Towing a disabled boat in water.

[Fordiesel69]

I lucked out last year and never saw anyone broke down, but should it happen this year, what is the proper way to hook up and what speed & trim setting do I use to pull a disabled boat. I assume it is full down, and connect to the other boats trailer eyelet on the bottom side of the bow. And lastly I assume you do not want to open the throttle up much as the boat pulling will never be able to plane anyways, correct?

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

If you are pulling a boat of any size at all, planing is definitely out of the question. Just above idle is the speed I've always used. Have the line attached to both boats if you are going any distance (as opposed to someone holding a ski rope or something). If they can raise their motor or drive so much the better. Have someone at the stern of your boat and someone on the bow of the towed boat ready with a boat hook or paddle to fend off, and go dead, dead, slow when landing. Remember they have no reversing ability at all, likely very little steering ability and may be carrying a fair bit of energy even at slow speeds. Good luck!

 

[tdrudd87]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

If towing in swells, it is good to adjust your line so that both boats are on the same part of the waves at the same time, rising/rising, falling/falling. If you go down a face while the other boat is riding up, it will put much more force on the rope and give a jerky ride. I would leave their drive down just so they could steer a little.

Terry

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

Tow the boat using a center cleat or ski eye, if you have one. If using a cleat, be careful as they are not always thru-bolted for strength, and can pull out easily. If you do not have a place to pull from the center, and are towing any distance, rig up a bridle, to pull from both stern eyes.

Have the towed boat trim the motor, however, leave the skeg in the water to act as a rudder. Pull slow(1500-2000 RPM, depending on the size of the tow boat and towed boat), and when you get near the destination, shorten up the tow line and go real slow. Move all but one of the passengers into your boat, if it can be done safely.

 

[HappierWet]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

Depends on what you're towing, what you're towing with, and what you have for a towline, wind, weather, current....etc.
For a small ski boat under good conditions, the bow eye is probably sufficient at SLOW...NO WAKE SPEEDS.
I prefer to take a line around the hull right below the rubrail (using shorter lines attached nearly verically to hold it in place) as it allows more force to be applied to a greater area of the hull. I also prefer to leave the outboard or outdrive down as it allows the towed boat to maintain some steerage.
I also require anyone in the towed vessel to wear their PFD.
You are responsible for any vessel you may take under tow, or passenger on that vessel
I won't tow with less than half inch line, and heavier is better.

 

[JaSla74]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

I also suggest a quick release knot, or wrapped cleat with someone line in case it wants to sink.

 

[RL Gman]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

I also suggest a quick release knot, or wrapped cleat with someone line in case it wants to sink.

Aboard ship, one person on tow watch actually had an ax to cut the hawser if the above were to happen, I believe in this situation, a knife would do the same trick. Better to cut near the cleat and let the line go, than try to fool around with a quick release or untie a cleat! Regardless, good point to bring up.

 

[bekosh]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

Do not tie off. Snub the line and have someone hold it so it can be released quickly. Or have someone right there with a sharp knife.

For short distances or in congested areas, consider towing side by side. It gives you much better control of both boats.

Go slow. Be safe. Know your limits. Don't risk your boat or the passengers in either boat. If you are uncomfortable with the situation, stand by and call the pros in. Coast Guard, local Sheriff or a Towing company are all trained and equipped to do this. Let them do their jobs.

You maybe required to render assistance, but you are the one responsible for determining what that assistance is and doing it safely.

 

[RL Gman]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

Do not tie off. Snub the line and have someone hold it so it can be released quickly. Or have someone right there with a sharp knife.

Whatever you do, don't hold the line. The only instance I can think this would be safe is if you threw over a ski rope or something to move someone closer to a dock or something.

Make the line off, and have a knife at hand, there is a reason the military does it this way. If you hold the line, and any type of surge force happens on that line, it will either pull you overboard (if its not made off) or it will rip your fingers right through the cleat. If there is extra line on board, it is bound to get caught on someones leg etc etc.

Always make off, and cut the line if the situation requires.

 

[capt sam]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

we use heavy anchor lines for towing, usually a couple wraps on the cleat just in case we have to lose them. Sometimes I'll buckle a heavy life jacket on the line in case it snaps, keeps the line from flying through the air. I also pull the boat up next to us at the dock so I can control that better and yeah tow with the motor down so they can steer if need be.

 

[Ned L]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

As RL said, don't hold onto a tow line. Also, If you find yourself towing a good size boat with things under significant tension DO NOT stand near the tow line at either end, and do not plan on cutting a tow line free quickly that is under a lot of tension. A tow line that comes free (breaks, snaps, rips a cleat out, etc) when under a lot of tension can kill you. It's like a huge rubber band and in extreme cases can snap back and take your head off, or hit you with that cleat that just ripped out 75' back. If you look at older C.G. boats (when they routinely did courtesy towing) there were good size (almost like chain link fence) guards just in front of the towing bollards for just this reason. When towing, take it nice & slow & easy & everything will be fine.

 

[thx997303]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

Actually, ropes hold energy differently depending on their material.

For example, I use winches a lot because my other off road interest is rock crawling.

There are generally two options when it comes to winch line, steel cable which is common and inexpensive, and nylon rope.

The nylon tends to fall dead rather than snap back, whereas the steel cable will snap back violently.

For tow straps, I have used poly rope frequently, and it also tends to fall dead.

So, using poly rope you should be okay, same with nylon.

Either way, a dead weight over the rope (generally something heavier than a PFD, but jackets have been sufficient with steel so don't worry too much) is a good idea and doesn't take very long to throw over.
Either way, it's still a good ide

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

Actually, ropes hold energy differently depending on their material.

For example, I use winches a lot because my other off road interest is rock crawling.

There are generally two options when it comes to winch line, steel cable which is common and inexpensive, and nylon rope.

The nylon tends to fall dead rather than snap back, whereas the steel cable will snap back violently.

Nylon will come back extremely quickly when used in marine applications. I've seen tubes flip over and fill with water, snapping the nylon tow rope instantly. The driver was sitting on the seat back, and it took a couple weeks for the whip mark to go away! I've personally sent waterski handles OVER the boat from holding on too long after a bad fall.

Ask any wakeboarder or slalom skier. Nylon is a rubber band. You need spectra ropes for zero stretch.

I'm guessing you are probably thinking of spectra or dyneema ropes. Nylon is never used for a winch. (nylon is dirt cheap, spectra/dyneema and its cousins are fairly expensive)

 

[5150abf]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

You want to tie the line to both boats and start out slow and slowly work up to speed once under way slowly increase speed but remember the faster you go the more tension the line is under so 7-8 mph is it at least for me in my boat.

I actually added a stainless U bolt to the transom just for such an occasion

Towed a couple boats and it really isn't a big deal as I said just start slow as it takes alot of pull to get a boat going and tell the towee that they still have to steer, towed some idiot once that just sat back and partied while I pulled, almost cut him loose.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

be sure to rig a harness so you pull in the center, don't tie off to one side. What I do is tie my stern line (20') from one cleat to the other, loose, and then tie the towed boat's bow line with a large bowline (knot) so it can slide some.

A lot of this depends on what you are towing, Under 20' has floatation so worse case it will not take you to the bottom. A floating boat under 20' isn't going to create dangerous strain on your cleats and tow line. Anything bigger, and if you have a small boat, or a swamped boat, think twice. Never tow a sinking boat over 20'; rescue ops instead.

If you know how to cleat you don't have to worry about releases and cutting; just back off. But that doesn't apply to towing a swamped boat. In that case, wrap but don't lock the cleat knot and stand by--they are not really holding the line as much as standing by to unwrap. Better have a knife ready. For a large boat that isn't going to sink, you don't have to worry about the drama; put the axe away, Dwight..

 

[hubbard53]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

You are responsible for any vessel you may take under tow, or passenger on that vessel

Go slow. Be safe. Know your limits. Don't risk your boat or the passengers in either boat. If you are uncomfortable with the situation, stand by and call the pros in. Coast Guard, local Sheriff or a Towing company are all trained and equipped to do this. Let them do their jobs

------------------------------------------------------

For these two reasons, I take the somewhat unpopular stance that I do not tow disabled watercraft. Never been in the situation but hypothetically, If the boat is sinking or burning, I'll bring the passengers aboard. If the boat is disabled but not sinking but can anchor, I'll call the professionals for them if they are unable to do so.

I have my own passengers (family) to protect and will not put them or my own boat at unneeded risk.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

------------------------------------------------------

For these two reasons, I take the somewhat unpopular stance that I do not tow disabled watercraft. Never been in the situation but hypothetically, If the boat is sinking or burning, I'll bring the passengers aboard. If the boat is disabled but not sinking but can anchor, I'll call the professionals for them if they are unable to do so.

Where I boat there are no professionals. The rare Game and Fish/sheriff, but they won't tow. I still tow out of a duty that one day it will be me needing the tow. I've only actually had to tow 3 vessels any distance. I've had to pull countless ones off sandbars before though. (even then, towing is only a second resort. Unless someone REALLY beaches it, it usually isn't hard to push a boat/pontoon off a sandbar.)

 

[asm_]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

------------------------------------------------------

For these two reasons, I take the somewhat unpopular stance that I do not tow disabled watercraft. ...

Wow, I didn't know there are people who felt this way about towing a disabled boat.

I suppose you wouldn't stop on the shoulder of highway to help a stranger change their tire for fear it may be too dangerous for you and your family?

B

 

[hubbard53]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

Wow, I didn't know there are people who felt this way about towing a disabled boat.

I suppose you wouldn't stop on the shoulder of highway to help a stranger change their tire for fear it may be too dangerous for you and your family?

B

actually, you're right!

 

[thx997303]

Re: Towing a disabled boat in water.

Nylon will come back extremely quickly when used in marine applications. I've seen tubes flip over and fill with water, snapping the nylon tow rope instantly. The driver was sitting on the seat back, and it took a couple weeks for the whip mark to go away! I've personally sent waterski handles OVER the boat from holding on too long after a bad fall.

Ask any wakeboarder or slalom skier. Nylon is a rubber band. You need spectra ropes for zero stretch.

I'm guessing you are probably thinking of spectra or dyneema ropes. Nylon is never used for a winch. (nylon is dirt cheap, spectra/dyneema and its cousins are fairly expensive)

You are right, though I don't know of spectra or dyneema, I am thinking of synthetics, and not nylon.

However, my statement (with nylon replaced with "synthetic tow rope" or something to that effect) remains true.

Proper synthetic pull ropes do not hold potential energy the way a steel cable does.

Use the right stuff, and use the jacket on the line trick just in case.

And to the point about stopping and helping.

If I can, I do. Though I openly carry a gun on my hip (legal in my state, don't know about yours) and am a very friendly person.

People who are out to do harm generally think twice about hurting the armed citizen.

Disclaimer: This was only mentioned because it is somewhat on topic for the thread in my opinion, and the open carry is merely the reason I feel safe helping strangers. I am not here to debate whether gun ownership, carry, etc is right or wrong. This would be very off topic for this forum and I will not answer any posts intended to start such a discussion. There are other more appropriate forums for such a debate and can be found through a quick google search using the search terms, Open carry.