The Boating Forum - How fast can/should you tow?

Another boat? I've always gone at idle or slightly above, but man, does that make for a LONG ride back.

Wayyyyyy to general a question. If your towing with a tug it's gonna be different than towing with a 50hp Johnson. And what the heck are you towing? a tender or a 65' Hatteras?

And I would rather have a long tow than damage my motor(s) from pushing them too hard.

Being towed is more uncomfortable than giving a tow. As long as the towed vessel is ok, things are fine. Don't go faster than the towed vessel wants to.

I have never gone more then a few kts while towing or being towed. If i was towing some one small and light i would push up and see how she ran. My boat may be able to drag you at 30 kts but can they handle it?

I tow at headway speed or slightly above, but not much more than that. So what if you can go faster. Unless you are rafted and towing, how will you stop in a panic situation?

Towing safely u should limit to the hull speed of the smaller of either the tow oat or boat being towed.

I tow at 75MPH on I95

I was sitting on our dock a couple years ago when a 19ft open bow went by being towed by another roughly 19 open bow.......ON PLANE at roughly 25 mph!!!!!


For me it's around 1,200-1,500 rpms or just before either hull starts to raise up.

I towed an aluminum 14' fishing boat carrying 3 guys one day. I was in a 20 CC w/a 200 Merc. I kept inching up my throttle and finally we got on plane. Everything went well for most of the way in. However, coming around a curve in the bayou caused him to move across to the inside of my wake. Damned near lost him (them). I zigged and they zagged and came close to flipping all three guys out of their boat. Needless to say, I slowed it way down for the rest of the way in.

There is only one tow speed, and that is SLOW, regardless of how long it will take, can't get much simpler than that.

I know sea tow was towing me back at around 7-8 mph
Art

I know sea tow was towing me back at around 7-8 mph
Art


Yup . . . Safety over a fast trip.

I have heard that the holder of a tow endorsement is limited to 6 knots,

Sea tow took us in at 25 once....not in the contender though.

SeaTow in North Pinellas/Pasco tows on plane (around twenty knots), in open water.

I run the worlds largest VSP tug for a living. Towing is always a SLOW operation. The speed is limited by what you are towing as well as what your towing with (hawser). We tow large ships and usually never exceed 3 knots.

also when you tow at high speeds you run the risk of tripping. this is what happens when your tow for whatever reason out runs your vessel and the hawser can't be cut lose. this will drag your boat sideways and in most cases capsize you.
here is a video of that situation i found on youtube. this guy was going to fast and couldn't swing his barge to make the turn. the more he turned the more speed and headway he lost. barge outran him and tripped his ass. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEfUblSDzww
Remember safety is always first.

things to consider.
1. how will you stop your tow.
2. if something happens and your tow should break lose will you be able to maintain control at your current speed and rebuild your tow?
3. can you effectively cut it lose or freewheel should your tow begin to sink?
4. the hawser or wire your towing with, does is have and elastic memory (nylon) or is it a straight hawser (Plasma). parting lines / wires kills more people in the towing industry than you think.
5. at the speed you are towing can someone effectively maneuver around your towing gear without entering a pinch point? ( it would suck to be pinned between the rail and a hawser connected to a tow making 20 knots.)
My opinion keep it slow and safe for everyone.
hope this helps

I spoke with captain of PROMISE, a 72' Merritt, and he says they regularly tow their 30' Intrepid at 30 knots!.

What one can do and(get away with)and what one should do are two different things. For some unexplained reason I get the impression there are a high concentration of ding dongs who don't get the safty thing in high speed boats.

Another boat? I've always gone at idle or slightly above, but man, does that make for a LONG ride back.

You need to be more specific but I tow a 15 BW to the bahamas every year at 25 knots with good sea conditions.

I spoke with captain of PROMISE, a 72' Merritt, and he says they regularly tow their 30' Intrepid at 30 knots!.

wonder how they have it rigged, I mean how do you stop and not have a 200k boat crashing into a 4mill boat?

"What one can do and(get away with)and what one should do are two different things."

That pretty much applies to 80% of this entire forum. So what's your point? ;o)