Posted by Bill Wallace-King on March 05, 2007 at 21:39:41 from 86.132.217.98 user Bill_Wallace.
In Reply to: Re: Journey back from Secret Water posted by Laurence Monkhouse on March 05, 2007 at 13:11:46:
I would never advocate towing another boat; lash it alongside, much easier and safer. And if you have two, lash one either side.
In calm water, maybe. But I disagree in a seaway. Even on a calmish day. Buoys off Harwich weren't called 'Rolling Ground' and 'Pitching Ground' for nothing!
Think how fussy Jim Brading was about the paint on his topsides.
Ah-ha – I can speak from relevant experience here! In 2003 my much better half and I tried towing a (28ft?) motorsailer alongside into Poole, with the Nancy Blackett. He was a German singlehander who had been without power (& therefore navigation lights) for some nine days in one of the busiest concentrations of shipping in the world. We were already towing someone’s tender that we had recovered at sea. Conditions were very calm, and we made up lines and springs ensuring the masts were well away from each other.
It was terrifying. Round fenders were compressing to near flat as the boats rolled together to each other, and I am as fussy as Jim Brading about Nancy’s topsides paint. Julia was singularly unimpressed that I preferred she get damaged rather than Nancy. We were delighted to pass the tow to a substantial fishing boat close to the chain ferry. Nancy was of course unmarked.
I will never, never, never tow alongside at sea again.
We did make friends with the Coastguard on the VHF over these episodes, and when filing a passage plan the next morning for Weymouth, received the following very friendly reply from the lady on watch:
“Oh, we are looking forward to seeing you in Weymouth Nancy Blackett!”