Kayaks as a tender

[Woody5]

I’m looking to get set up with a tender to pull behind a sailboat or trawler. We have a two person 13’ sit on top plastic kayak. It is pretty much unsinkable/self bailing craft. It has no hatches. Will a boat like that tow well behind A 30 -35ft sailboat or trawler?
I know it would not be good behind a fast moving tow boat. This boat is rather heavy and is difficult to car top by my self so I would like to leave it in the water most of the time.

 

[READY]

I have a similar kayak. Never towed it but as long as you secure a good tow line I would think it would tow fine. But I don't think I would want it as a tender since it is generally a bit of a wet ride, at least in the seat of your pants.

Plus be sure you don't get the towline in the prop.

 

[hollywood8118]

Kayaks don't tow well, at least the three we carry don't. We have a 17' Chesapeake light craft, 16' plastic touring and a 12' fat plastic boat we use to run the dog to the beach.

None of them tow over about 4 kts. without swinging side to side.
Hollywood

 

[tpbrady]

I wonder if a detachable skeg would stabilize it.

 

[psneeld]

I agree that the kayak will probably not behave well being towed in other than slow in near perfect conditions.

Probably the best way (but try various other ways to test) would be to pull it up so close that a third or half is out of the water behind the boat. Place a cushion or other padding on the bow as it will occasionally hit. That is unless the bow is on board and secured which for a longer kayak and low transom or swim platform will work too.

Sone sailors turn their inflatables around and drag with just the forward part of the inflatable in the water and it seems to work for some. Some normally.... depending.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Kayaks don't tow well, at least the three we carry don't. We have a 17' Chesapeake light craft, 16' plastic touring and a 12' fat plastic boat we use to run the dog to the beach.

None of them tow over about 4 kts. without swinging side to side.
Hollywood

They tow fine w someone in them and the rudder up.

 

[hollywood8118]

I agree that the kayak will probably not behave well being towed in other than slow in near perfect conditions.

Probably the best way (but try various other ways to test) would be to pull it up so close that a third or half is out of the water behind the boat. Place a cushion or other padding on the bow as it will occasionally hit. That is unless the bow is on board and secured which for a longer kayak and low transom or swim platform will work too.

Sone sailors turn their inflatables around and drag with just the forward part of the inflatable in the water and it seems to work for some. Some normally.... depending.

I don't think this is a solution either, we always lift ours to the upper deck for transport. When the kayak is lifted from one end the stability is in the center and as the beam of the kayak gets thinner the boat wants to turtle as it gets lifted.

The only way to transport is on the rail or on deck. I carry them only because the Admiral likes to kayak.. to me they are a P.I.T.A. as I get stuck with dealing with the damn things. Give me a RIB with a big motor and I am a happy camper. I have found the davit that we use to lift the RIB to the upper deck is the easiest/safest way to lift the kayaks.
Hollywood

 

[psneeld]

I don't think this is a solution either, we always lift ours to the upper deck for transport. When the kayak is lifted from one end the stability is in the center and as the beam of the kayak gets thinner the boat wants to turtle as it gets lifted.

The only way to transport is on the rail or on deck. I carry them only because the Admiral likes to kayak.. to me they are a P.I.T.A. as I get stuck with dealing with the damn things. Give me a RIB with a big motor and I am a happy camper. I have found the davit that we use to lift the RIB to the upper deck is the easiest/safest way to lift the kayaks.
Hollywood

I can see your point...

Just thinking outside the box as usually and often get many fails to my sometimes good ideas.

With a sit on top and drainage holes through, I would even try a line laced through to keep it upright.

Just a stab.....

 

[hollywood8118]

I can see your point...

Just thinking outside the box as usually and often get many fails to my sometimes good ideas.

With a sit on top and drainage holes through, I would even try a line laced through to keep it upright.

Just a stab.....

Hull form stability is a funny animal, Just think back to the northern Marine

" Baden " incident when the boat turned turtle as its CE/CG was elevated by the launching ramp and the stern was immersed. Strange thing happen when the boat doesn't have water touching the surfaces of the hull. It can happen at rest or even on a planing boat at high speed when "chine walk" can make a hull completely unstable. Weird stuff

HOLLYWOOD

 

[Larry M]

We always tow our kayaks when we go bone fishing. We have a bridal for the first one. The second one is behind that one with about a 10’ painter. At 25 knots you don’t even know they are there. Both are the sit on, self bailing models.

As far as a tender, a kyack wouldn’t be my fist choice. Getting on and off can be problematic. If the dock is a couple of feet off the water, you could be getting wet.