Re: Boat towing question .......
I have had problems a few times over my 40+ years of owning boats.. Somehow, always managed to get up and running on my own, and never had to be towed. Thank You Lord...
However, what a sick scary feeling it is, blowing farther from port each minute at 3 knots, and not being able to do anything to stop it.. Been there more than once...
I have towed several people back to port over the years, and have ended my fishing day to do it.. I am NOT a samaritan, or even a "good neighbor", but I know that sick feeling of being stranded, and its frightening.
One really should render assistance to a stranded boater, even though it is not a law.. It IS the right thing.. You might be saving a life, you never know.
I have personally seen a 14 foot boat in distress, completely swamped, engine out, in a heavy wind and building whitecaps in a sudden squall in raritan bay.. I was able to do little as I and my son were also in a 14 footer caught in the same squall, but I stayed close by to them and stayed bow into the wind, ready to at least rescue them if they started going down,, I could not do much for their swamped boat in those heavy winds.. I will never forget to my dying day, the number of big cruising vessels, and big sturdy center consoles, that passed right by those 2 guys without even asking them if they needed help, including 2 guys on a big CC maybe 23 feet that were right next to them, watching the guys getting swamped, tackle boxes and coolers float away, fishing rods sink, and just kept on trying to catch fluke, laughing, jigging away. having a grand old time, then just moving a few hundred yards away and beginning a new drift..... After about 15 minutes one CC that was passing by finally threw them a line, and got them to close shore anyway, and then left them there.
At least they were safe.. I was shocked at the callousness and indifference of so many boaters that could and should have helped , and couldn't be bothered..
Never again did I take my tin 14 ft boat into the bay, for 2 reasons..
1- There but for the grace of God, Go I.. It could have been me, instead of "the other guy"
2.. Because of the limitations I had , I was powerless to make a real difference.
I hope that never happens again.
Its not a law, but I feel all boaters have a moral obligation to help any boater in any kind of distress, even running out of gas... Even at the cost of ending a fishing trip early.. Indifference toward the plight of fellow boaters is inexcusable...
If something gets damaged when towing someone,, hash it out later. get that disabled boat and passengers to safety first, and deal with the other crap later... bob
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