Although I have been involved with a wide variety of boats and marine
activities, racing has been about as far off my radar screen as polo
since shortly after High School (Co-captain of varsity sailing team).

Your towing method makes perfect sense. If the dinghy is close enough
for the painter to take some weight, you are lightening it very
effectively. The downside is steeper flow lines and shorter waterline
but being in the wake of the larger vessel would easily offset that.

Didn't you have trouble with it banging into the transom?

I tow Maine traditional cruising style. I let the dinghy out to just
past the crest of the first stern wave so it's being pulled up the
wave. It rides there rock solid and the wave keeps it from surging
forward if the boat slows down. There's probably a little more drag
that way but we're already where we were going most of the time.

You just have to remember to pull the dinghy up short before going in
reverse with the engine. One of my projects next year is to find a
tow line that floats without being unpleasant to handle.

--

Roger Long