Yes, or even any case involving the misleading nature of the membership vs. maritime laws.

You can be. If your boat is just adrift and anchored, awaiting a tow, you're probably not. Now if you're disabled and weather conditions jeopardize your boat, you very well may be in a salvage situation. If you're taking on water that you are unable to stay ahead of, you certainly are.


It's not a requirement. In fact, you have a legal requirement as the operator of the craft as well as a contracutual requirement under your insurance to do as necessary to prevent the loss. If Sea Tow is there and your boat goes down while you dicker price, you're going to have an uncomfortable conversation with your adjuster.


VHF. Alot of these operators have contract arrangements with the tow companies. I believe any USCG licenced tow/salvage operator may accept your membership and receive payment.


If your boat is in peril, the CG will probably take issue with you declining the services of a salvor. If you present a hazard to navigation, the CG will likely instruct the salvor to secure your craft and take you aboard. Payment is a portion of your craft's value, of which they will apply a lien. If you're insured, I'd be surprised to find that you lacked salvage coverage.

In fairness to these operators, I was at the SeaTow and the TowBoatUS sites today and read their information. It's fairly clearly spelled out- the difference between a tow and salvage. There are certainly a number of gray areas and I'M CERTAIN a number of opportunistic acts like the tow on the Lambo boat, but nonetheless, they do make an effort to inform. I'm sure the operators do take advantage of the individual's lack of knowledge, but they do at least open the door.

Look at it this way- do you read your auto insurance policy? Do you note the changes they make? Or do you, as with 99.99% of all others, assume that "somebody" is watching out for you and that being a "reputable" corporation. They wouldn't pull anything underhanded? Well, in this case, there's no state insurance commission or attorneys general looking out for you.

YES THAT MAKES IT BREAKING SALVAGE JOB:D IF It was the CG TOWING YOU IN, THEN GAVE YOU TO SEA TOW YOU WOULD PAY SEA TOW, WELL SEA TOW PASSED IT ON TO ANOTHER BOAT SO SEA TOW GETS 0:D

Agreed, anchor doesn't do much at that point. :D

Exactly. For all the "hate the salvor" sentiment, if you are truly at risk of losing your crew, losing your boat, causing environmental damage, who's going to argue with the first boat to show up?

However, considering the universe of boaters, not everyone has insurance. So as a sidebar, useless trivia question, what is the "legal requirement" to prevent a boat from being lost? Hazard to nav, enviro issues, being just plain stupid aside, is there a violation of law if your boat sinks?

I meant that one more as a motivator to get people to add a phone number to their cell phones. :p But you confused me with "operators" versus "tow companies." By operators do you mean insurance companies, or tow/salvage operators/franchisors/employees?

Pesky detail for the greater boating public. Don't assume a call goes out over VHF, or a salvor gets there first. More of a mutually exclusive, non perilous scenario.

Regardless of whether or not you have service, or who you have service with, I hope we'll all remember if we're ever in a situation, to confirm whether we're being towed or salvaged.

What a sh!tty legal case it would be to have a salvage lien on your boat. What's to stop the SIB Sea Tow operator from doing that if AMEX gives them the shaft?

For the uninsured, owing a third of your boat's value has to be better than having it on the bottom. Legally speaking, if your boat is on the bottom, you are responsible for its removal. If your boat leaks pollutants, you're responsible to remediate and remedy all the damage that costs. I have a friend that pais $450,000 because of a 20 gallon diesel spill, but that's a whole other story.

The operators meant salvage companies. Some are contractors, some even fly the SeaTow colors, but they;ll take whatcha' got.

I would thoroughly expect that the incident at Sunny Isles will get nasty before it goes away. This isn't the first trip to the dance for the ST boys- they're armed to the teeth with legal strategies for getting paid.

I'm the same way. I just tell them to pass on the goodwill, and don't break the chain.

I have always felt obligated to tow in a fellow boater. In fact 2 years ago at the tick faw 200 i gave someone a tow that was not part of the PR and almost missed the deadline to turn in my cards.

I never pass up someone with the hatch up.

I just had a conversation with some execs. and VP's at Boat US regarding this issue.
Here is in a nut shell of the answers.
While Boat US "licensees" are required to inform as to salvage or tow... it's know that some bad apples will not and they are just out for a quick scam.
Attorney, insurance companies and arbitration can settle the 'salvage" issues but obviously it's a head ache.

The owner/captain should ask SPECIFICALY if the service will be a tow or salvage.
Make sure your boat nsurance has "Stu ( I think that's what they said) and labor coverage.
Have a documents on board and have the "tower" whom ever that might be sign it that it will NOT be a salvage and when if it becomes or changes, the owner/captain will be notified of such.

In short.. while it seems BoatUS are the better bunch. it's up to us .. boaters to be aware and carefull with towing etc...
Boat insurance companies should be contacted and get their DIRECT take on each incured.

I will call mine in a few.. and make the appropriate docs.. (just in case.)