Recommendation for tow bracket install?

Broward Machine for the bracket

Jack @ tender tow 954-232-0424, Jack used to be at Rope inc. and has made more tow lines than anyone else.

BTW- Sailorman usually has several for sale.

Also, check with your manufacturer, they might already have one available, I know Boston Whaler does for their boats.

Sorry to hear that about BM!

Pascal: I know you’ve probably already considered many of these issues, however, I’d like to share my experience…

We have a 32’ Intrepid and went to considerable expense in setting up a proper tow rig. After two crossings (northern and central Bahamas) we concluded it’s much easier to just send the Intrepid on its own bottom. Even when inter-island cruising, we still send Intrepid on own bottom. A few of the factors that helped us make our decision:

- Regardless of rig, set-up, boats etc…, you will spend an inordinate amount of time worried about the tow.
- Many insurance carriers get apoplectic when you mention this scenario. Would be worth digging into coverage of both vessels with respect to towing.
- The smaller boat can cover a lot of water in a 12 hr day. Even if weather delayed at departure, it’s easy to still make a schedule at destination.
- The woods are full of capable, enthusiastic people to run the Intrepid.
- More often than not, if person bringing over small boat from Fl. was not a crew member, it’s possible to have them on following days flight back to states.
- Heard many credible “stories” of properly outfitted tows stuffing a bow, see first bullet point.

Brett

After towing my 17 Mako to the bottom and back this last spring,, Never again.
I'll have my son drag it down there on its trailer, stage or meet us somewhere.

If I ever make it back to the Bahamas (very unlikely), if needed, I'll borrow or rent a lil boat down there.

Pascal- No need for an NA, this is not rocket science, but still has to be done right.

I have now done 1/2 dozen boats with tow eyes, some from factory, some from Broward Machine and several from other shops.

Make and model of boat would help, but I am sure your boat has been done before. Placement will hinge on access to the inside.

Yes, towing can be a pain in the ass, for short trips we just run the boat, but anything over an hour or so we tow.

It is a concern. Simply pulling on the stem area is causing the hull sides to be forced inward to straighten and narrow along the length of the boat.
My first exposure to towing large toys was the story my mate told me about having to get aboard a tow in stormy conditions and then drive it the rest of the way to Puerto Rico, so be sure to stow emergency water and rations aboard the tow. Next was towing a 25' CC all up and down from Key Largo to Connecticut and back, one and a half times before the owner shipped it back. Slow learner. Finally, the owner lost the thing when the tow parted in rough conditions coming back from the Bahamas. He was operating short-handed, just him and his new girlfriend. Although she was actually more capable than he was, they couldn't retrieve the tow. The keys were in it, so someone may have had a windfall!
The next experience on another yacht was towing a 32' CC from Costa Rica to Panama.
Lessons learned: It's rarely possible to cross over from the yacht to the towed vessel, as it doesn't take much wave action to make it dangerous to people and damage both boats.
Have the tow line connect to a short pennant that stays on the tow. Reaching under the flare to disconnect the tow line when reaching port can cause serious injury. Make sure there's a bungee or retrieval line on the pennant tow eye end.
Be sure there's good battery power and solar charging on the tow, as there will be a lot of bilge pump activity.
Install light activated switching for running/tow lights, as crossing over to the tow to turn them on could be difficult/impossible. Remember to turn them off at the dock.
Inspect tow gear often and replace it when it's pulled tight enough to stand up in the corner.
There's probably more lessons, but the trauma is coming back....

As mentioned, BW has their own, If I remember correctly it is actually made by BM, or at least they were.

Sweet.

On two of our older work boats (17 & 20 feet), I epoxied in the inside of the stem, long stainless thick walled pipe behind fiberglass angle.
Then two big U tow bolts thru the hull stem, the glass angle and this pipe, high and low. The low eye when getting towed, the high eye when the workboat towed in reverse. Inspected often, never a problem.
Cheap and redneck but worked well.

BM had the template because they make them for Boston Whaler, or they used to.