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I'm planning on using my 13' Whaler Sport model as a tender for my bigger boat. I've done some research on how to best tow it. The problem is conflicting information and opinions exist on just about every topic. I'd appreciate any ideas or suggestions this forum has on how to best accomplish what I'm planning. I'm always impressed by the knowledge of this site - so can I leverage some experience out there???
My whaler is a 1997 13' Sport that weighs about 600 pounds fully outfitted. I want to tow it across the San Pedro Channel from the LA area to Catalina Island, about a 30 mile trip one way. Historic average wave height is 3 feet with 10 - 12 second intervals. (Data thanks to CDIP). Of course, that's just the average... we get some huge days in terms of swell height in the Pacific. I generally run my big boat relatively slow, about 10 - 13 knots. The bigger boat is a 32' sportfisher with a 12 foot beam displacing about 14,000 pounds.
Here is the plan so far:
All line is nylon 3/8" double braid with a 3,000 pound rated strength. I have a yoke system built that secures the the center towing line to the two stern cleats. The stern cleats 10' stainless through bolted into reinforced areas of the cockpit. Each yoke segment is roughly 20' long, about 2x's the beam of the boat with spliced eyelets in the joining end. From that point a third piece of line will be joined to the yokes. The final end of that third line will attach to the whaler via a quick disconnect to the bow eyelet on the whaler. The center line could be lengthened to 150' if necessary. The quick disconnect is rated at 5,000 pounds. I've integrated a few line floats in the apparatus to help prevent wrap ups.
What have I forgotten? Any opinions on how to set the final tow line length? How well does a little 13' tow? Should the engine be up or down? Do I have the right line?
