On Sep 4, 9:27?am, "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.

Check your individual state law.

In most jurisdictions, offering rescue services or other assistance is
legally optional. Might be morally or ethically compelled, but seldom
legally required. In fact, some people are reluctant to lend
assistance due to well-founded fear of lawsuits. There have been many
well publicized cases where a passer-by performs CPR on somebody
having a heart attack, the victim dies anyway, and the person who
offered the assistance is then sued by the deceased's heirs for an
enormous amount of money.

States now typically have "Good Samaritan" laws in place to protect
volunteer rescuers from such lawsuits, but some states have a variety
of standards that appply and in many the voluntary rescue must be
performed with a certain level of competence for the legal protection
to be fully effective.

The USCG actually refers to boaters who stop and render assistance as
"good Sams" or "good Samaritans". In the original parable of the Good
Samaritan, a foreigner from Samaria stopped to assist a person injured
on the side of the road when the person's actual neighbors were
pretending not to notice him. Being a good Samaritan is a voluntary
action.

When monitoring Channel 16, its normal to hear the Coast Guard "ask"
whether there are vessels in the vicinity of a situation that might be
willing to help...."any vessels in the vicinity willing to render
assistance or provide additional information......". If there were
some law requiring compliance, I think we would hear "all vessels in
the vicinity are directed to proceed to the scene....."