4 ms·

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6theborg_(ship) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6theborg_(ship) Fysa, they almost certainly completed the rescue using

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6theborg_(ship) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6theborg_(ship) Fysa, they almost certainly completed the rescue using their twin 500hp diesels rather than sail power. One sailboat towing another creates a host of sail/wind/wave issues. Almost every large sailing vessel, including historic replicas, has diesel engines for those times that sail is just too awkward.

_yb2s 4y ago
I've towed under sail and it works fine if done properly... certainly it can be challenging and requires an experienced person at the helm of each boat, especially if going downwind or upwind. In this case I am sure you are right, and the size difference would make towing under sail dangerous. A sudden gust enough to accelerate the larger boat to above the smaller boats hull speed could pull the smaller boat underwater quickly.
- sandworm101 4y ago
  But in this case only one boat has a helm, the towed craft having lost its rudder. Most dangerous IMHO is a wave that slows the large round hull but will not slow the smaller wave-piercing hull, sending it slamming into the stern.
  - Gwypaas 4y ago
    You would never tow so close that it would become a risk unless manouverering the disabled vessel in close quarters, and then it usually is preferable to tie the vessels alongside each other. You can see the distances they chose in this particular case in the third image from their Instagram post. https://www.instagram.com/p/CryES46tgWl/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== https://www.instagram.com/p/CryES46tgWl/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2...
    - zhrvoj 4y ago
      Sail boat towing other boats (similar loa) should attach towing line close to her center of effort. Think like attaching towing line to the mast foot. Not on the stern. Not an easy task to do. That's why many sailors just use any stern cleat. And the towed boat should attach towing line not to the bow, but also to the center of effort. Then both boats can manouver. I also lost rudder blade, on the 10m sailboat, in the middle of Adriatic sea, 2005, during regatta, in 35kt NE wind and 3m waves. Not possible to steer anyhow. Tryed to improvize rudder, but we almost lost a crewman. We were on 2nd reef already. SAR came. Since there was no rudder on my boat, attaching towing line to bow was only option. My towed sailboat course was changing +-30 degrees every few minutes, and finally towing line broke loose because of the forestay chaffing.
    - roflyear 4y ago
      Yeah and that's further than it looks. I doubt the smaller vessel would have enough line on board to reach that! It's really far. Of course with two boats easy to find enough line.
      - Gwypaas 4y ago
        For commercial vessels like Götheborg they usually bring many hundreds of meters of mooring lines. Easy to get 20-30m runs on several lines when mooring.
        roflyear 4y ago
        yeah makes sense. That is least a few hundred meters! Unless I were to start using halyards, I probably do not have more than 300' of line on my boat, which is really way more than I need for a smaller boat.
        Gwypaas 4y ago
        Yep, and the Götheborg have hand spun tarred hemp for all the running rigging so using that as a towline is a no go.
  - _yb2s 4y ago
    Towing a drogue with the smaller boat and using a long tow line will solve this
SergeAx 4y ago
On an open water moving under sails is not very different from moving under engine, except sailig boat deals better with waves because od stabilising effect of wind pressure. I often see how people under power hoist a mainsail for improved stability.
miniwark 4y ago
The two images in the article, taken from the rescued boat. Show indeed than the sails where probably not used. One of the photos even show the sailors at work wile they seems to furl one of the the sail. Also, the road taken is interested. They could have go to one of the ports of the British islands, like St. Peter Port at Guernsey. But this would have been dangerous. This part of the English Chanel, is full of smalls rock islands, shoals and one of the most dangerous marine currents in the world : The Alderney Race (or Raz Blanchard in french).
kzrdude 4y ago
They need engines to safely navigate close to port, I would think
btilly 4y ago
The pictures from the towed boat verify this. The sails were reefed during the tow, which says that it wasn't wind that was supplying the power.
- enos-ape 4y ago
  Furthermore you see clearly in the pictures taken from the small boat that the engine coolant system of the Goetheburg is working, spilling out water. Thus the main engines are in action.

_yb2s 4y ago

I've towed under sail and it works fine if done properly... certainly it can be challenging and requires an experienced person at the helm of each boat, especially if going downwind or upwind. In this case I am sure you are right, and the size difference would make towing under sail dangerous. A sudden gust enough to accelerate the larger boat to above the smaller boats hull speed could pull the smaller boat underwater quickly.

sandworm101 4y ago
But in this case only one boat has a helm, the towed craft having lost its rudder. Most dangerous IMHO is a wave that slows the large round hull but will not slow the smaller wave-piercing hull, sending it slamming into the stern.
- Gwypaas 4y ago
  You would never tow so close that it would become a risk unless manouverering the disabled vessel in close quarters, and then it usually is preferable to tie the vessels alongside each other. You can see the distances they chose in this particular case in the third image from their Instagram post. https://www.instagram.com/p/CryES46tgWl/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== https://www.instagram.com/p/CryES46tgWl/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2...
  - zhrvoj 4y ago
    Sail boat towing other boats (similar loa) should attach towing line close to her center of effort. Think like attaching towing line to the mast foot. Not on the stern. Not an easy task to do. That's why many sailors just use any stern cleat. And the towed boat should attach towing line not to the bow, but also to the center of effort. Then both boats can manouver. I also lost rudder blade, on the 10m sailboat, in the middle of Adriatic sea, 2005, during regatta, in 35kt NE wind and 3m waves. Not possible to steer anyhow. Tryed to improvize rudder, but we almost lost a crewman. We were on 2nd reef already. SAR came. Since there was no rudder on my boat, attaching towing line to bow was only option. My towed sailboat course was changing +-30 degrees every few minutes, and finally towing line broke loose because of the forestay chaffing.
  - roflyear 4y ago
    Yeah and that's further than it looks. I doubt the smaller vessel would have enough line on board to reach that! It's really far. Of course with two boats easy to find enough line.
    - Gwypaas 4y ago
      For commercial vessels like Götheborg they usually bring many hundreds of meters of mooring lines. Easy to get 20-30m runs on several lines when mooring.
      - roflyear 4y ago
        yeah makes sense. That is least a few hundred meters! Unless I were to start using halyards, I probably do not have more than 300' of line on my boat, which is really way more than I need for a smaller boat.
        Gwypaas 4y ago
        Yep, and the Götheborg have hand spun tarred hemp for all the running rigging so using that as a towline is a no go.
- _yb2s 4y ago
  Towing a drogue with the smaller boat and using a long tow line will solve this

SergeAx 4y ago

On an open water moving under sails is not very different from moving under engine, except sailig boat deals better with waves because od stabilising effect of wind pressure. I often see how people under power hoist a mainsail for improved stability.

miniwark 4y ago

The two images in the article, taken from the rescued boat. Show indeed than the sails where probably not used. One of the photos even show the sailors at work wile they seems to furl one of the the sail. Also, the road taken is interested. They could have go to one of the ports of the British islands, like St. Peter Port at Guernsey. But this would have been dangerous. This part of the English Chanel, is full of smalls rock islands, shoals and one of the most dangerous marine currents in the world : The Alderney Race (or Raz Blanchard in french).

kzrdude 4y ago

They need engines to safely navigate close to port, I would think

btilly 4y ago

The pictures from the towed boat verify this. The sails were reefed during the tow, which says that it wasn't wind that was supplying the power.

enos-ape 4y ago
Furthermore you see clearly in the pictures taken from the small boat that the engine coolant system of the Goetheburg is working, spilling out water. Thus the main engines are in action.