How to tie up your dinghy - and get your exercise

C

Canada

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We went to a friend's house on the lake for dinner.

Anchored out in fairly strong (20 - 25 Knot) winds in maybe 6 feet of water with about 100 feet of chain out (10:1 ratio including 4 for the gunwale) - first time there with the new boat and didn't really know the waters that well to come in any closer as it was starting to get pretty shallow behind us.

We were out a couple of hundred feet.

bruce001.jpg


No problem so far.

I positioned my friend between myself and the boat just to keep a relative position on it while we enjoyed the afternoon.

After about an hour I noticed the anchor was beginning to drag as the boat moved back heading behind the trees on the right in the below picture.

bruce003.jpg


Still no big deal. Called Kathy and away we went -in sort of non- panic mode to re-set the anchor.

Took the dinghy out and quickly (<--- bad part) tied a cheat slip knot (sort of) to the back swimplatform rail to keep it tight against the rail as we did our thing so the dinghy line did not drop in the water and get around the props.

We pulled the anchor right up, moved ahead a few hundred feet.

This time - dropped 180 feet of chain.

We were set pretty good and now it was time to head back to shore.

Turned around and Oh (insert bad word here) - the dinghy had come loose of it's 'slip knot' which is OK as long as tension is on it but not when backing up setting anchors.

Anyway it was already about 50 feet away and moving fast in the wind.

Quick 15 second change into bathing suit, grab the flippers and dove in.

Don't forget, for those who have seen my pics, I am a little over 25 - OK, OK over 50.

Must have swam about 300 yards before I caught up to the (insert another bad word) dinghy.

Must admit, slowed down about 1/2 way for a rest as soon as I could touch ground ie: not worth a heart attack and I could see the dinghy was headed for shore anyway and if I had to, could also swim to shore and keep walking and waiting for it to come in.

Went to bed early that night. Exhausted, like running the Boston marathon without any training.

Moral of the story - there are no short cuts - :)

And Yes, I could have thrown in a PFD - which would have just slowed me down, it also could have been worse as although the dinghy got free, it at least didn't have the lines drop in and wrap around the props.
 
odd that you dragged with 10:1... are you sure the markings are correct on your rode ? or a danforth on grass ? were these pics taken that day, that doesn't look like 20/25, more like 10/15kts
 
Greg,

Glad you made it. Unfortunately, your story reminds me of one of the stupider things I have done in my life. 2 years ago I picked up my boat in April and drove it back to my house on the Hudson. Well, just like you the dingy floated back to shore (150M), while we were anchored at the mooring. Even worse, I had the paddles with me. I clearly remember, the water was 45 degrees. So, I got the bright idea to swim back to shore to get it while holding the paddles with one hand swimming with the other.

Let's just say that after 15 minutes I made it back to shore, but spent the rest of the day nauseous, but very lucky.

Alot of lessons learned that day including check the knots, but even more importantly, I am not 20 anymore, so don't think I can do the same things I used to do and finally most importantly, think before making rash decisions. It would have been better to drive back to marina and take a cab then to try that swim again. Live and learn.:D
 
Pascal, yes I'm sure (10:1) and it was a Bruce in muddy conditions (poor holding) and all chain. It was (around) 20 to 25K - enough anyway to pull a 33 pound Bruce with all chain.

The Flags were snapping.

However, the difference I'm sure is that you might be use to tidal / ocean conditions versus in land lakes where the chop / wave crests aren't that high.

In addition, I always have found photograhy does not do justice to the actual conditions.

In fact, there was a small craft warning that day - no big deal ie: when we went back out, it was only 3 footers but we were somewhat protected when anchored behind an Island called Strawberry Island whose's claim to fame is the Pope stayed there.

PS - get use to me. Sometimes I take literary license to enhance the story but in general, stay close to the facts.
 
I went for a trip with the kids last week and left the dingy attached to my swing moorings. Got back a couple of hours later and noticed that the dingy was connected to the mooring buoy directly as opposed to the retaining line I had attached it to. Odd I thought and why was there water in the dingy???

Turns out that 5 mins after we left the dingy came loose and a fisherman caught it with the lead weight on his line and pulled it ashore. My dad (in his 60's) then rowed it back to the main slipway, where he spotted a friend of ours in a ski boat. Dad asked him to return it to the moorings for us. He then went to push the dingy towards the ski boat, slipped, fell into the water, did I forget to mention he can't swim, then grabbed the dingy and climbed in. He rowed ashore and the guy in the ski boat picked up our dingy and re-attached it to the moorings. I got back and he didn't say a word until I mentioned it. Turns out the loop in the retaining line I had attached to had worked loose and my dad was the one who had tied it in the first place.
 
My dinghy has untied itself twice. The first time it drifted ashore about 50 yards away and I had to swim for it. This one was caused by my inexperience in the fine art of knots and the line came off the dinghy. The second time we were anchored in an area with swift currents and there was a 20 knot wind all night. The admiral did some kind of twisty tie on a cleat that worked itself loose. My fault for not checking it. The dink ended up about a quarter mile away and was snugged up against a fishing boat like it belonged there. Had to pull up to a fuel dock and walk down several houses to retrieve it.

The dinghy has been counseled on this type of behavior and we haven't had a repeat since.
 
Well I have cleats on my swimplatform and on the dink, so no problem there. However, I always do a clove hitch over a rail/ring etc. including fender lines. Nothing faster, easier or holding better, to make it more secure add two half hitches if needed.
 
The only time I lost a dinghy was after leaving Willy T's floating restaurant at Norman Island Bight BVI late at night. GF was "in the mood" to get back to the boat so I tied the fastest (speed not security) knot I could and proceded to the cabin. Twenty minutes later I got a knock on the hull. Another boater saw the dinghy floating free and managed to find my boat to return it.
 
the knock on the hull twenty minute late must have been a real "mood" killer :-) better spend 10 seconds on playing it safe....
 
Hi Greg,

Thanks for the post and for the pictures... as for your "literary license" that's okay we still love your posts. Truth be known, they make for good reading and we all learn from your experience as well. Win/Win IMO.. :)
 
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