To tow a bow rider with your sailboat?

Guero · #1 (**permalink**) 06-26-2011

Hi,

I've an Aloha 34 and a 2001 Capri 18ft bowrider ski boat.

Every year I sail from the coast of Yucatan to the arrecife alacranes national park. It's about 100 nautical miles in the sea from the marina I'm currently docked in Mexico in Yucalpeten, Yucatan, Mexico.

Usually I bring my dhingy but was thinking, would it be crazy trying to tow a 18 footer if the weather is fine? Anyone did this before?

SEMIJim · #2 (**permalink**) 06-26-2011

It's going to generate horrendous drag. I don't know about your little bow-rider, but ours weighs 2200 lbs (1000 kg) dry and empty. Little bow-riders like that are planing hulls, but only once they've hit planing speed (probably around 22 kts).

And she's going to be uncontrollable back there. A rubber dinghy bouncing around back there is one thing, but something as big, heavy and, above all, hard-edged as an 18' powerboat?

Jim

Guero · #3 (**permalink**) 06-26-2011

I think you're right, was thinking the same thing. Mine weight around 2,200 as well and has a 125 HP in the back. Would have been nice to have it there but I guess I'll stick with my mini dingy and my 2 HP

Sometimes I can have some crazy ideas... hehe Thanks

paulk · #4 (**permalink**) 06-26-2011

If the weather is that nice, why not just zip the boat over on its own steam? At 25 knots, it would only be a long afternoon outing. Of course if the fuel line clogged... or you hit something... or if the waves picked up.... the Aloha would start to look pretty nice. The other issue with towing is whether any of the cleats on a bow rider could put up with the strain for more than 10 minutes before they ripped out.

Guero · #5 (**permalink**) 06-26-2011

The reason to go with the sailboat is for the comfort and also because we go in a group of 5 or 6 sailboats and we stay over for 2-3 days. But you're right as well regarding the cleat tension. Will go with peace of mind and with the dingy on the davits. Sometimes logic fails me

It's just that it would have been nice to tour the islands of the reef (Scorpion Reef - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) with the ski boat

And don't have the balls to go that far with a single engine boat, besides, there's no cudy cabin or anything. Please disregard my insane idea of a thread and thanks for the input.