Lets get it started!!!!!

I'm all for it, my question is; is it feasible? Is this something that can be changed? Is it remotely possible? Does someone who understands this better know? Chris, you know just about everything under the sun, is this possible?

Because if it is, I'm contacting Warner, Webb, Wittman, Pollard and Kaine tomorrow.

Reading over the crap I read yesterday just amazed me how it hasn't been changed or there hasn't been a huge uproar about it yet.

I'm just dumbfounded by this!
Just friday I got a tow in from a Coast Guard "auxillary" boat. They saw the smoke coming from my boat and rushed over to me from over 3/4 mile away. A sheriff patrol was there as well, asked them if they'd tow me the 1/2 mile to docks since he was on a waverunner...the 3 guys onboard all grabbed lines, dropped bumpers, and before i knew it they had me along their port side and headed home! took 15 mins from start to finish. As i was tying up to the dock, they un-tied and were gone before i could offer them any cash! I felt bad honestly. All i could do was shout out a big thank you and the captn replied..."you're wlecome young man, just pay the favor to the next guy".
So anyways, you mean to tell me thse guys coulda claimed my boat?!?!? hmm....i mean, i know i owe them $ or something but my boat? hehehe- i'm not thinkin so! thankfully in MI we've got laws for a CCW!!!! never leave home without it! ;)

I WOULD HOPE SO BECAUSE THAT IS VERY SAD:(

Thanks ron !

Sounds like a business oppurtunity. Just start a towing/salvage company up and charge by the hour......no salvage rights. Run the competition out of the water hmmmmmmmmmm....

From a big-picture perspective, marine salvors are an integral part of the picture. Major maritime operators are happy to have these guys. They're out there on their own nickle and they have saved many many ships and many lives over the ages based purely on, as Gordon Gekko would explain to you, "greed". Apparently it's more cost-effective for the commercial marine industry as a whole to have an independent network of salvage operators working on the purest principles of capitalism than it is for them to field their own infrastructure of rescue and salvage vessels. And the laws reflect this.

On this specific tow, based on what I've read and heard, the SeaTow people tried to "pull a fast one". The boat was already removed from it's primary position of peril and while it could be argued that a capsized boat could have still sunk (and taken someone else's boat with it) it probably wasn't a salvage since there was no communication about that not any exigent circumstances that would have precluded that communication. The vessel was recovered and in tow.

Lets go back to the difference between a tow and salvage and the rendering of private assitance. Unfortunately, the way the law reads and the appeals courts decisions have been written, there's a dramaitic difference between pulling a disabled vessel back to port and lets say, pulling it off of as very mild grounding on a soft sandbar. The former is a tow, the latter is salvage. The way it works is that the fee is either negotiated and contracted beforehand or the aid is rendered and the salvor makes his claim. The salvor does have certain rights to secure your vessel in lieu of payment. It gets involved here but I'll say this- your best course of action for a minor pull-off is to immediately cut their line and leave. If they get you, they got you. You're either dealing with insurance companies or court proceedings anyway, so deal from a position of strength. Back to towing- if your disabled boat is offshore and the water and weather conditions are such that it could be argued your vessel was in peril, the tow now becomes a salvage.

I don't think the maritime laws will change- for one simple reason. One freighter saved, one multi-thousand gallon fuel spill averted, saves more time, money, lives and other resources that all the cost to recreational boating in any year. It's a big picture deal and we're a speck.

On rendering of personal aid- most people want to help and are more than willing to go out of their way to render assistance. But, they can find themselves in deep water themselves very quickly. A they drummed into us in the AF, there's an exceptionally fine line between being the rescuer and being an additional victim. Towing a boat is frought with perils. It looks easy- it's just a rope. That rope can easily and swiftly pull your perfectly-operating boat straight to the bottom along with whatever you're towing. If you're ever considering doing it, think about how you'll free your boat if things turn downward. That nice tight knot on your cleat only gets tighter the harder it gets pulled on.

I would of figured this scenario would of been addressed before now by OSS.Goodluck Ron


Glad there OK:D

I seem to remember something about this (salvage tow)in my insurance policy,Iam calling my agent now.

At the very least, I will read my insurance policy and not let a rope be put on my boat until I know and agree in advance to the terms of the tow. And I'll never leave the boat stranded unless it's a life threatening situation.

Very useful topic.