HOW TO TOW & BE TOWED
When a boat needs towing, cruising yachts are often among the first on the scene. James Stevens explains how to help
Whether you’re first on scene to assist, or need towing yourself, here’s how to do it
Towing is not an everyday activity for most yachtsmen, but knowing how to do it is still a key seamanship skill, and anyone listening to VHF Ch16 in the summer months will hear a good number of boats, of various descriptions, requesting assistance. Whether it’s towing a dinghy, a small motor boat with engine problems, or another yacht in difficulty, cruising yachts can often be the first on the scene to lend a hand, at least until other help arrives. Towing is incredibly simple in principle – just attach a line between two boats and off you go – but it is not always so straightforward, and mistakes can be costly. The weather and sea state make a huge difference, changing an easy process into one that can be difficult and possibly dangerous.
HELPING A BOAT IN DISTRESS
Some of the best boat handlers I have ever examined at yachtmaster and instructor levels are tug drivers. They have an ingrained ability to sense the effect the huge tension on the towline is having on the tug and the grave danger if the tug ends up beam-on to the line under tension. As a result their boat handling under power is first class.
For yacht skippers, apart from tenders, towing is a rare event and usually involves assisting a fellow yacht; not as hazardous as a tug towing a ship of course but it can still be difficult, especially in the open sea.
Taking a yacht in tow is done to get them home following a problem caused by engine failure or some other non-urgent inconvenience. If you come across a yacht in distress your primary obligation is to save the people on board rather than the yacht, although this might be achieved by towing the yacht away from danger. In a rough sea it’s probably going to be a difficult and possibly dangerous manoeuvre, so standing by until the rescue services arrive might be more appropriate.
In less urgent situations you have to weigh up whether your yacht is capable of taking on a tow. Towing a larger yacht in calm water for a short distance is relatively easy. If there is no wind or tidal stream and the sea is flat you can safely tow a yacht twice your size. In the open sea with a swell and wind it is best not to attempt towing vessels larger than your own. Again you might have to stand by until help arrives.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SALVAGE AND TOWAGE
Legally a towing vessel can claim salvage if the tow has been rescued from danger with no pre-agreed terms. Alternatively towage is where there is a prior agreement between tug and tow. Legally it does not matter who passes the towline. Insurance policies vary on whether they cover salvage and towage.
By accepting a tow on any vessel I think a skipper is not in a position to start telling the tow where they are going to end up; that is a decision for the towing vessel to make. Also by accepting a tow a skipper should realise it is a considerable favour for any towing vessel to make and be gracious and generous afterwards.
If a tow is in response to a Coastguard request, the Coastguard will need to be kept informed. They will ask you to provide details for their records, but don’t let yourself become distracted from the task at hand. Tell them you will call them back if you are busy and focus on the situation in front of you first!
SCOTCH CURRENCY
When it comes to the cost of being rescued, the reality is that most yacht skippers will give a fellow yacht a tow if asked, after which a bottle of scotch changing hands would be appropriate, maybe something more generous if the tow has taken a long time or been difficult. A commercial tug or salvage vessel might not be so generous.