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Towing my fishing boat

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Dean Cameron, Mar 6, 2012.

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  1. Dean Cameron, Mar 6, 2012
    #1
    Dean Cameron

    Dean Cameron New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2012
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    Location:
    The Dalles, OR
    I recently bought a 44' Ocean Alexander to cruise the Inside Passage to Alaska. We would really like to take our 21' aluminum fishing boat along. The OA has twin 300 hp Cummins and cruises around 11 knots. I understand that I will need to be weather conscious, but am looking for advice on the tow system and issues that I might face along the way. Are the cleats through the transom on the OA adequate to handle the load? Also, is there a good way to raft the two boat together at night while at anchor?

    Thanks for the input.

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  2. PropBet, Mar 6, 2012
    #2
    PropBet

    PropBet Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Is Everything!
    Several discussions on it in the forum in days past. Do a quick search for "bridle", which in effect will be the most important part of your question.

    You'll want to distribute the load across both cleats, and make sure you're connected properly to the boat in tow. We towed a 32' center console around the caribbean for a couple seasons without issue.
  3. luckylg, Mar 6, 2012
    #3
    luckylg

    luckylg New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2008
    Messages:
    91
    Location:
    Portland, OR, USA
    Dean,

    Take a look at the previous posts and you'll get a whirlwind of good advice about bridles. If the NorthRiver's tow eye is welded then you only need to attach to it and use a bridle on your OA. If it's bolted, you might want to have one welded with a backing plate to make it sufficiently sturdy. In my experience towing with a bridle on the towed vessel of this size is less desirable than using the tow eye. They're generally built pretty well on aluminum boats and designed to keep the boat on the trailer during an accident so they usually have sufficient strength.

    Your problem with the OA will be the dingy. If you're leaving that behind then have a good look at how the cleats are attached. Look for an over sized backing plate, not simply fender washers. This is a huge stress point and a likely point of failure. Also look at how the bridle will be routed through hawse pipes, etc., and other chafing points.

    Use a good floating line. PM me if you want a couple of recommended sources in the neighborhood.

    When underway, keep the outboard down and centered; tie the wheel off if need be. It will keep the boat tracking behind you rather than skipping around between the wakes.