GL: Dingy Etiquette

[Rich Gano]

I used to tow a 13-foot Boston Whaler with a 50-HP power tilt and trim
Johnson OB.  This rig was a beast compared to yours, but for locking (which
I never did with it), I would have probably secured it alongside the
disengaged side or snugged it up to the transom as Capt. Sterling mentioned
(sometimes the side you think is going to be the disengaged one is NOT).

It was a whole 'nother animal when entering my marina slip where I backed
into a covered shed with pilings and other boats close on either side.  I
used to take the Whaler alongside on the port quarter with the tow line led
all the way to the bow of the Calypso and a short line between the sterns of
both vessels to keep it there in case I had to do any backing before I got
to my slip.

As I approached the slip before turning to line up with it, I would go back
and release the Whaler's stern line.  Since I twisted to port 90 degrees to
align the boat to back into the slip, the Whaler just swung out in that
direction and pretty much remained in the middle of the fairway or was
pulled bow first a little ways toward the slip by the Calypso.  Once I had
my spring lines secured for the big boat, I'd go forward to shorten up the
tow line to keep the smaller boat close under the bow while I secured the
other mooring lines to the big boat.  Then I jumped down into the dink and
motored over to the boat ramp to get it on its trailer, which was then
parked in the lot at the rear of my slip.  Overall a PITA.

I don't like towing a dinghy (I once towed a 23-foot Mako [ok, not a dink]
to the Bahamas and remember worrying about the stupid thing all night long
as we crossed), and I have gotten rid of the Whaler because it started
spending years at a time on its trailer.  I was always too busy with work or
with the Calypso to go out and fool around in the smaller boat alone.  My
10-foot light-weight RHIB with 9.8 Nissan, which we are luckily able to
hoist and stow on the aft cabin top, serves us well.

Oh, and by the way, there is such a thing as a commercially sold dinghy
towing device.  Somebody on the trawlers and trawlering list has one; maybe
you can get a response there because I don't remember the name of the thing.
I think it involves a length of PVC pipe, et. al.

Rich Gano
CALYPSO (GB-42 #295)
Southport, FL