This might be another option.

http://www.shockles.com/usage/dinghy-towing.cfm

"Larry Bradley" wrote in message ...
I know this is late, but I just got back from a few weeks on the boat.

I have a heavy fibreglass 8' dinghy. I use "Marstron" (brand name, I
assume) - it is the flexible braided polyprop line such as others have
described. Mine has been in use for 15 years and shows no signs of
deteriorating in the sunlight. But I'm replacing it this week with a
new one, just in case.

I use a rubber mooring line snubber (the kind with loops in the ends,
rather than the kind that you twist your mooring line around) in the
towing line right at the dinghy - it takes up the shock loads, and if
it tries to stretch too much, the part of the painter that "bypasses"
the snubber takes the load.

I've also just started playing with a trick I saw on another boat.
There is a short line (with the snubber) from the dinghy to a small
block. This block rides on a piece of line (Marstron) that runs from
the port stern cleat to the startboard. This line is rather short
(barely reaches the water).

When we are towing the dinghy under power, it is up close, and rides
in the center behind the boat, rather than off to one side. The block
lets it easily move around if the wave/wind conditions move it.

Only used it briefly - not sure if it is going to be any better than
just towing close behind. But it LOOKS cool!

Larry Bradley
C&C Corvette 31 "Lady Di"
Kingston, ON, Canada

Gerald Atkin wrote:

What is the best line for towing a dinghy?

I have seen somewhere on the net a multifilament polypropylene dinghy tow
rope that looks a lot like braided line but it is poly and floats. Assume
this would be good. But can't seem to find it. If I recall it was yellow
with a red thread,

Jerry

Larry Bradley VE3CRX
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Ottawa, Canada

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