I recently read that kayaks can be successfully towed behind a sailboat that is too small to carry one on deck. I'm sure there are all the same issues as in towing a dinghy, like surfing in following seas, rolling in rough seas, and all the usual problems associated with backing up in marinas. But, with a good cockpit and hatch covers, swamping should be nearly eliminated. Does anyone have experience in doing this and any tips to offer? Al Gunther, Kingston, WA <---- 47° 48.1'N, 122° 30.0'W *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Al Gunther wrote: > > I recently read that kayaks can be successfully towed behind a sailboat > that is too small to carry one on deck. I'm sure there are all the same > issues as in towing a dinghy, like surfing in following seas, rolling in > rough seas, and all the usual problems associated with backing up in > marinas. But, with a good cockpit and hatch covers, swamping should be > nearly eliminated. > > Does anyone have experience in doing this and any tips to offer? We towed a Pamlico Excel, from Wilderness Systems, behind a houseboat, max hull speed about 6-7 knots, over several days in January, Al. The PE is a small open cockpit double, with a pretty good cockpit cover, maybe 14 1/2 feet in length, and with little freeboard compared to large FG doubles, but with quite a bit of rocker. It handled the seas we encountered pretty well, although I could see from the wave action that there was some probability of inversion and swamping if the wrong swell hit it. Our sea conditions were mild: maybe 3-foot chop at the worst, and no aggressive following seas. I imagine broaching on a following sea might be a hazard. A kayak with greater length and/or less rocker might have a greater tendency to invert and turn turtle. I've heard that 6 knots is a nominal max speed for towing, but don't have anything to back that up. Oh, yeah, we used maybe a 15-foot tether, and kept the yak to the lee side of the wake. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
A few years ago on Lake Michigan my kayak was towed behind a sailboat in a string of three kayaks. The sailboat was traveling with the use of its motor. The trickiest thing about the setup was making sure the lines between each boat were long enough to deal with the distance between the waves. I didn't do the setup myself, I only watched. Barbara -----Original Message----- From: owner-paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net [mailto:owner-paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net]On Behalf Of Al Gunther Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2001 1:22 PM To: PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net Subject: [Paddlewise] Towing a kayak behind a sailboat I recently read that kayaks can be successfully towed behind a sailboat that is too small to carry one on deck. I'm sure there are all the same issues as in towing a dinghy, like surfing in following seas, rolling in rough seas, and all the usual problems associated with backing up in marinas. But, with a good cockpit and hatch covers, swamping should be nearly eliminated. Does anyone have experience in doing this and any tips to offer? Al Gunther, Kingston, WA <---- 47° 48.1'N, 122° 30.0'W *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I would advise caution in towing a kayak behind a sailboat. My experience is that kayaks and canoes being towed get very squirrelly around hull speed when being towed. Depending on the design of the kayak, you may find that the bow digs in and the kayak wants to go sailing off to the side near hull speed, resulting in capsizing or breaking the tow line. Dinghies are specifically designed to plane when towed, kayaks are not. The only way I know to prevent this is to figure out how to tow the kayak with the bow lifted out of the water. --Karl Coplan -----Original Message----- From: Al Gunther [mailto:agunther_at_silverlink.net] Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2001 4:22 PM To: kcoplan_at_law.pace.edu Subject: [Paddlewise] Towing a kayak behind a sailboat I recently read that kayaks can be successfully towed behind a sailboat that is too small to carry one on deck. I'm sure there are all the same issues as in towing a dinghy, like surfing in following seas, rolling in rough seas, and all the usual problems associated with backing up in marinas. But, with a good cockpit and hatch covers, swamping should be nearly eliminated. Does anyone have experience in doing this and any tips to offer? Al Gunther, Kingston, WA <---- 47° 48.1'N, 122° 30.0'W *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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