When towing another vessel, where should the towline be attached and what should you monitor?

• A. Attach to a strong towing point; use a bridle or bow tow as required; maintain tension and monitor both vessels.
• B. Attach to a bow cleat and keep the line slack at all times.
• C. Attach to a cushion and ignore monitoring.
• D. Attach to tow hooks; ignore other vessel.

Answer: (B)

When towing, the towline should be secured to a strong towing point on the vessel being towed (or to a dedicated towing point on the towing vessel) and, if possible, a bridle should be used to spread the load across multiple points. This distributes the force and reduces the chance of stressing a single fitting or damaging the hull. The line should be kept under tension rather than left slack so you can feel and react to changes in speed, steering, or the tow’s load. You must continuously monitor both vessels for signs of excessive strain, chafing or wear on the line, changes in trim or course, and any abnormal movement. Be ready to adjust speed, power, and line tension, and reconfigure the tow if conditions change or if the line shows signs of distress.