wrote in message
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"Martin Baxter" wrote:
http://www.canadaeast.com/rss/article/253686

Talk about a cluster ****.


Sounds pretty bad. I can't believe that the Coasties were pulling a
~40' boat and not keeping a lookout on the tow. Especially if they're
towing thru an area of ice floes.... guess an icebreaker doesn't have
to worry about hitting ice herself?

"Don White" wrote:
Towing at sea is a tricky business even withought the ice.
I always wondered about that when I owned a 19' weekender sailboat with a
hull speed of about 5 knots.
What would happen if a motorboat towed you at double that speed.

Depends on a lot of things... sea state, how the towline is attached,
whether the towed boat can plane at all and if the crew can hold her
in an attitude to plane.

I've been on 22' (and smaller) sailboats towed at planing speed....
Always in calm weather, it's also true. It's a waste of gas, but it
does get you home faster.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

One of my previous sailboats had a wing keel and got towed by a power boat.
With considerable power we eventually got up on plane on the wing keel, just
like a hydrofoil. Everyone worked to carefully balance the boat, it was one
hell of a ride at 25 knots. Yea, that's the ticket!

Glory!

Bob Crantz