10hp motor 100% of the time. Always use floating line. Obviously Have to keep an eye on it. (We did lose it once and recovered it. Poor set up on tow line and it chafed through.....My fault) The inflatable rides on the uphill side of the second stern wave. When docking we always back in. Before docking we move the inflatable to the bow and tie it off leaving just a few feet of slack. When backing down it trails behind. If I have to go forward it just falls in on the hip.

 

[koliver]

12' RIB, 40 hp outboard, 20 knots, fishing, tow or lift on davits.

When I tow, my 15' painter is my tow line. The tow is well behaved and tracks well at 8 knots. The painter is strategically measured. It can't get to the props, so there is no danger of fouling. When backing or docking, the handling of the dinghy amounts to ensuring the attachment is on the side away from the dock. At backing speeds, the dinghy can be pushed sideways without complaint. The engine is usually raised, so watching out for the protruding prop may be required.

Lifting, on my davits, is done with sailor's winches. Lewmar 16 self tailing winches came on the boat and continue to do a fine job, though as I age I have added parts to the block setup. I am up to a 6 part tackle on the stern of the dinghy, 3 on its bow. Should do for a while yet.

In summer cruising, I usually lift only for long days of travel. Short days I tow. As the dinghy is in salt water for months at a time, I do its bottom. That usually happens when I do the mother ship, as it is handily hanging right there. The same paint works better on the dinghy than on the big boat.

I have noted dinghies hanging on the stern of several GB 36 and 42. I regularly cruise with a former 36 owner, present 42 owner who is going through dinghy changes. In those boats there seems to be a weight limit that would keep you from anything over 500 lb on a 42 and much less on the 36. My 12 Caribe, Honda 40 combination is likely 750 lb, so would tax the carrying capacity of your 42 and would certainly be too much for your 36 to carry.

In your boat, I would be tempted to go to 14', just for the additional room, speed, luxury. If you can't carry and must tow, I see no point in restricting your dinghy size.

 

[zodman]

Ditto to all above, towed a 24' RIB to Alaska and back, harness very important as mentioned, had our harness set up so the RIB could be brought up alongside for marina maneuvering . Enjoyed the RIB every day on our trip, many side adventures with it. Towed with a 42' GB.

 

[Spinner]

Just out of curiosity, to the folks who tie their tenders on the hip for docking: what about docking in a slip with a boat on one side and the dock on the other?

Thanks!

 

[timb7734]

Towed a 17’ skiff behind our 47’ trawler for ten years, back and forth to the Bahamas, overnight, and up and down both Florida coasts day and night. Had some problems, but nothing that would stop us.
1. Bought a towing harness from Ropes, Inc in Lauderdale, combination of rope types and bridles, still use it.
2. Used Press n Seal to seal off the carb on the two stroke to prevent water intrusion
3. Installed an LED stern light on a 4’ pole, and a separate battery to light it
4. Put a separate SPOT aboard the dink
5. Always called ahead to reserve a T Head or similar dock to keep the dink on the hip if possible
6. If that was not possible, arranged to drop the dink off with dock hands so the mother could proceed to dock, then tied the dink off astern
7. Make sure the boat is self bailing!

We swamped the skiff on a couple occasions, bu a strong, secure, floating tow line enabled us to simply pull the dink along and it self drained and with the press n seal the engine took on no water.

We also lost empty gas tanks that floated away, but some good soul retrieved them for us.

The LED stern light enabled me to see the light at night from a stern camera

Never lost the skiff, but if we did, the SPOT would have helped us find her.

Tow the skiff on the second wave behind the mother in most offshore conditions, shorten up when in channel or headed to marina.

It helped that our skiff was a Triumph polyethylene hull so it did no damage to the mother when it hit, or anything else. The Triumph was gouged a few times on the topsides, but those were easily taken out with a heat gun.

 

[Cigatoo]

Just out of curiosity, to the folks who tie their tenders on the hip for docking: what about docking in a slip with a boat on one side and the dock on the other?

Thanks!

I tie mine at the bow with a very short leash. That allows it to fall off to either side on the hip or get pulled along while backing down.
I guess it’s more like the shoulder than hip. FWIW.

 

[smitty477]

Just out of curiosity, to the folks who tie their tenders on the hip for docking: what about docking in a slip with a boat on one side and the dock on the other?

Thanks!

We always had a person on the boat which could detach and take the tender under its own power to facilitate docking if/when needed - they could also help us dock the main boat from the dockside position upon arrival.

 

[psneeld]

Just out of curiosity, to the folks who tie their tenders on the hip for docking: what about docking in a slip with a boat on one side and the dock on the other?

Thanks!

Tie it on the stern....or bow if backing in.

If that makes you squeamish...take it to the fuel dock ( or where available according to marina) and get it after you tie up.

 

[AusCan]

I see docking with a dinghy attached as only a minor inconvenience.

The main issue would be towing something in rough seas. Once the wind and waves get up, the last thing you want to be dealing with is a dinghy that has flipped over, taken on water or broken the tow line.

 

[caltexflanc]

I see docking with a dinghy attached as only a minor inconvenience.

The main issue would be towing something in rough seas. Once the wind and waves get up, the last thing you want to be dealing with is a dinghy that has flipped over, taken on water or broken the tow line.

That's why if you are going to tow, tow heavy, tow big. We towed our little 13' Whaler in some nasty and steep crap when the davit winch was out for rebuild, it looked like it was a kid having a blast wake boarding way back there. Showed up nicely on the radar by the way.

Ditto on Rope Inc in Ft Lauderdale, nice folks top quality gear, likewise Miami Cordage, they both have the towing bridle thing down and have good advice which I used their (Rope's) to construct my redneck bridle as an interim solution. Worked great. Both are good places for everything in their names, such as custom dock lines.

 

[Wings]

Towing inflatable

We often tow our inflatable. To releave strain on bow, we rig a bridle from the transom to take load and use the bow towing bridle the keep the dinghy in line