Does anyone have any experience towing kayaks behind a sailboat. My cousin has a Menger Catboat that is about 10ft wide. He usually travels about 5 mph either by sail or diesel engine. I would prefer to tow my 2 touring kayaks rather than try to borrow some SOT's. I would appreciate any do's or don'ts' so I do not have to learn things the hard way. Mark J. Arnold *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Mark Arnold wrote: >Does anyone have any experience towing kayaks behind a sailboat. > From Wavelength March 2005 - http://www.wavelengthmagazine.com/2005/fm05primer.php "Kayaks do not tow well. They tend to surf a boat's wake, go broadside and flip. Two kayaks will tow better than one if they are lashed together at the bow and stern, creating a catamaran shape. The best plan for towing is to put them inside your dinghy if you don't have enough room on the deck." From rec.boats.paddle (lots of warnings): Towing with a sailboat http://tinyurl.com/2a9zna Towing kayak behind sailboat in ocean http://tinyurl.com/yvblrd Towing a sea kayaking behind a power boat http://tinyurl.com/23lo3j But if you check with sailors and power boaters, this is what you get: About 50 kayaks being towed behind a houseboat, includes a couple of paddling pooches - this is not something I'd care to do (warning - website accompanied by loud, goofy music): http://www.rvsingles.org/Photo_Albums/Sharon/Sharon_1.htm Seven or so kayaks towed by a large boat with single outrigger http://www.raftvoyagers.com/Mirage_with_kayaks_in_tow.jpg Three kayaks towed by a junk? http://highway57.co.uk/seasia/photo?res=lo&picid=2356&secid=143 Several kayaks being towed at a fairly good clip http://www.gallantphotography.com/040127_antarctica/040201_184_thm.jpg More http://www.whalepass.com/news/wp-content/photos/thumb_kayak_tow2.jpg We've towed a dinghy without any problems. On one occasion, we had wind and chop but very little water in the dinghy when we reached our destination. http://s35.photobucket.com/albums/d156/jmsailing/Lake%20Mead%2005/?action=view¤t=DSC03433.jpg I wouldn't hesitate to do as was suggested in the WaveLength article... lash bows and sterns together and tow as a cat. It would depend on where and conditions, though. Also, make sure everything is securely attached and watch lines if you are turning any props. Jackie *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Mark Arnold wrote: >> Does anyone have any experience towing kayaks behind a sailboat. Not a sailboat, no; behind a houseboat at 6 knots on the ICW, yes. We watched the short double like a hawk, and made sure it rode in a spot in the wake where turning turtle was not likely. It was nerve-wracking as hell. We hoped that the towline would part if it did, before the boat got destroyed by the forces. I would not tow at a greater speed, and I would not tow on exposed waters. Even the 2-3-foot chop on the ICW presented some challenges. Not to mention the occasional boat wake from a power cruiser. -- 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/ ***************************************************************************
As has been stated kayaks do not tow well. The situation is worsened by the fact that people are towing from a high position on the bow of the kayak where the toggle is. Towing (and tying down on a car rack) can be improved by putting a towing attachment about an inch or 2 above the waterline. (You might drill through the kayak at that point and fiberglass a tube that can accept a rope across the holes created) I think that this might have an advantage towing a disabled paddler from another kayak as well. Some of my kayaks have relatively high bows and I noticed when towing someone last summer who was using one of these kayaks that I was nervous about torquing the kayak over when a wave caught the towed kayak and pushed the bow off line. It can also help when towing to put a heavy weight at the stern of the towed kayak to help life the bow. *************************************************************************** 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 didn't check the photo links provided, to see what worked for them, but I would suggest towing as you would a canoe: with a bridle so that the force is applied from a point below the keel, a few feet back, with the lines running up to both sides of the deck rigging a couple of feet further back, thus holding the bow in the air and unlikely to turn over. Towing with a straight line is not so good. GaryJ Mark Arnold wrote: >Does anyone have any experience towing kayaks behind a sailboat. My cousin has a Menger Catboat that is about 10ft wide. He usually travels about 5 mph either by sail or diesel engine. I would prefer to tow my 2 touring kayaks rather than try to borrow some SOT's. I would appreciate any do's or don'ts' so I do not have to learn things the hard way. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:33:43 PDT
