Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

[mickjetblue]

I can think of 2 times when I had a helping hand from a boater:

1. I backed up too much at the launch ramp, and the wheels of the boat
trailer went down over the 90 degree end of the concrete. Tires would spin
trying to pull it back out with my front wheel drive mini-van. A boater with a
jeep connected to my trailer, and while I lifted on the guide post of the trailer,
he pulled it out. Saved me hours of aggravation if I had to call a tow truck,
and some cash saved. I insisted he take a $20 for his gas.

2. I ran out of fuel about a mile from the launch, and got out my paddle.
Maybe in 3 or 4 hours, with my great paddling skills, I could paddle my 17 ' boat
back with a 90hp Merc resting on it. Well, a good samaritan family in a house
boat towed us back to the launch. Wouldn't take any compensation. What
wonderful folks from Essex, MD!

Anybody else remember a boater's helping hand?

 

[mlukich]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

Just this summer, went out with 2 buddies in one of their boats... Came out of the creek into the main channel and got about 500 yards before motor just dies... Killed battery trying to re-crank. Of course, friend has no paddle or tools on-board. Just about to go swimming when a crabber comes along and tows us to the marina. He wouldn't take $$ either.

I like to think the crabber was just karma headed back my way as earlier in the year, I came upon a fisherman with his boat stuck in the marsh. His motor had died and I gave him a tow back to his dock. I wouldn't take $$, asked he repay the favor to someone if the chance arose...

I believe boaters - in general - are more helpful on the water than car drivers are on the road. Can't tell you the number of times I've seen a car stopped alongside the highway and nobody is stopping to see if they can help. Of course, I can't really blame them in this day and age. No telling what situation you might find yourself in... At least with boaters, there is a common bond...

Wishing for the better-old-days...

Mark

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

actually, if you read the coast guard rules, you are suppose to lend a hand to a disable vessel, to the extent that it is safe. tow, call for help, etc. those guys that fly buy trying to swamp you are violating the rules of the road. they should stop and lend assistance.

 

[zach103]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

Yah, last year we got a bout a couple hundred yards out when the engine broke down.. of course we had no paddle . the 5 of us are sitting there for a good 5 mins. called my dad to talk to the marina look for help. a jetski that followed us out of the marina must have seen what hapened so he stoped and towed us back to shore.. later that week the same guy helped get the boat to the launch. he wouldnt take any comp. . then again we were both boaters at a christian camp.

 

[dave11]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

I got a tow off some rocks Sunday from a skidoo.

 

[salty87]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

just last week, not my boat. my buddy ran out of gas as soon as the engine was started to head in. not sure how he managed that.

anyway, the very last boat left on the lake goes cruising by us to the ramp. he apparently doesn't see us blinking our nav/anchor lights for SOS.

next thing we know he turns around and heads straight to us. says he thought he saw our lights flashing. it was a family out tubing. they took our line and gave a great tow back in...wouldn't take $.

nice folks for taking the time to help.

 

[texanaustinite]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

Out one late afternoon when I first bought the boat. Third time out. Tubing then stopped for a swim.

Heading back to the ramp, engine started to over heat. Tried to idle back to the ramp, but it still ran too hot - had to shut her down. No paddles at the time. It was dusk, and I'm stranded with a 5yr old, a 7yr old and two teen-aged girls. The seven year old kept asking "are we gonna make it home?"

Waved down a couple in a wakeboat and they were more than happy to tow us the 4 miles back to the ramp. They tell me how they had to be towed the first time they went out on their brand new boat. Engine died. Offered them money, they refused.

Since then I have towed two disabled boats. They both offered money, but I too refused.

 

[DJ]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

I've never needed a "helping hand" (knock on wood) but I've always been willing to give one.

As another said: "I always tell them to help someone else if the need arises".

 

[texanaustinite]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

just last week, not my boat. my buddy ran out of gas as soon as the engine was started to head in. not sure how he managed that.

anyway, the very last boat left on the lake goes cruising by us to the ramp. he apparently doesn't see us blinking our nav/anchor lights for SOS.

next thing we know he turns around and heads straight to us. says he thought he saw our lights flashing. it was a family out tubing. they took our line and gave a great tow back in...wouldn't take $.

nice folks for taking the time to help.

Was that on Lake Travis? I towed a boat from the cliffs under The Oasis to Mansfield Dam, but that was a month ago or so, if not longer. We had driven by and noticed the flashing light. It just took me a while to realize that they were flashing S.O.S.

 

[captlee]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

About 20 yrs ago I had a 1968 19' winner with an 85 johnson. Out of the blue in about 60' of water I broke a shear pin on the prop on a holiday weekend. Although there were other boaters, none seemed to want to help. We were a few miles from the dock and about 1/8 mile off a boulder strewn, rocky beach with high bluffs and no people. We were able to paddle there using the battery box covers and I jumped out to make repairs. Just as I was finishing up I heard "hey you guys need any help!?". I looked up and down the beach, no one. Then I heard it again "need help?".... no one around, not even on the bluffs..... Just as I was thinking i was loosing my mind I saw a kayak come around the bow of the boat. Sarcastically I said "sure how about a tow to the ramp?" He took our anchor and paddled out the full length of the rope and dropped it, so that when we were ready to leave we could pull ourselves away from the boulders that lined the beach without hitting a rock with the prop. We made it back in OK to find out that the cluth dogs were bad a few weeks later which proablly caused the shear pin to break.

Just goes to show, anyone can help no matter how small

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

Was out yesterday and helped a first time sailor who flipped his boat within a minute of putting it in the water. He was scared to death, had no PFD on, was rather old and getting cold. Spent a good hour getting him out of the water, and his boat on shore & drained.

After he had dried out awhile and we made some small talk, he said he was going home. I talked him into going back out and not giving up. He went out, and I watched him for over an hour before I went back over to talk to him. He had a smile from ear to ear.

Later I came upon a man in a new 24ft center console that I had seen earlier launching his boat, drifting along to close to the rocks, waved and he smiled and waved back. I went by and then thought he might have problems, and didn't want to say anything.

I turned around and ask if all was OK, and he said everthing is OK, he had just flooded the engine. I said to throw me a rope and I would pull him out into the channel and we could see if we could get it started. He just laughed and said with that, and I said give me the rope or your going into the rocky shore. Your going to **** up your pretty new gelcoat.

I was in my inflatable, with a little 21 year old 6HP motor.

He was also heading slowly towards the locks on the side where it goes over the flood gates. I said it is your choice, go it alone, or give me a rope.

He was being a little bit snobby now, but gave me the rope, and I pulled him at a blinding pace up river to our dock, and found out he wasn't flooded, he had enough gas, but he forgot to release the vent on his tank.

He changed his tune.

I think I have a couple of new friends on the river.

 

[Uraijit]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

I've had 3 experiences in this my first season as a boat owner.

Got two tows in my first 3 trips out. The first time I was barely out of the marina, and and the engine died (loose distro). A jet-ski (standup, not a wave-runner) towed us about half-way in. Finally another boater noticed, and took over.

Second time we were maybe 1200 yards from the marina, and overheated due to a bad gasketing job by me on the waterpump. We were swimming it in for a good 30 min. or so before someone spotted us and gave us a tug.

Last weekend I got to pay it forward by towing in an overheated boat about 3/4 mi. to the dock. I gotta say, it feels about a million times better to be on the OTHER side of that rope.

No money (or anything but hearty thanks) was exchanged in any of those incidents.

Whenever I help someone in need, I always just tell them to remember it, and help someone else in the future. Who knows, it might be ME that they end up helping one day.

If you start demanding some sort of payment to help out, if the tables are ever turned, you might find that THEIR price to offer assistance is considerably higher than yours was.

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

I believe boaters - in general - are more helpful on the water than car drivers are on the road. Can't tell you the number of times I've seen a car stopped alongside the highway and nobody is stopping to see if they can help. Of course, I can't really blame them in this day and age. No telling what situation you might find yourself in... At least with boaters, there is a common bond...

Wishing for the better-old-days...

That's what I've come to notice....

In fact, a friend bought a used boat. We dropped it in the lake, ran it around the bay a few times, worked great. So, he decided to load the wife and kids in it and run it up the lake. He offered me to go but I said on their maiden voyage they should do it as a family but I'd put along in my 14' runabout.

We'll 6 miles up the lake, electronic ignition failure, and a long way to row back. 1 hour later at 6MPH we managed to get him towed back to the launch and off to the repair shop.

While I was helping a friend in the case, I'd have gladly done it for any other boater in need of help, just as Mark above had mentioned.

And as others have mentioned, I'd never take a dime, only ask that they do the same for others in case I'm the one next time.

Knowing this is how MOST boaters are is a comfort out on the water.

 

[salty87]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

Was that on Lake Travis? I towed a boat from the cliffs under The Oasis to Mansfield Dam, but that was a month ago or so, if not longer. We had driven by and noticed the flashing light. It just took me a while to realize that they were flashing S.O.S.

i don't think this was more than 2 weeks ago. we were in an older (80's) red supra...me, my wife, and my buddy.

do you put in at mansfield too? this boat was headed there as well so we didn't take them far off course, just delayed a bit. we actually beat them off the ramp even with no engine...wind was blowing from the courtesy dock to the ramps.

 

[texanaustinite]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

i don't think this was more than 2 weeks ago. we were in an older (80's) red supra...me, my wife, and my buddy.

do you put in at mansfield too? this boat was headed there as well so we didn't take them far off course, just delayed a bit. we actually beat them off the ramp even with no engine...wind was blowing from the courtesy dock to the ramps.

I remember the boat was an older red and white runabout. Don't recall the model. I offered the use of my oars to get to the ramp from the dock. But they declined. Wind blew them to the ramp.

It was two guys, a woman and a baby. They were just very grateful that someone helped.

We weren't beaten off the ramp though...

 

[AZMinyard]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

Warning: The account below contains helpful jet skiers. Please be seated when reading.



The weekend after buying a well-used 12? aluminum boat my 8 year old stepson and I decided to take it out on Lake Pleasant, powered only by a trolling motor with 27 lbs of thrust. This is not, surprisingly, an account of dead batteries or underpowered vessels, but something else entirely. I did not have a trailer for the boat yet, so it was loaded in the back of the truck. Once we got to the lake and found a spot to shore launch, we were off. Well, once we got to the lake, found a spot to shore launch, drained the water from the boat because I forgot the plug, we were off. We tooled around the lake at walking speed for a bit, stopped for a swim, enjoyed a sandwich on the water and headed back to the truck. No problems to speak of other than discovering that the boat did have a couple leaks, but for $175 what could I expect.

We got back to the truck and I discovered that while sliding the empty, dry boat out of the truck bed was easy, it was much more difficult to get it back into the bed. And this is the part that surprised me ? one of the party of jet skiers next to us put down his beer, walked away from his bikini clad girlfriend and over the blaring music said, ?let me give you a hand? while assisting in sliding the boat in.

I was stunned.

 

[mike64]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

My motor died out on the water a few weekends ago. As soon as I got the paddles out, handed one to my friend and we start rowing, a guy in a pontoon going by offered to tow me. Then the Sheriff came by a minute later, so I said thanks anyway to the pontoon. Didn't want to hurt the Sheriff's feelings by turning him down

One time as I was headed back to the dock after fishing, I saw a guy and a very attractive girl in a bikini on a jet ski, just sitting in the water. He had some kind of cover open on his ski, and he seemed to be intently checking something out. I know nothing about jet skis, assumed he was getting something from a storage compartment. Then as I passed by I thought, maybe they're dead in the water, and he's checking out his engine. So I decided to be a good samaritan and see if they need a tow-- did a u-turn and came right up beside them. As I come up from behind, I see he's now leaning his head back into her lap and she's running her fingers through his hair...apparently having nooo problems whatsoever. So now I look like a perv who came around to get a better look :redface:
I was just trying to help, honest! What's that saying about the best intentions?

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

Back in '92 when I first bought my boat, I was out on the lake just hangin' out doing some fishing. I was by myself & it was only the 3rd time that I had the boat out. I was about 5 miles from shore when the wind started to pick up & things started to get rough. I started to head back & had gone about a mile when the engine started to overheat. Being a novice, I didn't know what was going on, but I shut the engine down to let it cool off. After letting the engine cool off for a few minutes I started the engine & began to head for cover as the lake by now was really kicking up. Sure enough, I didn't get far when the engine overheated again. Did the same thing, let it cool off, but this time she wouldn't start up again. Now, I was in trouble. The wind was really kicking up some chop, but was pushing me west, which was the direction I was headed for in the 1st place. Trouble is, there's a rock jetty about a 1/4 mile long on the west end of the lake which would no doubt sink me & the boat if we hit it. And that's exactly where we were headed. I opened the engine hatch, in the hope that someone would see it & take the hint & tossed the anchor overboard, but with the wind & waves it wouldn't hold on the sandy bottom. Now, I'm started to get scared. I put my life jacket on as by now I'm less than 500 ft. from the jetty & headed straight for it. I'm ready to jump overboard, when I look behind me & there's an elderly guy & his wife {probably in their 60's} in a party barge pulling along side me ready to throw me a line. I grab the line, tie off & these 2 Good Samaritans towed me off the lake & into my marina. They no doubt saved my boat & possibly my life, as this lake that I frequent can get really dangerous when it kicks up. These 2 folks in a party barge could have kept going, but instead risked their own neck to save mine. I wanted to give them something for their trouble, but they refused telling me to just return the favor to someone else when you can. I never got their names, or ever saw them again. I've helped out a few folks since that day, as I'll never forget how close I came. The overheat turns out, was caused by a bad impeller.

 

[jm_bullard]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

Last year, I had to be towed in from the Pascagoula river when the fuel pump gasket on my Force motor failed. A very nice couple down from North Carolina towed us in. They refused my offer of gas money.

The next trip out (after the repair), the motor ran fine, so we headed out to Horn Island (about 12 miles out). Once we got there, the starter (brand new, first trip out with it) failed. Another boat came over and offered to tow us back in. I thanked them, and said I would try to pull start it first; I hated to have them waste a beautiful day towing us 12 miles. After MANY attempts, the motor cranked up. The older gentleman who had offered us a tow was still nearby, and came over to tell me that he never expected me to be able to pull start a 120 Force.

I have towed in a number of boats in my fishing career, and I never accepted any money for it. I once gave a man my spare tire when I came across him sitting on the side of the highway late at night with a flat tire on his trailer. He was trying to decide whether to leave his boat or his wife on the side of the road. I guess karma does work sometimes....

 

[turborich]

Re: Helping hand from a boater - remember it?

My friend (who has been boating for years) Has always told me how friendly & helpfull people are at the lake. Everybody waves to eachother, etc.

This year his engine died & he was stuck out far from shore, He also had his girlfriend & a bunch of the neighborhood kids on board. He flagged down another boat & asked if he could either tow him in or go to the dock for help. The guys response was NO. He said that with the cost of fuel he would have to charge him at least $40 bucks & all kinds of crap. The next guy to come along gladly towed him in & didn't ask for anything. My friend gave him $30 bucks as that's all he had on him. The guy didn't want to take but my friend insisted.

When I get my boat all ready for the lake I am going to be a friendly boater & not one of these jerks!