1)How much weight can we tow? 2)Tow,rib on foredeck or Garhauer davits?

[sailingdolphin]

I tow a 9.5 rib now without the engine.  I am looking to buy an 11'2 console rib with a 30hp 4stroke it is around 420 lbs.

Can we tow that?  How much will that slow us down in around 3-4' seas?
Tow,rib on foredeck or Garhauer davits which is best?

Has anyone put a console rib on their foredeck?  I see the 10.2 Walker Bay console ribs are very light I wonder if that would fit or is it better to get davits?

[Ken Juul]

420 is alot of weight to hang off the stern.  Think the davits would hold, but the exhaust would be under water.  I generally loose about a half knot when I tow  my inflatable.

[Steve McGill]

Doug,

I think that the rib with the 30hp could easily tow your 34.

Seriously for towing that weight would definitely slow you down, in my opinion 1-2 knots sailing.
I would be concerned towing with the motor on the rib, but that size motor limits where you can hang it.

One persons opinion..................

[sailingdolphin]

We go to Catalina Island quite a bit and are looking for the best console rib situation.

The walker bay Console rib 10' 2" seems like the least amount of weight at 221 1bs.  This rib can take up to a 20 hp 4 stroke.  which weighs about 114 lbs. 

Well I have definitely decided to go smaller.    The question that still remains is what is the safest and most efficient way to transport?

[Jim Hardesty]

Back when I was looking for my next boat, I looked at a Tartan 37 with Dinghy-Tow.  The owner, a Canadian, had sailed to the Caribbean and back twice using the Dinghy-Tow, with a dog.  ie twice a day trips to shore.  Had nothing but praise for the system, claimed to leave the motor on the dinghy except very rough conditions.  I don't have first hand experience.  The unit looked well made and simple to use.
Jim
http://www.dinghy-tow.com/

[Les Luzar]

I concur that 420lbs is a lot of weight to hang off the back of our C-34's. Dinghy Davits that would be used on our boats usually hold up to 300lbs of weight each, but that would be pushing the limits of these structures. Also, you may then have to further support the stern pulpit because it may bend. Also, that much weight in the stern would pull the bow up more. I have seen 34 ft boats in my marina, in their slips with dinghies hanging off their davits and their bows were higher and their sterns were lower in the water. If you like a dinghy that size, towing would be a better option I think. Usually those type of dinghies are on the deck of powerboats with Power lifts.

[Ron Hill]

Doug : I agree with most of the previous posts.  
420 lbs is alot to put on davits + a few more lbs for the gas can etc.

You know how much you are slowed down by your 9.5 rib (maybe 100lbs?), so you figure it out with 420+ lbs!!  
You definitely aren't going to break any speed records.  

You are going to be pushing that 21 hp 25 year old engine!   A few thoughts

[Stephen Butler]

Interesting discussion, particularly as we have always towed our 11'2" Avon, with the ob removed.  When we tow the Avon 10' to 20' off the stern, we seem to loose about 1 kt of speed, but when we bring the Avon up to the stern, the speed loss drops by 0.75 kt and we have a better wake.  We have also towed the Avon in some very steep seaways and high winds, all without difficulty (as of yet).  The challenge we have faced with towing the dinghy is keeping the bottom clean.  In another few years we will go with a rib, and davits.  The advantages will be the ability to keep the ob on the dinghy and to be able to ground the dinghy without worrying too much about the bottom.