Towing bridle - length of legs

[IanT]

Hi All,

I have a friend with a Bayliner which has a regular habit of breaking down and needing towing. I've been bodging a towing bridle for our rib to tow him but im thinking it might be good to have something made up to speed up this regular task!

Is there any rule of thumb to how long the bridle legs need to be? Obviously they need to clear the outboard and to make sure the angle where they join is shallow enough but not sure how long to make them.

Also, do folks tend to connect to the towing eyes/loops on the transom with shackles or just knots on the line?

Rib is 6m, single engine if that has any bearing on it!!

Thanks!!

Ian

[SPR]

two chains of thoughts -


1 will and eye in middle and the other just a rope with a slide so the boat can slide along it..,

length to me is - long enough to tilt engine but short enough not to foul propellor. you can always add a small float to it.

I use large s/s carabiners to attach to my rib.

the tow point on the bay liner is equally important and you might want to harness that up too. so you not just pulling from the eye.

S.

[PhillipJones]

With regards to length its a case of just measuring in place as different boats are rigged differently i.e. towing eyes in different places. but just make sure you have enough slack to be able to tilt the engine right up

with regards to attaching it we have rigged ours with a soft eye at one end which we have spliced in and a large carbine clip at the other end so it is easily detachable which is especially useful when you need to get the boat you are towing underdone quickly and can't get the knot that has been tided in the tow-line undone.

when attaching the towing boat to the bridle I tend just to use an bowline or something similar and allow it to slide side to side on the bridle as this has proven to be much better than having a fix point to which you tide the boats in the centre.

[Starovich]

i make the bridle just long enough to sit just above the anitcav plate, that has always given room to tilt and arc to clear the engine, without fouling. I have my towline with a large s/s Carbine clip which clips to the bridle making less friction than rope on rope.

[9D280]

+1 for the sliding. version. It can occasionally mean you can swing the stern without your engine also having to tug the tow 2 foot aas well. I've used a super smooth rope for my bridle - saves a carabiner onthe tow line taking the paint off my engine leg when the tension comes off!



+1 for the carabines, except I have a soft eye one side, carabine spliced to the other. I have 2 eyes on my transom that double up as holding the A- frame on.

The soft end has a spinnaker snap shackle fixed to the u-bolt o nthe transom with a release line that runs forward fixed to the replease pin. I installed that mod after a nasty incident with a yacht whose skipper was too busy watching the scenery and resulted in me being towed backwards by him taking the tow sideways faster than I could correct for it.

I use spinny snap shackles becase they will release under load.

Floating rope will also help keep it out your prop, but if your anchor points are not too far down the transom then you shouldn't need too much slack to allow the engine to tilt.

[IanT]

thanks all!

[rigi36]

Originally Posted by Starovich

i make the bridle just long enough to sit just above the anitcav plate...

*Anti ventilation

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by rigi36

*Anti ventilation

I used Snap Shackles,and a Slider link....BUT would strongly recommend a Float of some kind too... relying on floating rope alone to keep the Prop free is Fraught with problems when its rough,and or, you have powerfull engine,that creates alot of Wash.
I have used a Fender clipped onto the line in the past,but now keep a small Buoy for the job....Speed and ease of deployment is paramount if the Shit hits the Fan.

[Starovich]

Originally Posted by rigi36

*Anti ventilation

Yea that too

[JellyFish]

I have made a few now, since people had seen mine and asked about it! Very basic, 2 clips for the d rings then a float and eye ready for towing! Also use small rope as the breaking strain was massive. Made these in the past and if anyone wants one could make a few up. As long as it covers my cost for parts then I would be more than happy. I will upload a photo later.