Can You Tow A Boat With A Jet Ski? (2022 Update)

Have you ever wondered whether you can assist a distressed vessel out there that needs a tow back to the boat ramp? Well, I’m keen to shine some light on that.

You can tow a boat with a jet ski for rescue purposes but only for a short distance of less than 5 nautical miles in calm conditions. While personal watercraft can tow tubes and skiers, they aren’t designed for towing heavy marine vessels. If towing is required in an emergency situation, riders should monitor their engine temperature and aim to tow at 6-knots.

It’s actually more common for a jet ski to tow other jet skis due to mechanical breakdowns.

Towing a Boat Behind

This isn’t something you’d typically do and neither is it the other way around. In other words, you wouldn’t usually tow a jet ski behind a boat because it would be constantly putting a strain on both vessels and their structural build.

That said – there are times when this has to happen. This includes:

• The boat has fully run out of fuel
• A major mechanical breakdown
• The boat is no longer seaworthy
• The boat has become abandoned
• Their stuck on a sandbar and need some assistance

Through this guide, I’m going to give you some key safety tips to make this process better.

Choose a Proper Rope

Avoid anything you get from the hardware store unless it’s marine-grade. Even the rope you use for your anchor may be insufficient to handle the weight of a 2-tonne boat with twin outboards on the back. If you absolutely have to tow and can plan for it in advance, then pack some rope with you.

Use a Spotter

If you’re towing people on tubes, boards or skis then you legally need to have a pillion passenger in most areas. However, you don’t need one for towing a boat yet I’d still have someone anyway. This individual can keep an eye on things. You also need someone on the boat being towed despite the additional weight as this individual can also look for any potential hazards.

Be Mindful of Your Engine

Even if you have a 300hp race weapon, your jet ski engine isn’t designed to have a heavy load placed on it. It can run for a little while if you’re doing a boat recovery but just be mindful of the RPM and engine heat. If you’ve been riding for a while then you’ll probably get accustomed to knowing your engine and what its limits are. Don’t be afraid to pull up for 20 minutes for a break to let the engine cool down.

Have Clear Lines of Communication

One of the biggest issues is that the noise of your engine may cause you to not hear communication from anyone. I’d recommend that you have 2 VHF radios with one with you and the other in the actual boat with one person on board. This way you both can respond to issues right away.

Your Steering Will Be Affected

Just be mindful that your steering will be impacted. Of course, jet skis don’t steer too well at low speeds by themselves, but now you’ll have a boat behind you. In calm conditions, your steering might actually improve but if it’s windy and you have a beam-reach, then expect the boat to start pushing you over to one side.

In Summary

While not ideal, there isn’t much stopping you from towing a boat that’s a bit stuck out there. I’d avoid trying to tow a yacht, cruiser or catamaran above 5 tons as they have a lot of displacement and don’t quite cut through the water so easily. Then again, stay with the vessel until other help arrives such as the Coast Guard.

Stay safe out there! 😃