Conference unifix::sailing

I don't have any direct experience with towing a kayak,  but here are a few 
thoughts.......all theoretical.


As you've stated it there are three problems that must be resolved.

1) skittish, wandering load

	The solution for this might be to trail a small drogue from
the stern of the kayak. Size  of drogue could be influenced by sea state
and wind. A drogue is open at both ends and does not provide the drag
of a sea anchor. Perhaps a 100' line with several small drogues built
in for heavy conditions, 6" opening in the front, 3" opening in the rear,
maybe 1/4" doublee braided nylon. For light days just a single drogue on
50' of line

2)verical stability

	A small weighted keel might strap on with a couple of quick release
straps. It could be metal with a foam compression/protection pad



3) keeping the water out and keeping it afloat if it does fill

	A tight fitting cover would be great. If it were made of fiberglass
with metal hold downs, even better.	
	Closed cell flotation bonded to the interior should prevent sinking,
I'm sure there is ssome flotation built in already, but additional foam
to minimize the water that can be carried might be a good idea. Also it 
might be wise to losad the boat with a large air bag, or fenders, so that
it would never be necessary to bail it out underway.

			Good luck

			   Rich

    Re: .1
    
    Item 1 (drogue) would work, but also compounds problems entering har-
    bors/anchorages or channels (such as Woods Hole) where there is likely
    to be traffic.  Also increases drag, which could cancel out advantage
    of not towing a dinghy to a certain degree.  Major issue is that boat
    we'll be sailing has freeboard in excess of the length of my stubby arms, 
    and I would not even think of attempting to board this kayak under way
    or from above unless flat calm or dire emergency.
    
    Item 3 (Cover/flotation) not a problem, as coaming has lip for sea
    skirt and could/has been easily and tightly sealed with plastic garbage
    bag and bungee cord.  Also, kayak is wood (9 mm mahogany) and floats
    even when full of water. I do keep several dry bags (full of air) in it 
    anyway just to have them available.
    
    Item 2 has distinct possibilities, and would serve to help both
    directional and vertical stability.  Also would ease issue of boarding
    from above, which is a tricky business at best.  Hmmm....must be time
    to go through the old used boat parts pile...
    
    Thanks for the creative ideas.
    
    Of course, now my wife wants to know why we can't tow two kayaks since
    they're so light.  Now that I think of it, some sort of catamaran
    set-up might have possibilities as well (still dealing with less than
    100 pounds).
    
    Hmmm...again.

I'd be very concerned about submarining. If the kayak submarines, or fills up,
it may be stressed well beyond what it can safely survive.

I wonder if it might be possible to use a spare halyard to hoist the sucker
up along the aft side of the backstay, so the whole thing is out of the water.
If you can secure it there somehow to keep it from swinging around to the
inside of the backstay, this would be a very safe way to carry it.
(The windage might slow you down quite a bit.)

Another possibility is to tie the bow of the kayak snug up to the stern rail.
This will eliminate submarining. I'd still be worried about the tail in the
water being hit by following seas.

Yet another possibility is to secure the kayak to the outside of the lifeline
stanchions. You'll have to worry about interference with the jib and its sheets.
(If this works for one kayak, it'll work just as well for two!)

--RS

The idea of tying the kayak up next to the stern sounds like a good one, 
another one I was thinging of to avoid the surfing problem is taking a
line and putting it though a pipe.  Tie one end to the stern of the sailboat
and the other to the kayak.  This would keep the kayak away from the
sailboat, but close enough for  manuvering in Woods Hole.  Don't leave 
much slack in the line or the pipe will slam into the boat or the kayak.

For stablity, stablity, the keel idea sounds good, but the two tied together
sounds much better.

another $.02:

Reiterating .1's suggestion, a short lead prevents submarining, and if the
attachment point is on deck as often seen on kayaks, there's an even
greater likelihood of it staying upright. 

Building on .1, .4's got a good idea.  Get a length of 1" plastic conduit
perhaps twice as long as the height of your stern cleat above the water.  
(That way pitching will tend to push the kayak bow away, rather than
straight down under.)  If too long, it's easy to modify.  When you come to
dock, or maneuver in reverse, remember to pull the pipe aboard, and bring
the kayak bow directly under your stern to prevent losing control of the
kayak.  You could even lift the bow up to stern level -- hardly seamanlike
in appearance, but probably effective. 

Alternatively for longer trips, a cheap drogue could be made from a large
plastic funnel you buy at Ames or the like, with a line fed through the
spout and tied to a weight (like an old rusty shackle) inside the cone,
where it both keeps the funnel on the line and weights it enough to keep
it sunk underway, more or less.  Attach this rig to the kayak's stern, and
trail it all a distance astern.  With enough towline out, any tendency to
surf up under your stern is stopped by the towline's drag in the water. 
Just be sure the kayak's attachment point can handle the take-up strain! 

J.

    What about securing the stern of the kayak to the bottom of your
    boarding ladder and raising the rest up your backstay via the topping
    lift . Cross stability could be achieved by strapping around the
    kayak to the push pit. Not elegant but safe and less likely to damage
    either craft. I have seen a number of French boats with craft secured
    that way , it looks odd but seems functional.
    
    Pete

    I've never towed anything other than small dinghies, tin or plastic,
    however it seems to me that an approach here would be to run 2 springs
    1 from the stern of the kayak to the bow of the boat and 1 from the bow
    of the kayak back.  Leave the springs slack enough that the kayak
    will stay in the water whan the boat heels (or with 38 pounds on
    the weather rail - why not).  If approprately fendered the kayak
    should be quite well behaved - especially in busy seaways and it
    is small enough that it would not adversely affect the steering
    of the boat. 

    Wow - a number of conceivable ideas - and some that will probably work.
    
    None are that difficult or expensive, so we may just take a day to try
    some of them.
    
    Thank you all for your creative input - will report when feasible on
    the result.