getting towed home by a dinghy-gctid358063

[Guest]

I'm concidering nixing my kicker for the extra swim platform space but dont like the idea of not having a backup. I was wondering if anyone has used a dinghy 10 ft or so with a 8-10Hp engine to tow their boat. how reliable is this? I have a flybridge so wind can be a very big factor.

Thanks for reading

Matt

[hfxjack]

You cannot tow your boat with the 10' dinghy. You main boat is too heavy and it will wonder in the wind and current, but you can push it very easily. I have pushed my 2855 with 10' 9.9 several times you can even dock it.

[Guest]

hfxjack wrote:
You cannot tow your boat with the 10' dinghy. You main boat is too heavy and it will wonder in the wind and current, but you can push it very easily. I have pushed my 2855 with 10' 9.9 several times you can even dock it.

how do you push it? just get behind and become the kicker? id imagine with how fast a dingy moves around you could push it around like a really fast tug boat

[talman]

I've known more than one person tow their boat for miles with their dinks and smaller HP. I wouldn't recommend it as "the" plan as weather/current/time are all a factor. Strat pulled his 2655 quite a ways with his.

[hfxjack]

Mattmm wrote:
how do you push it? just get behind and become the kicker? id imagine with how fast a dingy moves around you could push it around like a really fast tug boat

Exactly from behind you become the kicker and have very good control. You can compensate for the wind and current. Even better if the person on board steers.

Cheers

[Guest]

You can do it with a "hip tow". Basically secure the dinghy to the side of your boat, with the stern of your dinghy close to the stern of your boat. Works almost like having the kicker on your swim platform.

[johnrupp]

Why don,t you just leave the kicker mounting bracket on the swim platform. If needed take the kicker off the dinghy and put it on the boat.

[Download_Complete]

I did pull a 23 foot cuddy with my 10 oot Zodiac back when I was young, dumb, and they were on the rocks. I tied two lines to each corner of the transom, and I just gave enough thrust to register forward momentum. Turning was a serious problem, because the Zodiac had NO inertia and the 23 footer had a lot. I was able to turn them with thrust and a very ginger approach.

I did it in a pinch, I wouldn't do it again. I pulled them back out into the middle of the bay, off the main channel, and waitied for a bigger boat.

[jmcannonball]

It can be done. Years ago I got stranded about 5 miles form Edmonds in my 1962 26' Chris Craft. I towed it back to port with my 8' Livingston and a 9.8hp Merc. Once inside the breakwater, I side-tied it and took it right into my slip.

[hfxjack]

ronlord wrote:
You can do it with a "hip tow". Basically secure the dinghy to the side of your boat, with the stern of your dinghy close to the stern of your boat. Works almost like having the kicker on your swim platform.

This was the first I tried because I read about it. Very good in going if you want to go in a circle. I think this would work with two boats of equal mass but not when one is 10,000 lbs and the other 500 lbs

[Guest]

+1 Ron; the hip tow is the best way.

I have tried it with my Bayliner 3888 and an 11' RIB with 15HP outboard. I have also tried it with my Tiara (>48' & >30,000lb) using the same RIB with a 25HP outboard. In both cases, simply towing from a bow line was almost impossible. Couldn't maintain a straight line. When hip-tied, it was easy and safe. The towed vessel does have to apply some rudder to allow for the offset thrust, but it's not an issue. Tied this way, you also have some reverse capability. Not much, but some.

[Guest]

hfxjack wrote:
This was the first I tried because I read about it. Very good in going if you want to go in a circle. I think this would work with two boats of equal mass but not when one is 10,000 lbs and the other 500 lbs

When tied properly, you don't have 2 vessels of differing mass/displacement. Rather, you have 1 vessel whose outboard is offset from the centreline. When you start the push, it does tend to turn the big vessel. Once you get some headway on, rudder offset straightens you out.

[Guest]

It can be done, with no wind and current its easy, my dinghy had two eyes outboard on the stern. I had a line that went to both of the eyes and had a loop tied in the middle that was then tied to a line tied to the cleat on the front of the boat. Worked fine on 30' boat, marginal or bigger. Jetski (supercharged 210+hp) even pulls my 47' boat like a champ. Docking can be tricky, call ahead and ask the maina for a couple guys to assist, give them the line to pull the boat into the dock nice and slow.

[2850Bounty]

Mattmm wrote:
I'm concidering nixing my kicker for the extra swim platform space but dont like the idea of not having a backup. I was wondering if anyone has used a dinghy 10 ft or so with a 8-10Hp engine to tow their boat. how reliable is this? I have a flybridge so wind can be a very big factor.

Matt, you're on the right track, IMO. Here's why...., and again, IMO.

Your 25 footer is going to feel a kicker mounted to the stern. No doubt about it.

It's going to affect planing hull attitude in that your NOW kicker has added to the stern weight, where you'll already have your tender on Davits, I presume.

Until we get up to lets say 28 foot and above, and into wider beams, stern weight definitely affects planing ability.

talman wrote:
I've known more than one person tow their boat for miles with their dinks and smaller HP. I wouldn't recommend it as "the" plan as weather/current/time are all a factor. Strat pulled his 2655 quite a ways with his.

As Tally said, it can be done.

Given the likihood and number of times that you'd need to do this, I'd say it will work in a pinch.

Kill two birds (lighten your stern) with the same stone.

If it's extremely windy, drop anchor and call for a tow.

.

[Guest]

whiskywizard wrote:
+1 Ron; the hip tow is the best way.

I have tried it with my Bayliner 3888 and an 11' RIB with 15HP outboard. I have also tried it with my Tiara (>48' & >30,000lb) using the same RIB with a 25HP outboard. In both cases, simply towing from a bow line was almost impossible. Couldn't maintain a straight line. .

I tried dinghy towing a 25' sailboat from the bow and had the same expirience, Mike. We looked like drunken sailors (both of us!) No way to keep the boats going straight.