"And spy a towing line breaks from strain and many boats have...

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And spy a towing line breaks from strain and many boats have sea cocks for various reasons. Their is considerable strain placed by a vessel onto another just due to the line and the
speed difference with wave swell direction of swell etc etc.Hull types will play into these factors.Think timber and how it is sealed.imo"

Valen1828,

"And spy a towing line breaks from strain"

I have been on my mates 50 footer with steering failure,when a commercial Tourist catamaran gave us a tow.

The tow line was huge silver rope approx 50mm Dia.. that they used to moor with.

Can you imagine what size a patrol boat would carry?

I think the Navy would have strong enough rope.

Navy are not amateur week-end bay sailors, and even they have experience towing a dingy.

Length of towing warp, sea conditions and boat stability and etc. would all be taken in to account.

Any boat with an inboard motor will have a sea cock, which would be easy to flood seawater in to sink boat.

Their is considerable strain placed by a vessel onto another just due to the line

The same amount of energy is required to move a boat , by either it's own motor or towed to it's hull speed.

Samson posts/ deck cleats are designed to take that load.

"Think timber and how it is sealed.imo"

So? what has that got to do with towing.

A timber planked vessel will be caulk between planks and relies on timber to be wet to swell and seal.

Same as a loose timber axe/hammer handle you throw in water to tighten.

Awhile back a vessel left Indonesia and sank just offshore from departure.

I would guess boat being overloaded, and dry planks normally above water line were submerged under weight and took on water and sank.

It happen to a mate of mine. Yacht sat in marina for along time and when he took it sailing it leaned over and took water in when dry planks were submerged.It didn't sink, he removed sails and motored home,

You don't get to be Captain on a Navy boat with out a lot of experience that they learn from the bottom up.

Children overboard was the making off the boat people who want to get to Australia illegally.No ifs or Buts.

If the Navy can safety tow them back they would, hence the Trojan boat people now sink or burn their vessel when they sight Navy boat so they can't.

I would remove all patrol boats back to East Coast of Australia, for they are only being taxi service, and not protecting our boarders.

cheers,

sypaladin