Sub-ordinate and host maritime vessels are connected to each other by a tow loop trailed by the host vessel through a capture frame which engages the sub-ordinate vessel. The capture frame acts to engage the sub-ordinate vessel in the transitional coordinate space shared jointly between the sub-ordinate and host vessels, which vessels can be either or both surface-going, submersible, and/or non-surface vessels. The capture frame possess features which allow it to disengage from the host vessel while remaining semi-related and recoverable by a linkage of one or more tensioned lines to the host vessel during the time that its tow loop is connected to the sub-ordinate vessel.