Has anybody solved "no dinghytow for MacGregor's"

[Catigale]

Rumour has it NASA spent millions developing a pen that will write in zero gravity and the Soviets use a pencil.

I have heard that is true - anyone snoped it out??

[NiceAft]

Rumour has it NASA spent millions developing a pen that will write in zero gravity and the Soviets use a pencil.

OR

Sometimes we can get overly technical for solving simple problems.

DUH

Is there a difference to these statements

Ray

[Chip Hindes]

I'm sure to set off a firestorm of disagreement, but it is flat foolish to attempt to rope tow a dinghy, hard or inflatable, in a seaway or potentially bad weather. Usually it's fine, but in an emergency you must have the capability to haul your dinghy aboard and stow it, either tying it down or deflating it and putting it inside the cabin.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

I've taken a brief look at adapting a homemade version of the dinghy to to my X. It is possible to do on an X, an M might be a bit harder due to the different rudder config.

Why do it, many reasons.

Towing my 9'6" inflatable floor dinghy takes nearly a full knot off my speed. With the 6hp motor on the dinghy that increases to almost a 2 knot penalty. Under power these can be tolerated, it's just more gas you burn. Under sail in light air this can be the difference between getting anywhere at all. The Dinghy Tow solution allows you to keep the motor on the dinghy yet lift it clear so only a small part of the bow in still in the water. Drag is significantly less.

A Dinghy Tow solution also gives you much better control of the dinghy. No more adjusting the tow rope to get it at the right place on the wake, no more pulling it in for docking to keep the rope clear of the prop. No more worries about where it is in reverse or when docking.

I also find towing the dinghy at more than 10 knots can be a problem and would think the Dinghy Tow solution would allow a full 15 knots without having to mess with it. Typically we pull the motor off the dinghy and then pull the dinghy onto the bow if we have to motor fast or far. I'd like to avoid all that hassel.

I doubt I would ever have the need or use the full lift storage position they show. I would not include this in my adaptation. I simply want a better way to tow.

[R Rae]

Bob says:
one could make a trip to the local marine supply and come home with some blocks, line and a couple of rigid poles and make one for a Mac pretty quickly, no?

Well, just back from the marine store with a box of bits. I'll report back if anything useful comes out of it.

Cheers

Ron

[Paul S]

I'm sure to set off a firestorm of disagreement, but it is flat foolish to attempt to rope tow a dinghy, hard or inflatable, in a seaway or potentially bad weather. Usually it's fine, but in an emergency you must have the capability to haul your dinghy aboard and stow it, either tying it down or deflating it and putting it inside the cabin.

If it is a life or death emergency, I would just cut it free.

our 10' hard floor dingy would never fit on deck or inside. It must be towed. Yes it is too big for a Mac, but it was free..and works very well and is in great condition. (no, we don't want to sell it and get a smaller one)

I agree with you, but if an owners situation is like ours, you don't have much choice. you risk it. .. or don't take it.

Cutting it free is not ideal at all..but if it is my life or the dingy.. I know what I would choose. Trick would be to avoid, if possible, getting into a situation like that...but we all get caught in bad situations. Just have to roll with it.

[commocean]

Bob says:
one could make a trip to the local marine supply and come home with some blocks, line and a couple of rigid poles and make one for a Mac pretty quickly, no?

Well, just back from the marine store with a box of bits. I'll report back if anything useful comes out of it.

Cheers

Ron

So,..
Are you done yet ?

[Chinook]

I learned the hazards of trailing a dinghy in a running sea the hard way, on a crossing from the tip of Florida to the Keys. Wind was about 15 to 20 knots astern, with a manageable swell, and we were motoring at about 8 or 10 knots. I glanced back and saw some water splashing into the porta-bote, so slowed and started to haul on the tow rope. When the dinghy got close to us, I could see a lot of water sloshing around inside. Just then a big trailing sea rolled in and completely swamped the dinghy. Not a good thing. I cut power and we lay ahull in the wind and swell as I dragged the dinghy around to the lee side of the boat. I managed to bail enough out with a bucket and rope, and then climbed in and finished the job. I decided to finish the crossing with the dinghy tied on deck, but had never pulled it out away from the dock before. It was all I could do to get it on board. That's when I decided to come up with a rig to make the job easier (see post above describing use of the mast raising pole to lift the dinghy). After that experience, I never undertake a substantial, exposed crossing without bringing the dinghy on deck.

[Catigale]

Pretty simple solution to this is a dinghy cover that prevents water from filling it up. The other solution of course is keeping out of those nasty following seas. I agree with Paul that if its too big to pull on deck and conditions get that snarly, you cut the cord and live to fight another day.

Register your dinghy so you have a chance of getting it back! I lost a dinghy paddle at Menemsha on Marthas Vineyard, had my phone number in sharpie written on it, and got it back!

[Currie]

Bob says:
one could make a trip to the local marine supply and come home with some blocks, line and a couple of rigid poles and make one for a Mac pretty quickly, no?

Well, just back from the marine store with a box of bits. I'll report back if anything useful comes out of it.

Cheers

Ron

Cool. FWIW - I was more looking at the towing the dinghy with the only its bow in the water. That seems to make sense to me - and should be doable. I'm with Catiagale in that hoisting it completely (not that Commocean wants to do that) seems like a big chore with a 9.5' dinghy.

~Bob

[Chip Hindes]

If it is a life or death emergency, I would just cut it free.

No argument there, but perhaps "emergency" is the wrong word. I wasn't referring to life and death situations only. If I'd cut my dinghy loose every time I was in a situation in which it was too dangerous to tow, I'd have gone through at least four dinghies by now.

For instance, as I'm sure you have, I've motored the length of the Cape Cod Canal on a busy day. Forty foot power boats passing both directions at thirty knots, six-eight foot intersecting swells from two different directions, incredible chop. Without the dinghy astern it was uncomfortable and at times hair raising. There's simply no way I would or could have made it while towing the dinghy.

Same while hobby horsing to Biscayne Bay from Bimini, 12 hours against four knots of Gulf Stream and a 12-15 knot headwind. Nobody in their right mind tries to tow a dinghy in these conditions, though many had them strapped to the foredeck or stowed in the cabin.

[Paul S]

We have been out when it was plenty bad on Buzzards bay (20+ kts wind, 2-3+' seas) and the dinghy got tossed around quite a bit. It even hit our skeg and punctured it as well. That was more user error than anything. It got a lot of water in it amd stuff. it/we survived.

Sure isn't ideal, but it is what it is. I would prefer to have it inside/strapped down/etc. But it just won't happen in our situaion. I am satisfied with what we are doing, not crazy about it during some situations... but we have to deal with it.

[commocean]

Well I'm eager to hear what R Rae may come up with. Whatever progress or ideas may appear, we can build on.
I think we'll lick this.

[socalmacer]

I've towed a dingy hundreds of miles behind my boat with a simple tow line and bridal. This in up to 14 foot seas with no ill effect to the dingy or boat. No fouled prop for that matter. Raising a dingy on board or up out of the water I would think would have the tendency to reduce visibility either to the motor or behind the boat. This potentially unsafe condition would nix the thought of this mod in my mind.

Recommendation: spend the money and time elsewhere.

Happy Holidays .

[jasper]

I got myself a 8ft Aquamarine with hard floor and a 2 1/2 HP Suzuki. My first attempts at towing brought chuckles and veiled criticism from my fellow yacht club skippers. I had a long single point tow with a short bridle at the inflatable. When tacking, the inflatable tended to cut hard to port or starboard depending on the tack ( like on the picture that Niceaft has posted).
Advice from another club member who happens to be a Coastguard Captain, set things straight. Now, I use the 2 D rinds on the bow of the inflatable to attach individual 1/2" tow lines. On the Mac I lead the lines outside of the stern rails and tie off on the cleats on each side. The dinghy is close to the stern, about 4-5 feet back from the tipped up Mac motor. This way, I find the dinghy doesn't cut back and forth and makes maneuvering really simple. If I need to do some back up maneuvering, then I simply pass one line accross to the same side as the other line and tie off so the inflatable rides alongside the Mac and doesn't interfere with the rudders or motor. Works great for me.