Has anyone out there had experience towing a Sunfish with another boat? I have a 26' outboard boat and would like to tow the 'fish to other areas of the lake on which I sail. I've thought of a "V" bridle amd a boom of some kind to prevent the 'fish from running up on the outboard. And I knowe I'd have to use poly line to avoid fouling the prop. I would also obviously have towatch my speed and wake and keep the daggerboard down for some directional stability. Any experiences - good or bad - would be appreciated.
Towing a Sunfish
- Thread starter Clyde
- Start date
mike4947
Member
Having been towed back from the starting line on many a windless day I can say watching your speed is an understatement. Even with the dagger board down anything over about 8 knots has water streaming out the dagger board opening around the board and at anything higher can actually push the daggerbord out of the slot.
Also any tow rig needs to be some distance back from the towing boat so the prop wash doesn't hammer the hull so a solid bridle to keep the fish from the back of the tow boat gets impractical.
And any turns means having some way to control the fish as in someone on the fish to use the rudder.
We have towed several fish with a single tow boat, but each boat needs it's own loop off the main line so the operator can release in case he gets into trouble even at VERY slow tow speeds. So no "hard connections". A loop through the bow handle or around the mast that is held in position by a sailer works best.
Also any tow rig needs to be some distance back from the towing boat so the prop wash doesn't hammer the hull so a solid bridle to keep the fish from the back of the tow boat gets impractical.
And any turns means having some way to control the fish as in someone on the fish to use the rudder.
We have towed several fish with a single tow boat, but each boat needs it's own loop off the main line so the operator can release in case he gets into trouble even at VERY slow tow speeds. So no "hard connections". A loop through the bow handle or around the mast that is held in position by a sailer works best.
sailorf2
New Member
I help instruct sailing lessons at my club, so we have had to tow quite a few boats. Speed is one of the most important things you need to watch, if you go too fast you could even snap the centerboard. If you are towing from the front I would take a few raps around the mast and hold onto the line so you can let go quickly if you need to.
imported_Scott
Member
We used to tow a small boat with a "v" bridle made of two 10' long pieces of half-inch PVC. We just ran the rope lines through them to keep it from ramming the back of the tow boat. I did see someone towing a Sunfish once that had a small plywood daggerboard with a bungee to keep it in place(who cares if it gets damaged or lost) and the rudder was bungee-corded on center to keep it tracking. He was going very slow however.
Repete
Sunfish1909
I help move two sunfish (at once) placed over inflatable tow tubes ( or any padding) inside a row boat. The row boat acted as a barge with not stress or strain on the fish or the driver. Again, speed still needs to be watched.