Bow Rails

I guess they could have released the bridle from the other boat, waiting a good moment while it was slack. Or cut it, in the worst case.
But leaving a line hanging around from the bow, surely long enough to get into the props, wouldn't have been a great idea.

To be honest, also tieing the boats together in those conditions is not something I would have wanted to do, to start with.
Not to mention if daisy-chained with a third boat or more.
But hey, better them than me...!

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Once released the line would have been much easier to retrieve with no tension on it? Was his point that his bow rail was inadequate?

How do they night chunk like that? What happens when you hook up? Tournament or not I'm fishing if I burned all that fuel to get out there

What was your target species for the overnight tournament?

We were day fishing lines out at sundown. It was a billfish tournament and the weather was good when we stopped fishing and tied up. The squall came after dark, we could not get on deck to untie the line so cut it. Had we converted to swordfishing we would not have tied up. Most boats are swordfishing at night nowadays so not much daisy-chaining.

Trolling for dollars $$$$$.

I love it!

Always have each vessel handle both ends of their own line, looped together to make the bridle. No one wants to waste their own dock line, but everyone wants to get away quickly when they need to do so.

Ralph, if your fishing for nourishment that's true, but if your fishing for $$ there is a targeted species that every angler is vying for. Flounders don't count in a marlin tourney. I asked the question because overnight tourneys are unusual in my modest experience, and I wanted to learn something.

Do to run distances most of GOM $$ tournaments are overnight/multi night affairs, from West Coast Florida to Texas. Enclosed Flybridge and Seakeepers are a plus!

Interesting. Don't mean to hijack this thread, but how do they enforce the close of fishing each day. Or is it an extended hunt?

you're fine!

A lot of new SF don't have bow rails. And yes, if it's rough and you need to anchor, just go through the forward deck hatch.

We saw a mate on a new Viking 70+ sf, no bow rail or pulpit, fall overboard trying to deploy the anchor in calm water. They look great but not safe. Had one sf without a bow rail, none of us liked handling lines on the bow.

I agree that a bow rail is much safer if you have to do anything up on the bow. Aesthetically most SF look better without it and less weight up front. Generally here in FL, sportfish almost never anchor and the majority of the time you're docking and getting lines in calm water, but also have nothing to hang fenders from. There's pluses and minuses. Generally more minuses than pluses, but looks win over many times. Plus have to keep the bow rail polished.

Your right, years ago they did not allow night fishing, now they do, and doubt any boats are tying up. Many big SF's have Seakeepers and fishing 24/7. Whole different game.

I have a 46 1985 post which I just removed bow rail and love the look and feel. My wife was skeptical at first for safety reasons but after I did it she loves the look. It also prevents ant water from getting into the deck from mounts. If you like a sleeker new look it’s assume. I also black wrapped the front across the bow seat which gives her a very modern look. Would add pictures but not sure how to yet

In the end, form will follow function.

I really like the look without the rail, but personally won’t consider a boat that doesn’t have one. For me it’s the function over the look. But they do looks good lol.