Dinghy towing

[Jacob]

When we go cruising to Desolation Sound, we often anchor out and make use of our tender, which is an Ocean Air aluminum RIB with 8 hp Yamaha 4 stroke. This tender (97 pounds) and motor (90 pounds) is ideal for towing in calm water. In open water towing in out. So we wanted a pot puller which would double as a davit to mount the dinghy on the back deck of the Marlin. After a lot of searching we found a pot puller robust enough to handle the tender.
Quality Products Northwest in Port Townsend, Washington manufactures a variety of pullers and their Alaska Super Sport My-T-Hauler, rated at 250 lbs seemed ideal. After a few discussions with QPN, we agreed on options (e.g. reversing capability) and several modifications to make the puller a little taller and stronger.


Tender: Ocean Air aluminum RIB, model -OA250, length: 8-2”, weight: 97 lbs
http://oceanairtec.com/Models.html


Motor: Yamaha F8B 8HP 4 stroke, weight: 87 lbs
http://www.yamaha-motor.ca/products/details.php?model=4586&group=OB&catId=82#ts`


Hauler: Quality Products Northwest, My-T-Hauler, model: PL-MTH-2100-90CU
http://www.qualityproductsnw.com/pr...uler-alaska-super-sports-model-mth-2100-90cu/

Quality Products Northwest takes the time to produces a very high quality unit. More details may be seen at:


https://www.flickr.com/photos/john_c_bovard_photo/albums/72157670463406506/with/27777526320/

 

[Xplicitlnck]

I tested this out on forth of july weekend and it worked very well. If your towing your dingy and you need to back into a slip at your destination, right before you arrive in an open area walk the dingy up to the bow (still in water) with 2 lines attached. One on the bow of the dingy run it up through the anchor pulpit and to the opposite side cleat (if the dingy is on port side of boat send the line up through the pulpit and to the starboard most forward cleat your going through the pulpit so the line stays center of boat) make out tight. Then run a line from mid ship cleat to back of dingy. (If the dingy is on your star side tie it mid ship on your boat and star aft side of dingy again nice and tight) this will hold the dingy very tight to your boat and it shouldn't stick out past the widest part of your boat (depending on boat length) then continue your normal docking procedure and when your done your dingy is right there waiting for you.

 

[Z-Worthy]

What's the largest/heaviest tender you guys would be willing to tow behind your boats? I saw my first instance of a 45ft Sea Ray towing a full-on center console (probably 15'-17' w/ a 80hp in the down position). It's probably a 1500lb tender behind a diesel powered cruiser, and the owner had a custom-made tow line and had everything set up correctly. But how much stress does that put on your engines?

 

[Jacob]

Lots of fuel but unless it trips temp alarms, it's just money.