How should I tow a dinghy?

[Cruisingdad]

You don't stowe the BBQ, ever. What kind of seamanship do you guys practice?? Exactly HOW are you supposed to grill and sail with the BBQ stowed?? Foul weather should never stop a man and his grill... not a real man.

HEHE!

- CD

[denby]

Originally Posted by Cruisingdad

You don't stowe the BBQ, ever. What kind of seamanship do you guys practice?? Exactly HOW are you supposed to grill and sail with the BBQ stowed?? Foul weather should never stop a man and his grill... not a real man.

HEHE!

- CD

So your not a real man?

Real men don't sail Catalinas.

[sailingdog]

Denby-

I'd say you'd have to worry, but CD will never catch you... and as long as you stay out of the range of his BBQ Grill mortars, you'll be fine.

[denby]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Denby-

I'd say you'd have to worry, but CD will never catch you... and as long as you stay out of the range of his BBQ Grill mortars, you'll be fine.

No problem, can out sail him any day. Don't have the bbqs to slow me down.

[salty4568]

Originally Posted by nrathbone

Here's the final answer...

Don't tow your dinghy.

If it's anything more than across a calm lake, towing a dinghy will only result in dissapointment.

It will, however, give you an excuse to go buy a NEW dinghy, so if that's what you're looking for...

S/V Baloo, lying San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico

I have to disagree -- sometimes dinghies must be towed. Some of us sail boats without enough deck space for a dink, and I hate inflatables! I've towed dinghies for many miles in many kinds of weather. In bad weather I would rather tie the dink up close to the stern with chafing gear.

I have thought about making a tight-fitting cover for the dinghy, ... with a ridgepole (probably mast) stem to stern underneath, It should keep water out. Anyone try that?

Skip

[sandsailor]

Originally Posted by salty4568

I have thought about making a tight-fitting cover for the dinghy, ... with a ridgepole (probably mast) stem to stern underneath, It should keep water out. Anyone try that?

Skip

saw that once it was a fiberglass rod hooked into both ends of the dink with a big bow in it. take it out and stick one end in the hole in the front seat and hoist the sail after you unsnap the cover of course

[SimonV]

If you have a problem with your dink running into you especially a hard dink, fit a fuel funnel to the tow line just in front of the bridle, pointy end towards the towing vessel. As the towed dink moves over the tow line the funnel fills like a sea anchor and slows the dink saving your top sides.

[Benjamaphone]

Originally Posted by salty4568

Some of us sail boats without enough deck space for a dink, and I hate inflatables!
Skip

Have you ever considered rail mounted davits? The advantages of lifting your dinghy out of the water include reduced drag and ease of launch. Many quality rail mount davits are also able to rotate and be easily removed. Some davits also have an adjustable height and reach to get past windvanes or other structures.

The price and commitment that davits represent far outweigh the risk, cost and the catastrophe that losing your dinghy just once would produce.

[sailusvi]

Originally Posted by Valiente

As I am switching to a nesting dinghy and a Portabote, I will likely only tow tenders short distance in the future.

anxiously waiting your nesting dingy review...

[BreakingWind2]

[I used to tow my cheapo inflatable by hoisting the stern up onto the reverse transom of my Hunter31, lifting it so the only the bow was in the water and the stern tubes rested on the transom.
[/quote]

Couldn't resist, you had a Hunter 31 and you traded it for a Gemini??