Sea Tow
 

SEA TOW HAS SAVED MY BUTT SEVERAL TIMES IN THE NEW ORLEANS AREA AND I'VE ALWAYS HAD OUTSTANDING SERVICE. THEY LITERALLY SAVED ME AND MY CHILDREN'S LIVES! I WOULD NEVER BOAT WITHOUT SEA TOW! ALTHOUGH IF WHAT YOU ARE SAYING HAPPENED IN FLA HAPPENED THAT WAY, I SYMPATHIZE, BUT SOMETHING TELLS ME THAT THERE IS MORE TO THAT STORY. i HAVE READ ALL OF THE POSTS ON THIS SUBJECT AND THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY INCONSISTINCYS TO BASH A COMPANY AS A WHOLE.

"HE WHO GO TO SLEEP WITH ITCHY HINEY WAKE UP WITH STINKY FINGER"

Why not TowBoat US????

Heres' my reason......................... :eek:

I am guessing Cajun1 is associated with Sea Tow trying to do damage control. Nice story....

I wonder if he got ROBBED by some Seatow pirates to pull that thing out:eek:

Ya think :)

another interesting thread with some info from a Towboatus operator

http://www.swordfishingcentral.com/f...ad-minute.html

here is his post

"Gentlemen:

I read with great interest your comments about salvage and towing assistance. There has been a lot of publicity over the past year about unscrupulous salvors. I am proud to say I am not one of them. Let me explain the rules under which I operate.

Many boaters don’t know the difference between towing and salvage. Towing assistance, fuel deliveries, battery jumps and soft groundings are covered under membership programs such as the BoatU.S. Towing Program. Unlimited towing coverage will get you home if your boat suffers a mechanical failure but is otherwise sound. Your insurance policy will cover you if your boat is sinking or in some other peril. That is salvage.

U.S. Courts have defined salvage as a situation where there is marine peril, the services rendered were voluntary (no pre-existing obligation to assist exists) and success, in whole or in part, by the service rendered by the salvor. They go on to say "...it is not necessary that the danger be actual or imminent; it is sufficient if, at the time assistance was rendered, the vessel was stranded so that it was subject to the potential danger of damage or destruction." On the other hand, simple towage is defined as having taken place when a tow is called for or taken by a sound vessel as a mere means of saving time, or for considerations of convenience. The hallmark of towing is the absence of peril. I think we can all agree that a boat “taking on water, losing power, GPS inoperable”, unsure if their radio is transmitting in open ocean at night shooting flares is in danger and does not qualify as a towing situation.

How we get paid for salvage service is determined is based on a long standing US Supreme Court decision called Blackwell. Items such as the degree of danger from which the vessel was rescued; post-casualty value of the vessel saved; risk to the salvors crew and equipment; promptitude, skill and energy displayed in rendering the service and others are addressed.

Someone asked why we don’t just charge by the type of job rather than the value of the boat. Let me try to explain. We buy and maintain all of the equipment necessary to respond and successfully save vessels of all sizes. We operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week which includes captains on duty and dispatchers on the radios and telephones. Put in simpler terms our equipment is like that of a fire department which might spend most of its time waiting in the garage for a call, but when it’s called, it could be a life or death situation and it must be ready to respond to all sizes and types of emergencies. It’s not like a taxi cab, charging by the mile and in use regularly picking up passengers and driving normal routes. We must make a substantial investment to assure we have the equipment and crew ready. The Coast Guard is in the business of rescuing life, not property. Boat owners and their insurers rely on professional salvors to be there whenever they need help. Payment based on what we save as defined in Blackwell is what gives professional salvors the incentive to stay in this business and the funds to properly equip and man their operations.

This is not a lucrative business. Our insurance costs, fuel costs and payroll are huge and our towing rates are controlled by the market and our licensing agreement with BoatU.S. We do this because we enjoy the adventure and helping people, and if we make a few dollars doing it, it keeps us around a little longer. By the way, I know who owns the house on the point in Lighthouse Point. It belongs to my dad. If I had his money, I’d be on an island somewhere.

I hope this clarifies some of the misconceptions of what I do. Protect yourselves from unscrupulous salvors by knowing who to call before something happens and having the proper insurance to cover your situation when it’s over.
__________________
TowBoatUS Fort Lauderdale"

Wow, saved your life? Sounds like an interesting story. If you don't mind telling it it might help another member stay out of a bad situation.

Cajun1

I am not friends of either. However the following facts seem to be true

1. Sea Town agreed to be a sponser of the Race, for this they got free publicity.

2. Sea Tow also got all the race teams to sign up for memberships.

3. Their was a designated area to tow flipped, wrecked, broken down race boats.

4. Sea Tow did not tow the boat to designated area, instead towed somewhere else, ??? WHY????

5. Sea Tow expects bill of $8,000.00 to be paid!! for what?????? Towing a boat they had agreed to do for the race??? WTF bull chit is that??

I do not believe all Sea Tow offices behave in this ruthless business practices, however this one did and now is being called out on it. Maybe SEA TOW should investigate its own franchise and see why and how the agreement was broken?

BTW Canjun1, to have any credibility please identify yourself.:ernaehrung004:

No, They were trying to rob the blow boat they were attached to when the tide went out.

His story sounds fishy and starting to smell. I'm with you, give us the rest of the story. Sounds like he dropped a turd and kept walking. To be honest, I hope I have to apologize.

If you are from New Orleans you must know Richie he is the one that got burned by sea tow.
Lets here your life saving story. I also work in the area and dont remember sea tow saving any lives
around here

This has got to be the stupidest F'in thing i have ever read.


Yes . . . Richie took his boat to Sunny Isle . . . rolled it over racing . . all in attempted smear campaign against SeaTow . . . . I saw him that morning and he did look nervous . . . you are absolutly frik'in brilliant cajun . . . . :rolleyes:


What in the hell could you possibly see as inconsistent or fishy about any of what happened?


Most that know me around here know i dont get to involved in many of the dirt fights but this . . . and a midget with a candle . . . really burn my azz.

Agreed.

A thread started by a non paying, single digit post count geek, going with the ol' "itchy hiney - stinky finger" bit, is likely not worth anyone's time. :cool-smiley-027:

somebody really needs to copy it before Sherlock decides to pull it.


DEEEEE!! . . . . how'd you do that last time dear?:D

I can see that house from mine. That Mofo rocks !!

I bet I see this SeaTow guy a few times a week.

And 3 of his 4 posts are about how good sea tow is

:Whatever:

wtf What are you saying ? Richie did it on purpose? You dont have insurance when you race , so whats the purpose of that. SO WHO ARE YOU THE NEW LOCAL SEA TOW PERSON OR WHAT not try to be a$$whole dont understand the direction towards my friend
thanks, aj

That explains the stinky finger!:evilb:

4 posts...3 which preach about Sea Tow, sounds like BS to me! You guys are theives plain and simple. One day it will catch up to you. Suprised more people havent handled you in a more appropriate manner. Play like a pirate, die like a pirate.

Vedddyyyy eenteresting.....

I have an itchy butt........

I'll be at the Copeland race... I will tow any boat I see in need to safety. Cajun 1 -- I will be ready to repel pirates, so I would request you tell anyone with salvage rates on their mind to avoid my boat or anyone I am assisting.

Hey Cajun1 -- if SeaTow has saved your butt SEVERAL times (not to mention your children), you need a new hobby. Face facts - you suck at boating. The area is not deep and not busy. You are a danger to your family and navigation. Buy a video game, a pool table or take up bowling.

At the Royal Purple i towed a lady from a treacherous bend in the river to a no wake zone. I figure it cost me $75 in gas. My buddy then fixed her boat, and she went home under her own power. No charge.

There is a place for people like salvors, but they need to learn the difference between saving someone and piracy.

I know -- Come try me...:cool:

cajun1 as you can see I have the same number of posts as you. However I have been around here much longer than you have.

I have lived in New Orleans for 38 years. Please identify yourself. I love to put faces to the names of people that make idiotic comments.

As CAL MAN said if you are from around here you must know Richie. One of the most straight up honest people I have ever met. That’s why we have remained friends for the last 13 years.

We will be at the race here in Kenner. PLEASE stop by introduce yourself. I would love to shake your hand and give you a t-shirt. :eek:

I have read the other thread too and really the only question I have, is this just a Sea Tow thing? If Tow Boat US were there how would they have handled it. I have been with Sea Tow for many years and have had nothing but great service froim them. The other post does have me considering a change because of the way they handled that situation but what good is a change if they are all alike??

BTW, my membership expires today and I need to make a decision before the weekend. Guess I will be checking out the others today as well.

Not sure what Towboat would have done, it is up to the individual operator. But the fact is that a SEATOW operator did this, and its just not acceptable, I boat in that seatow operators area, so I will take my chances with my Towboat membership.

Gator..
I boat around the bay also. I know a few TB US guys and they are pretty straight up. However... Both tow companies have rotten apples in their bunch. Just like good car dealerships and chitty once. I think TBUS will back up the customers a lot more then Sea Tow. This was and is the problem with the Sunny Isles issue. Corp. Sea Tow just f;;;ed off the problem. I have an exec. level contact with Boat US.. You might want to talk to them on your own to ease your mind and deceision.

Two years ago on Memorial Day in New Orleans one of my friends ran his 38 donzi over a rock breakwater in the rain, he called seatow and they told him they could not get to it for two days. We wound up getting a jet ski and drove behind the breakwater to tow it out. It must be a different seatow operator that this guy used b/c they did not want to come out.

. . . . or . . . . by leaving them out there it would guarantee a salvage rather than a tow, lets not forget the wonderful ethics most of these pirates have . . .

Thankfully neither Towboat or Seatow exists here in Pittsburgh. If you breakdown, take on water or run out of gas, you can find someone boating by who will be willing to tow you back to shore or your dock. Worst case, you call 911 and River Rescue will tow you back.

If you ask me, the wording on "Salvage" is basically legalized theft. I would love to see someone try to keep my boat after towing it because it was taking on water claiming they have salvage rights. If it sank and you got court awarded salvage rights, thats different.

The other thread on this is far more entertaining...

Point taken and glad you and your family are safe. As a franchise operation they have little control over the scruples or business practices of their franchisees, most of these guys ARE out to exploit a situation to it's fullest, this has been proven time and time again. I am lucky in the fact that I usually boat with friends so I will never have to worry about getting a tow but on the whole Sea Tow blows, sorry but it's true.

Any response cajun1 we are waiting:readinghelp::stupid:

Hey, I want a shirt too please..

Bu I won't be at the races :( :(

Scott deserves the shirt, when Sea Tow screwed me he was one of the guys who helped bail me out.

C'mon cajun, respond... I'd love to hear some more. :food-smiley-007:

He may be broke down or out of gas in his boat looking for a tow, or maybe he is taking on water again and needs a
12,000.00 pump out.

Post whore!!! :drink:
30yrs of boating never needed sea tow!!! Many friends to offer help, and have went out many of nights and days to help others!! Have allways lived on the water so makes it very easy.My neighbors dont like it so much at 1 or 2 in the am but who gives a rats as#.
I wish I would have been with Richie we would have taking the sea tow boat!!!:evilb:

Scott B a t-shirt is not enough for what you did for us in Miami. Thank you and everyone that lent us a helping hand. And the ones that cheered us on from land.

Very upset to hear your not coming down here. I told my wife I wanted her to bake some desserts for the Geico tent.

Too bad! Word on the streets is that Al Jr. is throwing a hell of a party at the Landmark.

Guess we will see you in Orange Beach.

Thanks again!!!!!!!!!!

That's the other Scott B, but you are right, he's a standup guy*...


I was one of the folks cheering on shore :)



*Other than the fact he stole my screen name ;) :D