On Tue, 4 Sep 2007 12:27:23 -0400, "D-unit" cof42_AT_embarqmail.com
wrote:

After getting drenched in a heavy downpour last week and on my way
home, I notice a fellow off to the side of the ICW *walking* his boat
up the waterway. He waves and appears to be in distress so I turn
around to see what's up.

Turns out,

His battery is dead. I hand over my battery booster which doesn't help
much. (Im wondering if I shouldn't have bought a larger one) He then
asks me to tow him to the wildlife ramp. (approx. 3-4 miles)
to which I reluctantly replied ok. He said a couple other guys had stopped
but refused to give him a tow. I have never had to tow anyone but was
willing to help the guy out.

I did irk me that he had no back up of any kind. i.e. extra battery, paddle.
battery booster.

When we got to the ramp, he offered no *thank you* but a "what do I owe
you"?
A thank you would have sufficed, I guess that's what he meant.

Afterwards, I starting thinking about what my obligations are in similar
situations.

I think Im only legally obligated to lend assistance only if it is a dire
situation or
someone is hurt. Maybe someone could clear this up.



I now, after towing in a few people from the bay, offer to contact TowBoat
US and to stick around until help arrives. I carry jumper cables, and have
helped a guy get his boat started. But, I won't tow him. Once you take a
boat under tow, you've assumed a *lot* of responsibility.
--
John H

"D-unit" wrote:

After getting drenched in a heavy downpour last week and on my way
home, I notice a fellow off to the side of the ICW *walking* his boat
up the waterway. He waves and appears to be in distress so I turn
around to see what's up.

Turns out,

His battery is dead. I hand over my battery booster which doesn't help
much. (Im wondering if I shouldn't have bought a larger one) He then
asks me to tow him to the wildlife ramp. (approx. 3-4 miles)
to which I reluctantly replied ok. He said a couple other guys had stopped
but refused to give him a tow. I have never had to tow anyone but was
willing to help the guy out.

I did irk me that he had no back up of any kind. i.e. extra battery, paddle.
battery booster.

When we got to the ramp, he offered no *thank you* but a "what do I owe
you"?
A thank you would have sufficed, I guess that's what he meant.

Afterwards, I starting thinking about what my obligations are in similar
situations.

I think Im only legally obligated to lend assistance only if it is a dire
situation or
someone is hurt. Maybe someone could clear this up.


I've towed in a few boaters with dead engines over the years. I don't
believe there is any legal obligation to do so. If the boat is otherwise
sound and its captain sober enough to handle his end of the tow line, I
don't see any serious problem.

I think if you see a boat in distress (fire, sinking, man overboard, et
cetera) you are obligated as a fellow human being to render whatever
assistance you can. I rarely ask who the guy voted for in the last
presidential election.

Incidentally, on a small boat such as I have, the odds are just as
likely the battery wire has come loose and that's why there's no juice
and why a jumper won't help. It's happened to me.

"HK" wrote in message
. ..

I think if you see a boat in distress (fire, sinking, man overboard, et
cetera) you are obligated as a fellow human being to render whatever
assistance you can. I rarely ask who the guy voted for in the last
presidential election.


Subject to certain conditions (inability, danger to you or your passengers,
and a couple of others) I believe you also have a legal obligation to
provide assistance if a bona fide distress call (Mayday) is received and/or
you are directed by appropriate authority such as the Coast Guard to assist.

It would obviously be hard to prove that you avoided this responsibility,
but IIRC, those are the rules.

Eisboch

Eisboch wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
. ..

I think if you see a boat in distress (fire, sinking, man overboard, et
cetera) you are obligated as a fellow human being to render whatever
assistance you can. I rarely ask who the guy voted for in the last
presidential election.


Subject to certain conditions (inability, danger to you or your passengers,
and a couple of others) I believe you also have a legal obligation to
provide assistance if a bona fide distress call (Mayday) is received and/or
you are directed by appropriate authority such as the Coast Guard to assist.

It would obviously be hard to prove that you avoided this responsibility,
but IIRC, those are the rules.

Eisboch




Well, I'm not "corporate America" when I'm out boating, and only out to
make a profit. If I see someone having trouble or if I am directed to
help, I will. I made up a large loop spliced line with handhold knots to
help someone in the water climb aboard the old Yo Ho (the ladder was not
a permanent attachment), and I still have it on the new Yo Ho.

"HK" wrote in message
. ..

Eisboch wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
. ..

I think if you see a boat in distress (fire, sinking, man overboard, et
cetera) you are obligated as a fellow human being to render whatever
assistance you can. I rarely ask who the guy voted for in the last
presidential election.


Subject to certain conditions (inability, danger to you or your
passengers, and a couple of others) I believe you also have a legal
obligation to provide assistance if a bona fide distress call (Mayday) is
received and/or you are directed by appropriate authority such as the
Coast Guard to assist.

It would obviously be hard to prove that you avoided this responsibility,
but IIRC, those are the rules.

Eisboch


Well, I'm not "corporate America" when I'm out boating, and only out to
make a profit. If I see someone having trouble or if I am directed to
help, I will. I made up a large loop spliced line with handhold knots to
help someone in the water climb aboard the old Yo Ho (the ladder was not a
permanent attachment), and I still have it on the new Yo Ho.

That went over my head. What does "corporate America" and "making a
profit" have to do with a legal obligation (as well as moral) to provide
assistance in a legitimate maritime emergency?

Eisboch

D-unit wrote:
After getting drenched in a heavy downpour last week and on my way
home, I notice a fellow off to the side of the ICW *walking* his boat
up the waterway. He waves and appears to be in distress so I turn
around to see what's up.

Turns out,

His battery is dead. I hand over my battery booster which doesn't help
much. (Im wondering if I shouldn't have bought a larger one) He then
asks me to tow him to the wildlife ramp. (approx. 3-4 miles)
to which I reluctantly replied ok. He said a couple other guys had stopped
but refused to give him a tow. I have never had to tow anyone but was
willing to help the guy out.

I did irk me that he had no back up of any kind. i.e. extra battery, paddle.
battery booster.

When we got to the ramp, he offered no *thank you* but a "what do I owe
you"?
A thank you would have sufficed, I guess that's what he meant.

Afterwards, I starting thinking about what my obligations are in similar
situations.

I think Im only legally obligated to lend assistance only if it is a dire
situation or
someone is hurt. Maybe someone could clear this up.




I am sure someone will chime in with the "obligations stuff". Anyway I
have never left anyone stranded. And have never accepted any money in
return. We have have a few outings interrupted. But not that many. I
think I have towed maybe three boats in the last ten years.

There was one guy I was about ready to cut lose after he told me his
starter had been going out of over a year. It was going to be a long tow
as well. Apparently the starter cooled enought to fire it up just after
this little fact was presented to me :-)

Capt Jack R..

"Jack Redington" wrote in message
...
D-unit wrote:
After getting drenched in a heavy downpour last week and on my way
home, I notice a fellow off to the side of the ICW *walking* his boat
up the waterway. He waves and appears to be in distress so I turn
around to see what's up.

Turns out,

His battery is dead. I hand over my battery booster which doesn't help
much. (Im wondering if I shouldn't have bought a larger one) He then
asks me to tow him to the wildlife ramp. (approx. 3-4 miles)
to which I reluctantly replied ok. He said a couple other guys had
stopped
but refused to give him a tow. I have never had to tow anyone but was
willing to help the guy out.

I did irk me that he had no back up of any kind. i.e. extra battery,
paddle.
battery booster.

When we got to the ramp, he offered no *thank you* but a "what do I owe
you"?
A thank you would have sufficed, I guess that's what he meant.

Afterwards, I starting thinking about what my obligations are in similar
situations.

I think Im only legally obligated to lend assistance only if it is a dire
situation or
someone is hurt. Maybe someone could clear this up.




I am sure someone will chime in with the "obligations stuff". Anyway I
have never left anyone stranded. And have never accepted any money in
return. We have have a few outings interrupted. But not that many. I
think I have towed maybe three boats in the last ten years.

There was one guy I was about ready to cut lose after he told me his
starter had been going out of over a year. It was going to be a long tow
as well. Apparently the starter cooled enought to fire it up just after
this little fact was presented to me :-)

Capt Jack R..


Years ago, I was in my 14' skiff, and a guy grounds on the dredging spoils
for San Leandro harbor channel. I manage to get this about 30' boat off the
mud. Left him after he again runs out of the well marked channel, pilings
all along the channel, and grounds again. He needed a lesson and could
contemplate where he screwed up while waiting for high tide.

wrote:
On Tue, 4 Sep 2007 23:35:11 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


Years ago, I was in my 14' skiff, and a guy grounds on the dredging spoils
for San Leandro harbor channel. I manage to get this about 30' boat off the
mud. Left him after he again runs out of the well marked channel, pilings
all along the channel, and grounds again. He needed a lesson and could
contemplate where he screwed up while waiting for high tide.



I had a similar experience with a nasty German couple in a 26'
Bayliner. This guy was in the mud at the mouth on the Estero river ...
lost. I got him back in the channel and told him how to get to Mullock
Creek, where he thought he was. I was careful to explain that he was
not going to be able to take a shortcut today. Stay in the channel all
the way to Big Carlos and take the correct channel to where he is
going.

Nope, nothing doing, He saw a boat in the other channel and he went
for it. I pulled him off again and gave him direction again. 3 minutes
later I saw him stove up on the bar by #3, still about 100 yards from
where he could turn.

This guy acted like it was my fault that he couldn't take the shortcut
each time I stopped.

My wife said "screw him, lets go" and we did.

Yep - some folks need time to "think" about what they are doing. Or now
doing..

Capt Jack R..

On Tue, 4 Sep 2007 12:27:23 -0400, D-unit penned the following well
considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

After getting drenched in a heavy downpour last week and on my way
home, I notice a fellow off to the side of the ICW *walking* his boat
up the waterway. He waves and appears to be in distress so I turn
around to see what's up.

Turns out,

His battery is dead. I hand over my battery booster which doesn't help
much. (Im wondering if I shouldn't have bought a larger one) He then
asks me to tow him to the wildlife ramp. (approx. 3-4 miles)
to which I reluctantly replied ok. He said a couple other guys had stopped
but refused to give him a tow. I have never had to tow anyone but was
willing to help the guy out.

I did irk me that he had no back up of any kind. i.e. extra battery, paddle.
battery booster.

When we got to the ramp, he offered no *thank you* but a "what do I owe
you"?
A thank you would have sufficed, I guess that's what he meant.

Afterwards, I starting thinking about what my obligations are in similar
situations.

I think Im only legally obligated to lend assistance only if it is a dire
situation or
someone is hurt. Maybe someone could clear this up.

A few thoughts:

1) You lend assistance to the crew and passengers, not the vessel....
so, just waiting at the scene until "assistance" comes is a legal
option.

2) Those advising against any further help may actually be putting
caution and common sense ahead of being a good Samaritan. In a
litigious society, that may not be an all bad idea. (What would the
outcome have been had you been accused of damaging the towed boat in
some way?)

3) It isn't really legal to accept any sort of compensation for this
sort of tow unless you have a Captain's License with a Commercial Tow
Assist endorsement.

Personally, I, too, would have given him a careful tow to Wildlife and
accepted no pay.... but recognize that there could be some liability
incurred, especially if the towee is the sort of person disinclined
to offer appreciation for the voluntary assist.

YMMV.

--

Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Oak Island, NC.

Homepage
http://pamandgene.idleplay.net/

Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguide
http://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats
-----------------
www.Newsgroup-Binaries.com - *Completion*Retention*Speed*
Access your favorite newsgroups from home or on the road
-----------------

On Sep 5, 11:27 am, Gene Kearns
wrote:
On Tue, 4 Sep 2007 12:27:23 -0400, D-unit penned the following well
considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:





After getting drenched in a heavy downpour last week and on my way
home, I notice a fellow off to the side of the ICW *walking* his boat
up the waterway. He waves and appears to be in distress so I turn
around to see what's up.

Turns out,

His battery is dead. I hand over my battery booster which doesn't help
much. (Im wondering if I shouldn't have bought a larger one) He then
asks me to tow him to the wildlife ramp. (approx. 3-4 miles)
to which I reluctantly replied ok. He said a couple other guys had stopped
but refused to give him a tow. I have never had to tow anyone but was
willing to help the guy out.

I did irk me that he had no back up of any kind. i.e. extra battery, paddle.
battery booster.

When we got to the ramp, he offered no *thank you* but a "what do I owe
you"?
A thank you would have sufficed, I guess that's what he meant.

Afterwards, I starting thinking about what my obligations are in similar
situations.

I think Im only legally obligated to lend assistance only if it is a dire
situation or
someone is hurt. Maybe someone could clear this up.

A few thoughts:

1) You lend assistance to the crew and passengers, not the vessel....
so, just waiting at the scene until "assistance" comes is a legal
option.

2) Those advising against any further help may actually be putting
caution and common sense ahead of being a good Samaritan. In a
litigious society, that may not be an all bad idea. (What would the
outcome have been had you been accused of damaging the towed boat in
some way?)

3) It isn't really legal to accept any sort of compensation for this
sort of tow unless you have a Captain's License with a Commercial Tow
Assist endorsement.

Personally, I, too, would have given him a careful tow to Wildlife and
accepted no pay.... but recognize that there could be some liability
incurred, especially if the towee is the sort of person disinclined
to offer appreciation for the voluntary assist.

YMMV.

--

Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Oak Island, NC.

Homepagehttp://pamandgene.idleplay.net/

Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguidehttp://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats
-----------------www.Newsgroup-Binaries.com- *Completion*Retention*Speed*
Access your favorite newsgroups from home or on the road
------------------ Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

We found a guy in a big boat sitting on it's side in low tide behind
Seldon Island in Deep River CT, on the CT river. Of course, no one
told him the tide was going out so he was stuck until morning. My
Sears Jon, was not going to get him out, so we gave him the food and
drinks from the cooler to keep him for the night. High tide was going
to be about 6 am iirc.. His "buddies" had hiked out and left him
there for the night, yuppies, geeze... It was the 80's then, my jeep
bumper sticker read "die yuppie scum" But he was a boater after all.