Breydon Rescue

[Wussername]

1 hour ago, Vaughan said:

Depends on the circumstances. If you are towing a yacht you want it on your left, so that the deep keel is in the deep water away from the bank. Otherwise I tow with the towed boat on the right, so that I have better vision and a bit more room to manoeuvre. You are going sideways all the time, so you need to keep your eyes right up the river and give yourself plenty of room on the bank side.

If wind and tide permit, always moor alongside with the towed boat on the bank side -  that way, every time you go astern or ahead, the tow will work its way in towards the bank.

Sound advice Vaughan. Thank you as well.

Would you please explain the importance of springs, the positioning of springs and the position of the rudder on the boat being towed.

Whilst you and I were towing a boat through Horning, with your goodself at the helm, in charge, in command, we spied the river commissioner approaching.(I much prefer the title now defunct in preference to The Ranger)

You said to me "Look away, don't make eye contact, and hide your glass up"

[Vaughan]

I have tried to post one of my scribbles, to try and explain this, but I don't think the link has worked although it is a jpeg file as normal. Can you read it? In which case, I will explain the drawing!

[Wyndham]

I'm looking forward to this after that tempting diagram...

[Vaughan]

Yes! It seems to have worked. It is a bit of a hasty scribble, isn't it?

The towing boat A and the towed boat B are lashed together so that the stern of A is a bit behind B.

They are lashed so that they are a bit "toe in" (1) a bit like the front wheels of your car. This helps to stop it all going sideways.

Best to double up on the bow line (2) as boats going the other way will make it snatch, in their wash.

The stern line (3) holds the boats close together, but does not take any load on the tow.

The back spring (4) is what is actually doing the pulling.

The fore spring (5) acts as the brake between the two boats when you go astern, otherwise boat B will ride forward violently when you have to slow down.

The rudder (6) of boat B is kept turned towards boat A to help counteract the sideways effect.

If your spring lines are not long enough to reach the deck cleats, you can tie them around one of the handrail stanchions on the cabin top as the pull is fore-and-aft, not sideways, so the whole of the handrail will take the strain.

All the rest is practice!

[Vaughan]

I should have mentioned; using the handrail applies to made up stainless rails which are all in one piece. Not to woodies, with nice mahogany ones!

I should also mention that if you are going to take a boat on a long tow of several hours, you will need to stop the prop shaft of the towed boat from turning - usually by clamping it with Stillsons. Most marine gearboxes have their oil pumps driven by the engine shaft, so if you are towing for a long time, the propeller will be turning the shafts in the gearbox, without lubrication.

[Wyndham]

So interesting... Thanks.

[Wussername]

Thanks Vaughan. I have not been asked to tow boats many times but for the most part I have followed your advice albeit from other people and experience I suppose. So it is good to have it confirmed. 

One other question. Many years ago I was on a friend's boat which broke down on Breydon in somewhat blustery conditions. He opted for a side to side tow from a passing cruiser. A big mistake, The conditions were such that both craft buffeted together in a most alarming manner. Fenders and legs were used to keep the boats apart. We should have opted for a stern to bow tow. 

Observing stern/bow tows I have often been amazed, especially by lifeboats and tugs, the length of the tow rope. Several meters in some instances. Is this done to avoid snatch between the two?

Andrew

[JennyMorgan]

I can vouch for Vaughan's diagram, it is exactly as we towed a twenty eight foot river cruiser alongside an eleven foot dory the other day from Level Even's boatyard at St Olaves to Oulton Broad. Absolutely no problem, a very comfortable journey. PS, had lunch in the Bell at St Olaves as we waited for the tide to turn, excellent as usual,  one of my favourite South Rivers watering holes.  

[Vaughan]

43 minutes ago, Wussername said:

Observing stern/bow tows I have often been amazed, especially by lifeboats and tugs, the length of the tow rope. Several meters in some instances. Is this done to avoid snatch between the two?

Yes. The same thing applies on Breydon. Only tow alongside in still water and if you ever see a tow coming the other way, slow down. Your wash can make a nasty snatch between the two boats. 

Towing alongside is a trick which is almost unique to the Broads, as there are no locks. On a canal, you would lash the two boats tightly together, end on, and push the "towed" boat in front of you.

[marshman]

Vaughan - when we have to move that big black thing, we nearly always do away with the fore spring, and then just fiddle around with the rest until its right. Interestingly it is helped as we have a pretty big rudder (!), so we steer with that and just set the mobo up with a little toe in, set the power and away we go - however increase the revs and you often have to reset the lines a bit. Neither the forrard or the stern lines ever carry much weight but virtually the whole load goes on to the stern spring.

A couple of rubber tyres help keep them apart but we always carry a very large round plastic fender for keeping the spray down over Breydon as it is known to get a bit damp for the helmsman out in the open at the back!!

[thingamybob]

2 hours ago, Wussername said:

Observing stern/bow tows I have often been amazed, especially by lifeboats and tugs, the length of the tow rope. Several meters in some instances. Is this done to avoid snatch between the two?

Andrew

Hi Andrew.

I think it is something to do with the steering of the tow vessel. If you look at a proper tug the towing post is somewhat amidships allowing the tug to turn without the towed vessel trying to keep the tug going straight. If a long line is used it will reduce this tendency if the line is attached to the stern.

[thingamybob]

One thing to remember when side towing is that the towed boat will try to keep going and skew the outfit when the towing boat goes in reverse  so it is best to slow down well in advance of stopping so only a little reverse is needed to stop the outfit. Of course, if the towing boat is powered by an outboard motor then the helm should be put down away from the towed boat so the outfit stops almost straight. On a conventional powered boat the towing boat should be lashed on the starboard side of the towed boat so that the propeller bias (walk) partially alleviates this skewing when reverse gear is selected. 

[Vaughan]

Thanks for that Marshman. As a discussion point, I would suggest that what you are doing with a big vessel like her is more giving her a push with the tender, rather than towing her alongside. As you say, you are using her own rudder for steering and I don't suppose going astern would make a great deal of difference, to Albion!

In wherrymens' terms, this is also cheating!   

On the forum, of course, we can only talk about the basic methods to follow, as actually doing the job is a matter of lots of hands on practice.

Anyway I reckon Albion is big enough and old enough, by now, to make up her own mind where she wants to go!

 

[Malanka]

For info. Last year when our starter motor tried to set fire to itself. We were towed by a day boat (by the boatyard) down from almost Geldeston to the Lido in Beccles. Next day Charlie Dolphin towed us under the bridge and round to the Yacht Station, where they allowed us to stay rent free for three days whilst Steve fixed us a new one. Great team effort.

 

Poor Dolphin didn't like towing big old heavy wooden lady one little bit. Charlie was magnificent and got us there in one piece.

 

M