Rigging and Seamanship
TOWING We all want to sail our boats using our own skill, but there are times when we need to be towed. Being towed is a skill just like any other in sailing—and no less important.
In order to be safely towed you will want to have a line at least three times as long as your boat. Tow lines (also referred to as bow lines) are typically made of Dacron (polyester). Floating line, such as polypropylene, can work for dinghies, but this type of line is not as strong as Dacron and breaks down over time in sunlight. When the line is under load during a tow, polypropylene may not be the best choice. Check your tow line regularly. It should be free of chafe, discoloration and knots.
Attach the tow line to a strong point on your boat. While some boats will have a cleat on or near the bow, or hardware on the bow chainplate to which the tow line can be secured, it is often not designed to take the load of a tow. Seek alternate attachment points for a towline, especially if there are multiple boats being towed. Dinghies that do not have a deck-stepped mast require the tow line to be secured around the mast with a bowline, after passing the tow line through a shackle or loop of line on the bow of the boat. Boats that have a deck-stepped mast should secure the towline around a stong structural part of the hull like the traveler bar.
The boom and sail should be stowed so the tiller is free to move from side to side. While under tow, follow the transom of the tow boat— or in the case of a tow set-up with multiple sailboats, the sailboat in front of you. It is important to pay attention to what is happening both inside and outside your boat at all times while you are under tow.
When coming off a tow, prepare to retrieve your line when it is cast off by the tow boat or the sailboat in front of you. Depending on your destination, you may need to remember that boats involved in a tow have limited maneuverability, so it is your responsibility to stay clear.
CAUTION: When preparing your boat for a tow, be sure that the tow line will not have any load on it while tying the knot to your boat. A knot that suddenly comes under load can have fingers in the wrong place and cause severe injury.
Table of Contents
45
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65
