The US Coast Guard Auxiliary trains its members to use their own line for
several reasons:
- It's part of a complete towing package including the critical towing
bridle
- You know it's strong enough and long enough
- You always want to keep control so you can:
- lengthen or shorten the tow line when needed to ride well
- cast loose if necessary in an emergency
- The towed boat (possibly untrained) has only a loop to deal with, no
knots.

Everett

"Paul Schilter" wrote in message
...
Is it more prudent for you to give your line over to a boat you're going
to tow or take his line?
Paul

Paul Schilter wrote:
Is it more prudent for you to give your line over to a boat you're going
to tow or take his line?
Paul

I'd suggest you as the towor, give your line to the towed vessel, that
way you know what it is, strength & hopefully stretch (nylon) & can pre
set it up (bridle or forward fastening) as "you" wish in your own time.

Unless the load can be brought well forward of the rubber post or
OB/sterndrive(s) you'll have trouble with steerage, particularly in the
sort of conditions that others might absolutely "require" a tow.

Don't want 2 boats in trouble just because one tried to assist the other.

K

On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 08:25:50 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

Dave Hall wrote:
On Wed, 12 Jan 2005 18:07:49 -0500, DSK wrote:


Paul Schilter wrote:

Is it more prudent for you to give your line over to a boat you're going
to tow or take his line?


An expert answer: it depends.

It's often said that accepting a line from a tower makes your vessel
salvage. OTOH it's often the case that the towee has no suitable lines
aboard.

When I've towed people in, I've always used my own line because
1- my crew had it ready
2- it was both long & stout enough, to my certain knowledge
3- that gives me more control over how it's paid out and the strain taken up



Another factor to keep in mind in this increasingly litigious and
responsibility deflecting society, is that if you use your line and
it breaks and results in further damage, there may be some urge to
hold you responsible. If you use his line and it breaks, then it's on
him.

Dave


Not necessarily. HE could sue you for tying a bad knot.

Gee, are we devolving to the point where no one is willing to help out
someone in distress? Next time I see some boater on the bay needing
help, should I consider whether he'll sue me before I go to his aid?


Well, that's what happens when you live with liberal standards of
deflecting responsibility. When someone crashes their car, they want
to sue the car maker. When someone spills hot coffee in their lap,
they want to sue the server. When someone gets shot by another person,
they want to sue the gun dealer and the gun manufacturer. It would
seem that people just want to sue anyone they can to turn their pain
into a windfall. The heck with personal responsibility and with it,
the idea of being a good samaritan.

It's a shame that it's come down to this, as I am the type of person
who will lend a helping hand at the drop of a hat. But lately I have
to keep the possibility of a lawsuit in the back of my mind when these
situations arise. Fortunately there are some good samaritan laws
written to address this problem, but I believe they apply mostly to
health related issues. Property damage may not be covered.

You can blame your left wing democratic buddies for this
"de-evolution".

Dave

Doug,
There have been cases of tow boat operators making a salvage claim on a
boat when the distressed boater thought he was only getting a tow. It
might be something you want to establish before accepting the tow.
Paul


Doug Kanter wrote:
"Paul Schilter" wrote in message
...

BB,
It was just those rules I was curious about. It's not impossible if you
are the one being towed to find yourself in a salvage situation. Yes the
rules are different, they can be not what you would logically expect based
on common land rules. But it's still telling on our society!
Paul


Paul, what exactly does this mean - "find yourself in a salvage
situation"???

Paul:
A salvage claim - what's the meaning? As if the disabled boat was found
abandoned?

"Paul Schilter" wrote in message
...
Doug,
There have been cases of tow boat operators making a salvage claim on a
boat when the distressed boater thought he was only getting a tow. It
might be something you want to establish before accepting the tow.
Paul


Doug Kanter wrote:
"Paul Schilter" wrote in message
...

BB,
It was just those rules I was curious about. It's not impossible if you
are the one being towed to find yourself in a salvage situation. Yes the
rules are different, they can be not what you would logically expect
based on common land rules. But it's still telling on our society!
Paul


Paul, what exactly does this mean - "find yourself in a salvage
situation"???

wrote in message
...
On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 19:43:25 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

Paul:
A salvage claim - what's the meaning? As if the disabled boat was found
abandoned?


In order to encourage all sailors to offer rescue to other sailors,
Maritime laws created "salvage" as an incentive. If you risk your own
boat, crew and equipment to help someone else, you can then claim
salvage. A hearing will determine, based on a number of factors, how
much of the salvaged boat you now own. Sometimes you get the entire
boat and it's contents. It is always a lot more expensive than what a
tow boat operator charges for simply towing you a few miles back to
your dock on a sunny day when you can't get back by yourself.

Even if you have an unlimited towing contract with an outfit such as
SeaTow, they can claim salvage if the situation is more than a simple
towing. In that case, your towing contract is meaningless. NEVER
accept assistance from ANYBODY without first clarifying whether or not
they intend to claim salvage. This includes commercial as well as
private parties. They are not required to automatically tell you -
it's up to you to ask. If they want to claim salvage and you are in no
immediate danger, you would be wise to stay on the radio and explore
other options. You might want to try and contact your insurance
company as well, if at all possible.

BB

That's nuts! It's like a tow truck driver claiming salvage because the roads
were icier than normal.

On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 19:43:25 +0000, Doug Kanter wrote:

Paul:
A salvage claim - what's the meaning? As if the disabled boat was found
abandoned?

A little "pocket guide":

http://www.boatingsafety.com/salvage2.htm

wrote in message
...
On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 20:01:21 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

That's nuts! It's like a tow truck driver claiming salvage because the
roads
were icier than normal.


Here's some homework for you!

http://www.vesselassist.com/SWhite_tow_salv.html

BB

Thanks.

wrote in message
...
On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 20:01:21 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

wrote in message
. ..
On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 19:43:25 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

Paul:
A salvage claim - what's the meaning? As if the disabled boat was found
abandoned?


In order to encourage all sailors to offer rescue to other sailors,
Maritime laws created "salvage" as an incentive. If you risk your own
boat, crew and equipment to help someone else, you can then claim
salvage. A hearing will determine, based on a number of factors, how
much of the salvaged boat you now own. Sometimes you get the entire
boat and it's contents. It is always a lot more expensive than what a
tow boat operator charges for simply towing you a few miles back to
your dock on a sunny day when you can't get back by yourself.

Even if you have an unlimited towing contract with an outfit such as
SeaTow, they can claim salvage if the situation is more than a simple
towing. In that case, your towing contract is meaningless. NEVER
accept assistance from ANYBODY without first clarifying whether or not
they intend to claim salvage. This includes commercial as well as
private parties. They are not required to automatically tell you -
it's up to you to ask. If they want to claim salvage and you are in no
immediate danger, you would be wise to stay on the radio and explore
other options. You might want to try and contact your insurance
company as well, if at all possible.

BB

That's nuts! It's like a tow truck driver claiming salvage because the
roads
were icier than normal.


You had better stay on land then. This is nothing new or secret. It's
been done this way for eons.

BB

Every now and then, when the oars get in the way, I think about getting rid
of them. Maybe not. :-)

On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 20:01:21 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 19:43:25 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

Paul:
A salvage claim - what's the meaning? As if the disabled boat was found
abandoned?


In order to encourage all sailors to offer rescue to other sailors,
Maritime laws created "salvage" as an incentive. If you risk your own
boat, crew and equipment to help someone else, you can then claim
salvage. A hearing will determine, based on a number of factors, how
much of the salvaged boat you now own. Sometimes you get the entire
boat and it's contents. It is always a lot more expensive than what a
tow boat operator charges for simply towing you a few miles back to
your dock on a sunny day when you can't get back by yourself.

Even if you have an unlimited towing contract with an outfit such as
SeaTow, they can claim salvage if the situation is more than a simple
towing. In that case, your towing contract is meaningless. NEVER
accept assistance from ANYBODY without first clarifying whether or not
they intend to claim salvage. This includes commercial as well as
private parties. They are not required to automatically tell you -
it's up to you to ask. If they want to claim salvage and you are in no
immediate danger, you would be wise to stay on the radio and explore
other options. You might want to try and contact your insurance
company as well, if at all possible.

BB

That's nuts! It's like a tow truck driver claiming salvage because the roads
were icier than normal.

Yes, it is "nuts" but that's the way it can be. Check out this link:

http://www.boatus.com/towing/guide/salvage/

There are some general guidelines to determine what should be
considered a simple tow, and what crosses the line into "salvage".
What determines the line usually depends on degree of immanent peril,
or difficulty in moving the boat, but nothing is cast in stone.

Dave