how big is too big?

[hungupthespikes]

We don't get out much on Lake Erie but when we do it's after sundown when we come in. Last summer there was a fisherman who waited till all the other guys were gone and his boat would not start. I'm sure we could have towed him in, but it started and we just followed him in.
The towboat would be at least an hour. Alone, a mile off shore, I'm not leaving this guy. Lake Erie changes at night and I've been 12 miles out with a bad starter, waiting on the tow with the wind and waves kicking up and not a boat in sight.
Gave me whole new perspective on you guys who go offshore in saltwater.

The question is how big of boat can you tow with a fiberglass boat and just back plates on the cleats, tiedowns, and ski/tube cleat. The Baja 26ft. 454/365 is big enough to pull a lot of boat, but the backing plates, have to have a limit. Is there a rule of thumb? guide lines? how big is too big to tow?

 

[tswiczko]

Re: how big is too big?

I imagine as long as you aren't pushing the throttle down hard, and easig the boat to a moderate under weigh speed you'll be O.K. for pretty anything recreational you might come across.

As to exact weights, thats kind of hard to say because some cleats are screwed down others are bolted to the fiberglass while some manufacturers sandwich the fiberglass between a backer to distribute the stress over a greater area and the cleat.

As to how yours are installed you'll have to look and see. The strongest is when the fiberglass is sandwiched between a backer plate and the cleat. For townig I would have someone keep an eye on the cleat and watch for signs of overstressing like the cleat being pulled off the boat

If you are looking at doing a lot of towing I would invest in a boat designed to tow

 

[seabob4]

Re: how big is too big?

Even though I'm sure the cleats are t/bolted on your Baja, I would use the stern eyes for any towing. They will have a large cored area where they are located, which will help spread the load over a greater area...

 

[MacPointMan]

Re: how big is too big?

The boat that I towed in I used the Ski tie down. Worked great though I think I might rig a tow rope something like 50 feet with a D ring clip on each end that can be hooked to the Bot eyelet and the transom tie down.

It seems that those places would be the two most stable to tie off to and a d ring on each side is not going to come loose.

I towed the other boat at just over idle speed probably 5 mph maybe 10 tops. It doesn't take much to tow a regular sized recreational boat.

MacPointMan

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: how big is too big?

Once you get them going you can tow almost anything!

The risk of failure comes from the tow line jerking. Therefore you want slow starts, and generally a long line--the weight/slack absorbs the shock. On ocean-going barges the cable intentionally dips way below the surface.

It is absolutely essential for any tow that the line be centered. If you don't have a harness, just run one line from stern eye/cleat to the other, and tie the tow line with a Bowline (knot) in the center).

The exception to a long line is when you are towing against a lot of chop and you need the towing boat to smooth the wind and water surfaces for the towed boat.

 

[The Famous Grouse]

Re: how big is too big?

How much you can tow depends largely on the water conditions I'd say. In calm water with no tide or current, you can tow a lot of boat.

What really busts up boats and gear is towing in conditions where the boats aren't moving at the same speed such as through big rollers. For example, the towing boat may be accellerating down the back of a roller while the boat being towed is climbing the front. That means the tow line suddenly gets put under a tremendous stress because the towing boat just accelerated by 2 MPH and the boat being towed just slowed down. Snap! There goes the tow rope or the stern eyes.

Bottom line is that you have make a judgement call. Obviously if life is at risk or serious damage to property may occur, you have to at least attempt to tow. However, if conditions are such that the damage to the boats involved in the tow would be more of a risk, I'd say the best option is to call a towing service and then stand by where you can intervene if necessary until help arrives.

Grouse

 

[hungupthespikes]

Re: how big is too big?

Thanks guys, a lot of good info. Will try and get some pics of the backing plates for the stern eyes. They are small, not much bigger than the u-bolts. The guy's boat who was stranded wasn't much bigger than a 3 man tube so I would have used the ski/tube cleat and been fine.
A 21+ cruiser is a whole different animal so thought I'd ask, before someone gets a lot of fiberglass damage. And you all came through again. thanks !

If you are looking at doing a lot of towing I would invest in a boat designed to tow

No, not me, haven't towed a boat in almost 50 years and hope I can go another 50.
Just hope I don't need the insurance again. The 12 mile tow was over $550.00.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: how big is too big?

Just hope I don't need the insurance again. The 12 mile tow was over $550.00.

Tow Boat U.S. is $165.00 a year and they will take me from anywhere back to my home port.

And props for not leaving a fellow boater out on the water. I've been out 30 miles...alone...and wondered in the back of my mind what would happen if I got stuck there.

EDIT

 

[tswiczko]

Re: how big is too big?

P.S. I asked my girl what was the answer to "How big is too big?" and she says that's a trick question!

Hope she didn't think you were flirting

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: how big is too big?

Yeah the backing plates on the stern eyes are small but they are through the transom so they are real strong.

I don't think you'll find anything that you want to tow with your boat that it will have a problem with.

 

[NYBo]

Re: how big is too big?

If the boat being towed is a bigger than yours and/or you have rough seas, you are usually better off doing a side tow.