I was at the Cape Cod races the last time they were there and my boat started to take on water. I called and called and called the Sea Tow guy and he never came. I saw him out on the water just a few min. before. The guy never came so the coast guard sent out a plane, hellicopter, two boats..... All that cost to the tax payers because the Sea Tow guy could not be bothered!!! The Coast guard guys were fantastic and towed me in and said that they had lots of problems with Sea Tow in the area. They informed me that since I had the Sea Tow they were more apt to take it easy on me.... They let me give it good to the Sea Tow guy when we ran into him at the docks :D

ditto I bought mine at west marine on thursday morning...just for the race.

Consider me boycotting Sea Tow. I already have the service through another company, but I will do my best to encourage others to stay as far away from Sea Tow as they can.

That said, as I said earlier, they all can claim salvage and they say so on their respective sites. I think Boat US describes it best, however.

Just check your boat insurance and be SURE you have protection from potential salvage situations. Be specific.

I pack a firearm (or two) and know how to safely use them as an absolute last resort...but that's just me.

I used to be a summertime waterman and we had towed many people never taking a dime. These people who do this to the recreational "small" boaters are pathetic IMO. I would never dream to claim salvage for helping a fellow boater.

PS, I second this becoming a sticky in the ripoff section, fwiw.

My membership has expired and I'll not renew.

TEAM "LOOSE CANNON" will start-

Just put my Sea Tow card throught the shredder and mailed the pieces back to the company>

Who's next?

Is there any way to make it a class action lawsuit for all "ripped off" boaters over the last two years? Maybe we can start a fund to help pay the costs. There is no way that company should continue to exist with these types of policies. No wonder our insurance goes up drastically!!:eek: If their insurance policy does not cover their tows, that is fraud in my book.:angry-smiley-038:

I'll say this one more time, for those of you that run out and cancel SEA TOW and then sign up with any other "Towing" service, YOU WILL BE SUBJECTED to the SAME MARITIME laws...

IT IS ONLY THE OPERATOR that comes to your BOAT that DECIDES if it is a SALVAGE or a TOW! IF he's an A'hole he will try to F' you. Doesn't matter what color boat or shirt he is wearing!!!!!

DON'T be FOOLED into thinking that XXX will F' you and YYY will not!!!!

The PROBLEM is the LAW, and until the LAW is changed, we are all at risk!

I Will Not Renew

That's simply not the way maritime law reads. What SeaTow and others do is absolutely 100% legitimate and legal. Ethical is another story.

I'm aware of that, as I said, each site has the same salvage information posted. You have to choose which one is "better." For me, it's simply that you have to start somewhere and I'm starting by boycotting Sea Tow after reading of THIS particular situation.

I also am going to contact my Webb, Warner, Wittman, Kaine and Pollard pointing out that this law needs to be looked at. I'd like to see all of OSO get together and do this, but that's up to each individual. It would take a brighter and more legalistic mind than mine to start the process, but I'd like to see it done.

That's all I can do currently, and I intend to do it.