HK wrote:
Hmmm. We have a few jerks here who think they are master "baiters," but
the reality is that they already are lost at sea.

Do they shop here? http://www.masterbaitonline.com/

It is actually a very good bait and tackle shop, nice and friendly and
can find what you are looking for. I much prefer spending my boating $
at local businesses, vs. big box corps. but that is just me.

And before anyone accuses me if shilling for anything, I have no
financial stake in the success or failure of this business. I just like
to see the neighborhood businesses stay just that, a neighborhood
business.

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

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.

Wonder why this post just showed up? Interesting.

I haven't read through all the follow on posts, so some of this may be
duplication.

The rules are vague in this regard - you are required to lend
assistance, but the extent of that assistance is directly related to
your level of expertise and the level of assistance needed. Jump
starts? No problem. Fires? No problem. Run out of gas - not your
problem unless there is a danger to life and/or injury.

For instance - let's say that a boater flags you down - out of gas and
anchored out of normal travel lanes or channels. As long as you can
ascertain that there is no danger to life, no assistance is required -
you are not under obligation to provide that boater gas as it's not an
emergency. Any assistance you provide is strictly out of your own
sense of obligation to another human being. Same situation, but one
of the passengers is having breathing problems or suffering a medical
problem at that point you are obligated to provide assistance as long
as it does not place you and/or your passengers in danger. You call
for assistance and standby to render any assistance as needed once the
call is placed, but if in your judgement, you cannot be successful in
performing the assistance safely, no further action on your part is
required.

Now take that same situation, but the disabled boater is anchored in a
shipping channel or in similar danger - nothing more than that. Your
obligation is to assist the vessel out of danger, as in moving the
boat and passengers out of the channel and seeing it safely secured
away from travel lanes.

Where this whole "tow" thing gets tricky is when rendering assistance
while the other boat is in danger. Your obligation is to remove the
boat and passengers from danger - you are essentially rendered
blameless if something happens - like you pull the bow eye out or some
numbnuts does something stupid.

However, this changes if there is no clear and immediate danger to the
disabled vessel and/or passengers. Once you commit to a tow
voluntarily, you are essentially taking control of that vessel meaning
that anything that happens on the disabled vessel is automatically
your fault if fault is to be found.

For instance, you tow the disabled boat back to a ramp for a distance
of three/four miles and enroute the other boater decides to look at
his outboard, falls overboard, you don't notice and the boater drowns.
That's your fault. Or you bang the boat into the dock and cause
damage to the boat, the dock and another boat - that's your fault.

There's also the issue of insurance - most policies don't cover towing
assistance if you are the tower. As a licensed Captain, I have a tow
rider on my insurance and I have the towing endorsement on my license.
I don't think you do.

Additionally, there are nuances to all of this which may, or may not,
cause you to be found at fault if something happens.

The easiest thing to do in this situation is to render what assistance
you are capable of, but when it comes to towing, unless you are
willing to take charge of the disabled vessel in a long tow because
the dumbass ran out of gas or battery ran down, don't do it. Only
assist to your level of ability.

On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 10:39:51 -0400, DownTime penned the following well
considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:


It is actually a very good bait and tackle shop, nice and friendly and
can find what you are looking for. I much prefer spending my boating $
at local businesses, vs. big box corps. but that is just me.

Indeed. After my recent ill fated attempt to buy a fishing rod from
an online box store I found the same item at a local Ma and Pa
in-stock and for 20% less!

--

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 Thu, 06 Sep 2007 10:26:57 -0400, HK wrote:

BeenWetter wrote:
From the Navigation Rules, COMDTINST M16672.2D, page 202:

§2304 Duty to provide assistance at sea
(a) A master or individual in charge of a vessel shall render
assistance
to any individual found at sea in danger of being lost, so far as
the master or individual in charge can do so without serious danger
to the master's or individual's vessel or individuals on board.
(b) A master or individual violating this section shall be fined not
more than $1,000, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both.



Hmmm. We have a few jerks here who think they are master "baiters," but
the reality is that they already are lost at sea.

Harry, for what purpose do you take a nice, sociable thread and attempt to
turn it into an orgy of namecalling?

I would hope you have more class than that.

Where this whole "tow" thing gets tricky is when rendering assistance
while the other boat is in danger. Your obligation is to remove the
boat and passengers from danger

No, your only obligation is to remove the PASSENGERS from danger. But then
I'm no maritime lawyer. But as you suggest it's a matter of ability. If
you're not able to withstand the immense liability risks then it's a good
idea to avoid towing boats.