Tried this last year for a weekend. Bigger sailboat, perhaps smaller
kayaks. Good results.

We were out for the weekend on a C&C 35 Mk. I and took two friends and their
two rotomold kayaks, about 16 or 17 feet long. They fit on deck on edge
between the shrouds and the cabin top. They made it a bit more difficult to
go forward to tend to bow lines, sails, etc. but not too big a deal. You
had to pay more attention to the jib sheets when tacking as once a sheet
hooked under a kayak, forcing us to tack back to clear it. This was all in
protected waters, the Bras d'Or Lakes, and in generally good weather with
wind in the 10 to 20 knot range. We did try towing briefly but they track
too well, going off in one straight line until jerked onto another straight
line, rather annoying wandering around behind like that. I think the
painters wouldn't have lasted very long.

We were really glad we had brought the kayaks along as they were great for
exploring once we were tucked into an anchorage for the evening and in the
morning so our guests could have a little privacy and "sleep in."

As Steve says, my experience for what it's worth...
--
Ken Heaton & Anne Tobin
Cape Breton Island, Canada
kenheaton at eastlink dot ca

wrote in message
oups.com...

Does anyone have experience either storing an
ocean kayak (closed, sit on top variety) on a 27
foot sailboat, or towing it behind?

What are your experiences? Doable? Horrible?
Good idea?

Thanks!

Spammy Spamson wrote:
OK, from experience - don't tow a kayak. Except for river or squirt
boats the majority of Kayaks are designed to track in a straight line.
All goes well until you tack. The painter slakens a bit, then
rightens and your Kayak continues on it's merry way on your LAST
course, until it is dragged sideways, flips over and fills with
water.
That should be the same for boats shouldn't it?
That does not address your particular question about sit on
tops however as it would not fill with water - but I still wouldn't
tow it.
I am still looking for experience, not opinion.

As to carrying on deck... a major pain in the ass unless you have a 60
ft boat.

Concur

Any other questions?

I've sold about a million dollars worth of Kayaks and have owned up to
five at one time and still have a couple of folders (which are what I
recomend and use on my sailboat).
Me too.

If you want an economical folder
check out pac boat.

My pac boat google's first hit was a pac boat being launched on a lake
that was a little choppy and it was taking on water. Didn't look like
much boat for a dinghy replacement.

Gaz

Ken Heaton wrote:
Tried this last year for a weekend. Bigger sailboat, perhaps smaller
kayaks. Good results.

We were out for the weekend on a C&C 35 Mk. I and took two friends and their
two rotomold kayaks, about 16 or 17 feet long. They fit on deck on edge
between the shrouds and the cabin top. They made it a bit more difficult to
go forward to tend to bow lines, sails, etc. but not too big a deal. You
had to pay more attention to the jib sheets when tacking as once a sheet
hooked under a kayak, forcing us to tack back to clear it. This was all in
protected waters, the Bras d'Or Lakes, and in generally good weather with
wind in the 10 to 20 knot range. We did try towing briefly but they track
too well, going off in one straight line until jerked onto another straight
line, rather annoying wandering around behind like that. I think the
painters wouldn't have lasted very long.

We were really glad we had brought the kayaks along as they were great for
exploring once we were tucked into an anchorage for the evening and in the
morning so our guests could have a little privacy and "sleep in."

As Steve says, my experience for what it's worth...
That is interesting. Thanks.

Ken Heaton wrote:
Tried this last year for a weekend. Bigger sailboat, perhaps smaller
kayaks. Good results.

We were out for the weekend on a C&C 35 Mk. I and took two friends and their
two rotomold kayaks, about 16 or 17 feet long. They fit on deck on edge
between the shrouds and the cabin top. They made it a bit more difficult to
go forward to tend to bow lines, sails, etc. but not too big a deal. You
had to pay more attention to the jib sheets when tacking as once a sheet
hooked under a kayak, forcing us to tack back to clear it. This was all in
protected waters, the Bras d'Or Lakes, and in generally good weather with
wind in the 10 to 20 knot range. We did try towing briefly but they track
too well, going off in one straight line until jerked onto another straight
line, rather annoying wandering around behind like that. I think the
painters wouldn't have lasted very long.

We were really glad we had brought the kayaks along as they were great for
exploring once we were tucked into an anchorage for the evening and in the
morning so our guests could have a little privacy and "sleep in."

As Steve says, my experience for what it's worth...


Found a review of 9 different 'bag boats' that might be useful as a
portable way to go ashore ffrom a moored sailboat.
http://tinyurl.com/ar3t2

Logs dive. Actually, I think it would dive, depending on the speed it was
towed. It would surface immediately, but that would put a lot of strain on
the line.... hmmm...

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Gary" wrote in message
news:ePAFf.342302$tl.292301@pd7tw3no...
Wayne.B wrote:
On Sat, 04 Feb 2006 17:12:39 GMT, Gary wrote:


The only thing that I can think of that would be of concern is it
flipping over in a seaway and diving.


Flipping over is a matter of "when", not "if". It would be good no
know in advance how it will react after it flips. I've had 2 towed
inflatables flip over, once with a 65 lb outboard
motor on the back, and 1 fiberglass dinghy capsize while being towed.
It happens with amazing speed under the right conditions, and it
doesn't have to be especially rough. I see no reason to think that a
kayak is immune.

I don't think the kayak would be immune to flipping. I am interested in
what it does after flipping. Unlike a hardshell dinghy, it won't fill
with water or behave like a drogue. Unlike a zodiac it shouldn't start to
come apart. The kayak can't fill with water and will either dive or just
flip back again. Remember, it is more like a log than a boat.

Gary

Capt. JG wrote:
Logs dive. Actually, I think it would dive, depending on the speed it was
towed. It would surface immediately, but that would put a lot of strain on
the line.... hmmm...


From this site:
http://www.wavelengthmagazine.com/2005/fm05primer.php

"Kayaks do not tow well. They tend to surf a boat’s wake, go broadside
and flip. Two kayaks will tow better than one if they are lashed
together at the bow and stern, creating a catamaran shape. The best
plan for towing is to put them inside your dinghy if you don’t have
enough room on the deck."

"Jeff" wrote in message
...
Capt. JG wrote:
Logs dive. Actually, I think it would dive, depending on the speed it was
towed. It would surface immediately, but that would put a lot of strain
on the line.... hmmm...


From this site:
http://www.wavelengthmagazine.com/2005/fm05primer.php

"Kayaks do not tow well. They tend to surf a boat’s wake, go broadside and
flip. Two kayaks will tow better than one if they are lashed together at
the bow and stern, creating a catamaran shape. The best plan for towing is
to put them inside your dinghy if you don’t have enough room on the deck."

Jeff, this is invalid...Gary only wants to hear about your own experiences.
:-)

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

Capt. JG wrote:
"Jeff" wrote in message
...

Capt. JG wrote:

Logs dive. Actually, I think it would dive, depending on the speed it was
towed. It would surface immediately, but that would put a lot of strain
on the line.... hmmm...


From this site:
http://www.wavelengthmagazine.com/2005/fm05primer.php

"Kayaks do not tow well. They tend to surf a boat’s wake, go broadside and
flip. Two kayaks will tow better than one if they are lashed together at
the bow and stern, creating a catamaran shape. The best plan for towing is
to put them inside your dinghy if you don’t have enough room on the deck."


Jeff, this is invalid...Gary only wants to hear about your own experiences.
:-)


Actually, he and the OP do ask an interesting question - since a
sit-on-top can't fill, will it really be a problem to tow? Although I
have such a beast, I haven't tried towing, since most of my trips
start or end in crowded harbors or involve nasty sections, like Wood's
Hole, where you don't want to experiment.

However, I've been put off of any thoughts of trying by descriptions
such as the link I posted, and a book that said it was stressful on
the hull to tow above its hull speed. Also, it only takes a few
minutes to lift it on deck; its so easy that we do that in preference
to launching the dinghy if conditions allow.

If I did have to tow it, I think I'd pull it tight and lift the bow
some, so that it drags butt - it might stay well behaved in that mode.

Capt. JG wrote:
"Jeff" wrote in message
...

Capt. JG wrote:

Logs dive. Actually, I think it would dive, depending on the speed it was
towed. It would surface immediately, but that would put a lot of strain
on the line.... hmmm...


From this site:
http://www.wavelengthmagazine.com/2005/fm05primer.php

"Kayaks do not tow well. They tend to surf a boat’s wake, go broadside and
flip. Two kayaks will tow better than one if they are lashed together at
the bow and stern, creating a catamaran shape. The best plan for towing is
to put them inside your dinghy if you don’t have enough room on the deck."


Jeff, this is invalid...Gary only wants to hear about your own experiences.
:-)

I think I am just gonna tow my kayak for a while and see. I'll let you
guys know how it turns out. If it gets squirrily or breaks loose I'll
just bring it aboard. I don't think anything awful will happen.

"Gary" wrote in message
news:a1RFf.351870$tl.349701@pd7tw3no...
Capt. JG wrote:
"Jeff" wrote in message
...

Capt. JG wrote:

Logs dive. Actually, I think it would dive, depending on the speed it
was towed. It would surface immediately, but that would put a lot of
strain on the line.... hmmm...


From this site:
http://www.wavelengthmagazine.com/2005/fm05primer.php

"Kayaks do not tow well. They tend to surf a boat’s wake, go broadside
and flip. Two kayaks will tow better than one if they are lashed together
at the bow and stern, creating a catamaran shape. The best plan for
towing is to put them inside your dinghy if you don’t have enough room on
the deck."


Jeff, this is invalid...Gary only wants to hear about your own
experiences. :-)

I think I am just gonna tow my kayak for a while and see. I'll let you
guys know how it turns out. If it gets squirrily or breaks loose I'll
just bring it aboard. I don't think anything awful will happen.

There you go... the scientific method. Good idea!

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com