Any specific rope for towing/being towed?

[Armyguy]

I was looking on the net but couldn't find anything. I was wondering if there was a specific rope made for towing another broken down boat or for myself being towed if I happened to break down?

I am sure they have got to make something that is made to not whiplash back into the boat if it breaks.

Anyone?

[jwl019]

Armyguy, surely you have "centrally relocated amongst the supply system" a tow cable from a bradley or tank! Ha, if not you should have, they won't break towing another boat, and you can wrap it on the transom!

Just use a tow strap, almost same as a vehicle tow strap or a ATV tow strap. I have used the ATV tow strap several times. When in a crunch, I have even used a tube pull rope, just doubled up.

[Armyguy]

Haha yeah didn't end up with one of those. In the past I have just used a wakeboard rope doubled up as well. I was thinking I could just use the tow strap I have in my truck but wasn't sure if there was something specifically for boats. I have snapped a tow strap before pulling out a military hummv with my truck and it was a little scary when it sling shot back into my truck. I know that doesn't happen often but I would hate it to do that into an open boat. I will probably just buy a 22k pound rating tow. Do you think a 30' tow strap is enough distance?

[jwl019]

30' feet should be plenty, when towing your not going fast, and I usually hook to back tow hooks and run it to other boats bow hook. Has always worked for me, since you have a Vdrive, you may can even pull from pylon, but on my direct drive it cuts out my back seat for the people offloading from broken down boat not wanting to be seen in the "tow of shame" especially since most other boats are not Malibu's around here!

[martinarcher]

I use a tube rope....about the only thing I have found it useful for. A vehicle tow strap would be a bit short for my comfort level when coming into the docking area in tow.

[JB-FOOT]

I use an OLD barefoot line (the ones with the KEVLAR inside the outer shell) which are very low or no stretch, If you don't have one of those...and I trust most of you don't....

Then you can use a BFI Tac Line or Poly-E Low Stretch....or an old wakeboard line Low Stretch)

braided it always better than a twist as it will stretch less....double braid is better.....

Martin, I also like more line than 30'....I also want to be able to CUT FREE any rope that I am towing with (ya never know what the guy being towed may do-and I want to be able to get away from them in a hurry if need be) so for that reason I would not use a tow strap....

as for snapping INTO the boat should the rope break....ALWAYS and I do mean ALWAYS pull from the boat being towed's BOW EYE to the boat Towing's Stern Eye....LOW PULL to LOW PULL, if it snaps, ONLY the boat is getting hurt....

you can run the rope through the bow and stern eyes and then up to a cleat or pylon to tie it off, but for safety sake make sure the lines go through the STRONGEST attachment part of a boat and that is the Eyes in the bow and the stern....

PS....I always tie a Bowline Knot if there isn't a cleat to put a pair of half hitches around....that way, I can untie the knot easily without having to cut my rope from some double UGLY knot that was tightened beyond belief from the stress on the rope...

Edited April 10, 2012 by JB-FOOT

[MalibuNation]

I'll 2nd the part about going slow and try to unload as much as possible from the boat being towed ... maybe leave one or 2 people in the boat being towed and if possible center the weight or keep it a little to the rear. Drain the ballast.

Maybe we should add safety glasses to our equipment list. Had a dad towing a boat on our lake, rope broke and his kid lost part of his sight in one eye.

[Scootertrash]

I've used a tube rope to tow a boat, worked great. Just keep the speed down.... Hahahaha....

[Armyguy]

All good ideas..I was thinking about going with a truck tow strap if I can find one about 50'. I was then going to look for some kind of quick disconnect D rings or something so that I could free myself of the towed boat if needed. That way I don't have to cut the rope. Finding some fittings like that might be hard.

[tvano]

i usually insist that the towed boat hold the line in their hands with the disclaimer that if they are not comfortable with the tow they can just pitch the line.

no worries about pulling one of their cleats loose (and getting hit in the forehead w it) and leaves their boat as their responsibility.

[Fman]

I use a tube rope....about the only thing I have found it useful for. A vehicle tow strap would be a bit short for my comfort level when coming into the docking area in tow.

I agree, if something goes wrong better to have the rope break. A doubled up tube rope usually will work with no issues.