Chase Boat Towing Manual

1. Preparation and Connection

1.1. Beginning

• Prepare the towing and Spectra safety lines on the swim platform.
• Lead them through the fairleads onto the Main Deck.
• Attach each black line eye to the forward end of the forward bit.

• Attach the Spectra safety line to the starboard bit with figures of 8.
• Ensure the blue whipping is in the centre between the fair lead and the bit.

1.2. Flaking

• Flake the towing lines in S-shapes on each side of the swim platform.
• Connect the two eyes on the end with the braided Spectra loop.
• Attach the single thin braided Spectra line with the Wichard snap shackle and flake the line with the loop at the end ready to send towards the chase boat.
• Coil the Spectra safety line in figure 8s with the bowline loop ready to send to the chase boat.
• Attach a heaving line to the two loops ready to send to the chase boat.

1.3. Approaching and Manoeuvring

Once the lines are ready on the main yacht and the yacht is stationary facing into the wind, 3 crew members are ready on the swim platform with the heaving line and a fender. The order will be given for the chase boat to approach the swim platform and the Chief Officer will be ready to throw the heaving line.

The crew member driving the chase boat will approach towards the swim platform, stopping around 5-8m from the platform. The C.O will throw the heaving onto the bow of the tender and the crew member on the chase boat will pull the two towing loops onto the chase boat.

1.4. Connecting to the chase boat

Once the crew member on the chase boat has both loops in hand, they will attach the loops to the shackle connected to the 3-point towing bridle attached to the bow of the chase boat. They will ensure that the safety Spectra loop is on the Starboard side of the shackle pin and the main towing loop is on the port side of the shackle pin. They will close the shackle and seize the shackle pin with a cable tie and release it into the water.

2. Checklist

3. After Connection

3.1. Disembarking

Once the chase boat is at full tow, the crew member on the chase boat will disembark and swim towards the swim platform with a fender in hand to protect the hull of the main yacht.

3.2. Final Step

• Once the crew member is back onboard the yacht, the Chief Officer will inform the Captain they are onboard and the Captain may proceed.
• When the Captain engages the engines, the C.O and one deckhand will fairlead the towing lines out until the chase boat is at full tow.
• The C.O will inform the Captain that the towing lines are under tension and the chase boat is at full tow.
• The Captain will then proceed to increase to cruising speed and the crew will ensure the gates are closed from the main deck to the swim platform.

4. Towing Plan

The diagram below shows the deck layout of the main towing rig: the two towing lines led through the fairleads and made fast on the forward bit, the Spectra safety line made fast on the starboard bit, and the 3-point towing bridle on the chase boat with the main towing loop on the port side of the shackle pin and the safety Spectra loop on the starboard side. It is the reference layout for the connection sequence in §1 and should be verified before every tow.

Revision History