Iggy

Yesterday we had our boat out for the first run this season. We were anchored for while, struck up conversations with various people. One group was in a bass boat, kids and towable toys too. Anyhow, they left to go play but retuned a few minutes later asking if we could go help a boad load of people who's drive system crapped out. The boat in trouble was, as he felt, too big for his boat to tow. We hauled up anchor as fast as possible and went the the rescue.
The boat was about 25-28' single engine, with 9 people on board. It was an older boat with a cuddy cabin and was obviously painted by hand. The hull was barn red with white deck and cabin. Brush marks everywhere.
We tossed them a line and said tie it off. The guy who caught it attempted to tie it to the bow rail.
I hollerd "NO, NO....NOT THERE!!! I'LL YANK THE RAILING OFF!!!!". The boat didn't have a bow cleat so I tied it to the bow eye.
The tow back to the ramp was uneventful, except when two PWC's crossed our bow about 20' out. We got the boat as close as possible to the ramp and said good by.

It felt good to go help some one in trouble. What amazed us was that there were boaters evrywhere and not one stopped to render assistance.
It was also nice that the family in the bass boat, whom we never met before yesterday, came back and asked us to go out and help.
Turned out to be a really good day.

bouyhunter

Nice Job Iggy.

Here's Johnny

It is always nice to help out when you can....last season I was taking a quick rip out in the ocean when I spot someone about two miles out waving me down...I take a little ride to see what's going on. I get close and see a guy with his family (panicking wife and mother and a crying three year old) in a brand new 38' Top Gun. It was his first ride with the boat and he is dead out in the ocean. He was dead center between two inlets....no sea tow membership. I towed him in myself in a 25' er. Took a little time but that was my good deed for the day. Feels good to help out when you can...

Formula Outlaw

Yes, it does feel good to help someone out. A few weeks back up in the northern end of Sarasota Bay I noticed a couple waving me over so I went. Turns out to be an elderly couple on an older (mid 70's???) 22 ft. cabin cruiser and the engine had quit and the wife was crying. From his description of the noise it made before it shut down I suspected something major. Anyway I towed them back to the 10th st. ramp in Sarasota, and insisted they ride up with me so they wouldn't have to listen to my thru hulls the whole trip back. Luckily there were enough people on the docks to catch their boat when we came in and the wind was perfect, just gently blew their boat up against the dock. I circled around and helped them get it back up on the trailer.

He tried to offer me money which I refused. Just told him I was glad to help. He did ask me for my address so he could send me a thank you card so I gave him a business card. Three days later a gift certificate for Outback Steakhouse showed up with a nice note. I thought that was thoughtful.

A little courtesey on the water always goes a long way.

cuda

Good job Iggy. Boating is a brotherhood.

Iggy

Funny you mentioned SeaTow. I told the ex if we were greedy we "could" charge a towing fee for what we did. I figured we could have easily collected 300 for the 2 mile tow. Salvage pirates charge way more than that.

I feel it's just being good boaters to help when needed.
I call it payback for all times I ran out of fuel as a kid and was towed back.

offthefront

iTrader: (1)

Russ how far you Tow em ? I would think a cpl of miles would be fine .... But 5-6 miles? Depends on the situation ..The elderly cpl I prob would have gone the distance ...But if you have plans ..and they need towing 5 miles the other way ?

Iggy

If you look up the Coast Guard regs you'll find that it's law that any capitan who comes upon a vessel that is in need of assistance or receives a MAYDAY call, they are required to render assistance. If is not possible because of weather, sea state, vessel size, etc, then you are required to stand by until assistance arrives.

To me it wouldn't matter if they needed to be towed the opposite direction or I had plans to be someplace. I couldn't tell a stranded family that I couldn't help them because I friends waiting. My conscience wouldn't let me.
If that was my family that was stranded and somebody told me they couldn't help because of waiting friends, etc. I'd be pissed.

The boaters I helped needed to be towed two miles in the direction we just came from. After dropping them off we had to travel another 10+ miles opposite to get to our ramp.

Waterfoul

It is actually illegal to NOT stop and render assistance to a stranded boater who may be in danger. That assistance might be calling a tow boat, sherrif, or the coast gaurd, but you are responsible to render assistance as long as it doesn't put your life or property in danger to do so.

I can't count the number of boats I've towed to safety/ramp/shore. Then again, I've been on the wrong end of that line too... what comes around goes around... no payment necessary.

Waterfoul

Iggy beat me to it!