Given the concerns in the article about the size difference possibly causing problems, wouldn't that have been safer?
The funny thing is, they were grateful for the assistants of the Götheborg, but a bit incredulous that such a large ship would go out of it's way to help them. (they were also worried about the speed at first before learning it was a sailing ship_
It wasn’t quite the size that made it notable ;)
So I'd argue it's more safe to have some crew on it in case you need to be hands-on, and just talk over radio while being towed.
What makes it so difficult, and what sort of special equipment is required?
I know, I know, cargo nets on the side of the ship are not going to be sufficient, easy as it looks in pop entertainment, I just don’t know why.
Need to get close enough that someone can go between without a wave throwing the big one into the small one.
Which is why “touch and go” between ships of equal size was considered a test of skill and a bit risky, normally they’d drop a rowboat or dingy. A tiny boat can’t really be crushed as it just bumps out of the way.
(But then again, Gotheborg is surely equipped to take on pilots to enter harbours, so it was probably more about not abandoning the otherwise perfectly good sailboat.)
Someone needs to be in control of the vehicle being towed, in case you need to break (if possible), change course (if possible), disconnect the tow (if possible), etc.