Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

[Silvertip]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

There is one additional reason some folks don't want to get involved and it's simply because of the possibility of a lawsuit. Any incident regardless how insignificant it may be (pinched finger or hand) for example can turn ugly the minute these folks get wind of a shyster attorney. I will approach a disabled vessel, assess the situation, offer mechanical/electrical assistance and if it appears this is a hopeless cause and if small kids are aboard the stricken vessel, I will tow them to the nearest public landing but I will not put my passengers and vessel at risk by towing them many miles. Many of the breakdowns I've seen are on boats that should never been splashed. Yes, I understand not everyone can have a professionally maintained boat and can't afford the best in equipment. But whatever equipment you do have had best be properly tuned and maintained for safety reasons and to avoid wasting someone elses time trying to correct issues that should be taken care of on land.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

As a couple people mentioned/implied, you can not count on the CG, AUX (or DNR) either. I have seen them speed away on more than one occasion which contributes to my low opinion of them including one potentially life threatening incident 60 miles offshore. On two personal occasions when having troubles, I was merely easy prey for them to "check" and harass me (AUX was the worst).

When was the last time that the County or State police helped tow your car home?

The State isn't a towing service. They call a professional tow service to come make the tow. Same on the water. They call Sea Tow or Boat US tow service to come get you.

 

[capt sam]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

I just saw a kayak tow a jon boat in the other day, against the current, now there's a good dude. You do have a duty to act, how you do so as stated can be up to you, use your common sense.

 

[special_kaye]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

In my experience, the bigger the boat, the bigger the prick.

LOL! Love it! Cars, guns, and trophy wives are not the only way to compensate.

 

[tmh]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

When I've needed a tow, i call Boat US (member w/ towing included) or a marina on the lake if no Boat U.S. coverage. I PAY for towing because it was ME who broke down. Why should someone else lose hours of their weekend boating time because I have a problem? To save me $75 ?!?!?!?

I've towed others a few times and it's sort of fun helping out, but that's MY choice. I only expect others to help if a safety issue or no alternative.

 

[arcadiainc]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

Years ago fresh out of college I bought my first decent boat. An elderly 13 foot Boston Whaler with a very nice 20 hp Johnson. Was up a river in central Fl. about four miles. Four hefty guys in a large trihull were broke down. I let myself be conned into towing them to the landing. About fifty yards out I hit a rock. At the landing I lifted the engine and had peeled the housing off the lower unit. One of the fat guys walked over and grunted and that was it. Had to hitch hike a ride back to the landing where my car and trailer were located. $550.00 later I had a used lower unit. That was the end of my towing. I will meet the letter of the law and notify the coast guard or insure the people's safety the best I can. However no towing. I do not want to afford it.

 

[RickV1955]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

I've read the whole thread, and it's nice to see that the majority of boaters seem to be reasonable people and willing to help someone in need!!

I'm a new boater - I have just purchased a fairly new boat - 2005 Proline center console with a Merc 115. Both are still under warranty. I also have a ship to shore radio - carry a cell phone - have tow insurance - make sure that the fuel tank is full - that all the necessary maintenance is done.
Also taken a boater safery course.

That being said, I am inexperienced and certainly no mechanic -
Sooooo, with taking all the precautions, it is nice to know that the majority of boater would help out if I had a problem - and I'm not jeck if, for some unknown reason, I need help.

I also wouldn't hesitate a second to help anyone who need help.....
Usually, what goes around comes around!! lol

 

[hubbard53]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

a couple people touched on it but I think one of the main reasons that some may not tow or help fix your engine is lack of knowledge.

I manage an information technology infrastructure support team. My area of expertise if computer networking and security. Boating is my hobby. I did not refurb and old boat and motor; I do not tear down and fix carburators. I have never towed another boat nor been towed. I wouldn't know the first thing about properly towing another boat and I would be concerned about the safety of their boat AND my boat and the liability associated with it.

I'll happily let them use my cell phone if they didnt have one; I would happily take them aboard if their ship was not seaworthy. But I would be weary of anything more. That doesn't mean I am not thoughtful - it just means I am safe and careful of the situations I put myself into.

 

[Rowroy]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

a couple people touched on it but I think one of the main reasons that some may not tow or help fix your engine is lack of knowledge.

I manage an information technology infrastructure support team. My area of expertise if computer networking and security. Boating is my hobby. I did not refurb and old boat and motor; I do not tear down and fix carburators. I have never towed another boat nor been towed. I wouldn't know the first thing about properly towing another boat and I would be concerned about the safety of their boat AND my boat and the liability associated with it.

I'll happily let them use my cell phone if they didnt have one; I would happily take them aboard if their ship was not seaworthy. But I would be weary of anything more. That doesn't mean I am not thoughtful - it just means I am safe and careful of the situations I put myself into.

It's good that you know your "knowledge limit" when it comes to boating. I've seen too many self-proclaimed "experts" give bad advice that can make a bad situation worse.

 

[GatorMike]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

I'm gonna tell a story on myself, probably one of the rudest things ever done on the water. Good thing the guy towing me had a sense of humor.

Several years ago I broke down 15 miles offshore of Port Canaveral. I tried to call seatow and got no answer, another fisherman answered my call and asked for my GPS coordinates and offered to tow me. The guy had been drinking an couldn't seem to find me even with the GPS coordinates, the coast guard actually broke in on our conversation and got him on radar and directed him to my location. That was kind of interesting but has nothing to do with my story.

Anyway the guy threw me a line and proceeded to tow me in. I had my 9 year old son with me. You can imagine how long it takes to tow someone 15 miles and my son was getting bored, he asked me if he could put a line out and troll. We had been trolling all day and had not had a bite so I figured what harm would it do if I slipped a line over for him. Not five minutes after putting the line out a large sailfish broke the top of the water.

The guy towing us called on the radio and laughed about us trolling under tow. When we got to the dock I explained to him my son was bored and I didn't expect to catch anything just put the line out to give him something to do. The guy said that's ok he would always have a fishing story about the guys that caught a sailfish while he had them under tow.

The guy wouldn't take any money for the tow which was probably 3 hrs long, I know he burnt up a bunch of gas too. He did ask me for a beer but sadly I don't drink so I couldn't help him out there.

 

[AZSenza]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

Put out the distress flag! I for one dont like to bother people and I dont like to be bothered. If you wave at me, I'll stop and fix you or get you to the dock. I have towed a BUNCH of boats back. I have been towed twice, both for being out of gas in a new boat (Boat gas gauges are NOT the greatest!) We've pulled cabin cruisers, jon boats ski boats and everything in between. I like to think the Karma will come back to me. Once I was just cleaning her up alone, had the hatch open and another boat stopped to ask if I needed help (Kinda like the hood open on a car!) I try to keep my hatch closed now!

 

[Nandy]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

Put out the distress flag!

I would be surprised if much of the weekend lake dwellers have one of those... Mine is inflatable, can even be used as a flotation device....

My main worry about towing someone is the liability... but I have towed as many times as I have opportunities....

 

[BIGALF]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

I know the feeling of being left helpless. I have towed many people in the last few years on the Saint Johns River in Florida. A great river to be on as long as your boat is working. I had a problem reciently on the ICW from Saint Augustine, Fl to Daytona Beach and had to be towed to the nearest ramp. Since, it was now around 9:00PM and no boaters around I called Seatow to pick me up. My bill was $700 from Sea Tow. Since they towed me only half way to where my car was I need to get a ride to get my trailer. It would have cost another $700 to go all the way. Luckly, there was a guy at the ramp who was just putting in his small boat for some night fishing and he let me borrow his car to go get my trailer. What a great guy!!! He would not accept any money for the use of his car just saying if I ever see a boater in trouble just help him out and that would be the best compensation for him.
I will continue to help boaters but suggest all boaters have boat insurence with towing included. I use Progressive boat insurance which covers boat , trailer and towing. This is much better then buying Seatow Ins..

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

EXPEDIA, VHF MARINE RADIOS SHALL NOT BE USED SHIP TO SHORE,, PER REGS, YOU CAN PICK UP A FINE FOR THAT.
First time I actually needed to call someone at 9 pm in total darkness last year, no one could hear me. Bought the 25 watt the next day (these can be bought for $50 too, plus a cheap antenna). Almost threw the handheld into the water. But I saved it to use it as a boat to shore walkie talkie, cause that's all it's worth.

 

[boat1010]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

I stop for people all the time. I can not just drive by someone that might be in trouble. I do the same in my truck. But it is the people that you try to help and somehow it gets turned around and you end up in court that make it bad for everyone. Trust me..... If I see you out on the water in trouble.... You can bet your last dollar My boat will stop and see if I can help. And if my kids have my boat they will stop too, that is the way I brought them up. Please help turn some things around for our grandkids.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

I stop for people all the time

cool, i'll stop for folks too. i've towed a few folks back to the ramp over the years. got paid back last sat. too. i got towed in. a nice fella w/wife and family in a pontoon boat helped me back in when my boat died on the lake. so, i've helped a few out and i got paid back. sweet that's the way it is supposed to work in my mind. guess i'll have to help someone else out this summer so i can keep the good karma going..

 

[beermunk]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

Some people are azzholes.

 

[Dusty279]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

In my opinion, it does not matter the age of the boat, it's the level of maintenance. Of course many old boats have new motors too.

They are easy to spot. Just look at the faded gelcoat. It's the ones that people tow from behind the barn and use only several times a year. Thinking, oh well, if I break down there is always some nice person to tow me. Why should I need tow insurance? I see these pieces of crap getting launched at the ramp by yahoo's and I know that boat is not going to be running very long out there and I'll be damned if I'm going be the one to tow them back in.

We are not talking breaking down on the highway here and coasting to the side of the road. We're talking life or death situations when you breakdown on the water like 132 mile Lake Champlain and a storm comes up in a matter of minutes and now the waves are 4 feet. They should not be there in the first place on an old, untrustworthy, ill equipped rig.

I worry more about "my" life and "my" equipment more than I worry about others in those old boats.

Let them carry a $50 handheld VHF. But they won't cause that's beer money for them

They are all over the place. Easy to spot at the ramps. Most of the time they can't even get them started and tie up the ramps. Finally it starts and they start cheering as they flip their cig into the water and they are off in a trail of blue smoke!

Me tow them, I think not!

And cell phones are pretty much useless on the water. How do you call to flag down that only boat in sight while you are taking on water. What's his cell number.

In my opinion, all boaters should be licensed after taking a course before getting behind the wheel of a boat. In NY you have to be licensed to drive a jet ski but you can get behind the wheel of a friends go fast boat after a few beers, with trip outboards on it and just take off. Go figure.

All boats should have a radio device too. Although, those handhelds are useless too because their 5 watt output won't even cover 2 miles to flag another boat, unless you have total line of sight. Luckily the coast guard has high powered units with antennas on high hills, so they may be able to hear an SOS call . . . But chances are you would have problems reaching another boat on bigger waters. So I upgraded to the 25 watt and carry the portable as a back up.

First time I actually needed to call someone at 9 pm in total darkness last year, no one could hear me. Bought the 25 watt the next day (these can be bought for $50 too, plus a cheap antenna). Almost threw the handheld into the water. But I saved it to use it as a boat to shore walkie talkie, cause that's all it's worth.

Now I am not flaming anyone, but your comments really p***ed me off. Where do you get off downgrading someone elses boat just because it has faded gel-coat? Here in Texas, if you have a boat and are on the lakes a lot, the sun will do damage to the gel-coat. Also, these "good ole boys" down here might laugh at a buddies dented up truck or faded gel-coat boat, but let someone have problems with either, and you can bet that he/she will get help, no questions asked.

It's the "better than you" attitude people that will not try to help, but are the first to cry when they need help. The collage kids around here are the perfect example. 2 weeks ago, my son and I went out fishing in my gel-coat faded boat. There were only 3 other boats on the lake that day and 2 were drift fishing like we were. The third boat was full of "kids" and they were buzzing the fishing boats. They came real close to mine a couple of times. I guess the other fishermen got tired of the bull and loaded up and left. That left me, so these kids started making passes at us. We drifted pretty close to the far shore and this bunch of idiots made a pass and wound up running aground in the shallows. I think they tore the hull open on a stump.
Well, they started yelling for help and I just waved and cranked up and went to the other side of the lake. Now there was no danger of them sinking they were that shallow. We fished for a while longer and loaded up to leave. When we were driving off, we saw a couple of them walking around the lake to get to the ramp.
I did called the GW and told him what happened, and gave him their numbers. He asked if I helped them, and i told him no and proceeded to tell him the story. He just laughed and told me he would have done the same thing.
I don't know how they got the boat back, or really care, but the whole point is, IF one of those gel-coat faded boats had been in trouble i would have helped. I will NOT stop and help a petty, new shiny boat because 99% of them are just like you. They think that just because we don't have the money to spend on a new boat/truck/car, we shouldn't be on the lake. I will tell you, I have just as much fun in my faded gel-coat boat as you do in your "pretty" one, maybe more. Oh yeah, I probably do it cheaper and with a clear consience<sp>.
The way you talk, your equipment means more to you than someones life. I just hope that you have the bad luck to break down and everyone else feels like you do and don't help you. The shoe will be on the other foot then. But, I'm just one of those "good ole boys" in a faded gel-goat boat.

 

[scipper77]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

Just my take on new shiny boats vs old faded boats and helping out.

I have an old faded 17' I/O that I own. It's only worth around $2-3K. If I saw someone who needed a tow I wouldn't be so worried about what might happen to my boat as this boat owes me nothing and has plenty of defects.

If I was making payments on a $15-25K boat I would most likely offer a ride or call help but I wouldn't want to risk damaging and devaluing something that I am still paying for. You just can't get that new boat condition back after it's gone (not easily or cheaply at least). People are the same way with cars. My wife is getting a new van but we are keeping her old SUV because she doesn't want me towing with the new vehicle. Believe me, any time something went wrong with her SUV she would say it was a result of towing.

 

[beermunk]

Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in

Now I am not flaming anyone, but your comments really p***ed me off. Where do you get off downgrading someone elses boat just because it has faded gel-coat? Here in Texas, if you have a boat and are on the lakes a lot, the sun will do damage to the gel-coat. Also, these "good ole boys" down here might laugh at a buddies dented up truck or faded gel-coat boat, but let someone have problems with either, and you can bet that he/she will get help, no questions asked.

It's the "better than you" attitude people that will not try to help, but are the first to cry when they need help. The collage kids around here are the perfect example. 2 weeks ago, my son and I went out fishing in my gel-coat faded boat. There were only 3 other boats on the lake that day and 2 were drift fishing like we were. The third boat was full of "kids" and they were buzzing the fishing boats. They came real close to mine a couple of times. I guess the other fishermen got tired of the bull and loaded up and left. That left me, so these kids started making passes at us. We drifted pretty close to the far shore and this bunch of idiots made a pass and wound up running aground in the shallows. I think they tore the hull open on a stump.
Well, they started yelling for help and I just waved and cranked up and went to the other side of the lake. Now there was no danger of them sinking they were that shallow. We fished for a while longer and loaded up to leave. When we were driving off, we saw a couple of them walking around the lake to get to the ramp.
I did called the GW and told him what happened, and gave him their numbers. He asked if I helped them, and i told him no and proceeded to tell him the story. He just laughed and told me he would have done the same thing.
I don't know how they got the boat back, or really care, but the whole point is, IF one of those gel-coat faded boats had been in trouble i would have helped. I will NOT stop and help a petty, new shiny boat because 99% of them are just like you. They think that just because we don't have the money to spend on a new boat/truck/car, we shouldn't be on the lake. I will tell you, I have just as much fun in my faded gel-coat boat as you do in your "pretty" one, maybe more. Oh yeah, I probably do it cheaper and with a clear consience<sp>.
The way you talk, your equipment means more to you than someones life. I just hope that you have the bad luck to break down and everyone else feels like you do and don't help you. The shoe will be on the other foot then. But, I'm just one of those "good ole boys" in a faded gel-goat boat.

I couldn't agree more - that post was full of elitism azzhole talk. He obviously forgot the Golden Rule in favor of a more convenient rule that fits his lifestyle. If I had to guess, he works in either banking or oil speculation.