... one recent time we
rescued somebody (a small capsized sailboat) the guy refused to
cooperate with my 'suggestions' and I just about left him in the
middle of the lake. My wife would not let me, though. So we went ahead
and his boat put many ugly scratches in ours. My wife didn't realize
this until later and then she was mad at *me* for it.



Don White wrote:
tow rope too short...or did you lash him alongside?

Neither. This particular rescue involved a small capsized sailboat that
did not have sufficient flotation. To right it and restore it to
floating status required pulling the mast upright & holding it that way
(fortunately we were on a boat big enough & stable enough to do that)
and then getting the people out of it while bailing enough water out to
get the top of the centerboard trunk above the water.

This guy was convinced that he knew exactly what to do (although the
evidence was already heavily against him before we came along) and not
only didn't accept suggestions but wanted to boss me around on my own
boat. He didn't even know why he had got into the trouble in the first
place.

Should have let the damn thing sink, it's an outdated deathtrap anyway.
One reason why sailing *used* to be a sport for the intelligent.

DSK