Sea Tow: Only for milquetoasts?

[Scaramanga F25]

When I began cruising in 1975 all boaters always helped each another. Canada, US, Bahamas, etc.

The boating scene slowly changed as it became more and more popular.

Last time and only time in 35 years that I was in need, in the current approaching the closed Dania bridge, I barely managed to get to a seawall.
The towing agency wanted to charge $ 800.oo to go one mile back to where I had just been launched. My towing ins. had lapsed while I was hauled out.
It took me 3 hours in 95-degree heat to find out that the cork gasket on top of salt water strainer ( not a loose or blocked hose, not the hull strainer, not the impeller of the water pump, not the thermostat etc etc) had dried out and created an air lock in the cooling system.
The space that I had taken refuge to belonged to Towboat. I was threatened
by one of their captains to set me loose even though no boat was to be docking back there for hours.

I miss those friendlier days. I have a profound dislike of towing predators.

Moral of this blurb: Get towing insurance.

Over the years I have many witnessed a few of these predatory events.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by sailjumanji

I wonder how much we differ. If a boat is in peril, yes, I'll help them keep off a shore, or a reef, or if they can be pulled off a grounding - yeah, I'll do that. But where do you draw the line?


I've read frequent accounts of a fishing boat spinning a hub, or damaging lower unit, or battery dead, and needing a 3-4 hour tow back to their ramp and trailer. There's typically no peril there, just them not wanting to spend the money for a commercial tow.

Well, for myself, it depends very much on the specifics of the situation. A four-hour tow is beyond what I would expect to provide in most cases. There are usually closer facilities, and once they're at the dock -- any dock -- they can take the time to sort out how to unravel the mess they're in.

And they learned what from this? What about their own personal responsibility? Why would they ever buy insurance when they can depend on "fellow sportsmen" to essentially be their insurance?

I guess the way I see it, I would hope that they would pay it forward and help the next boater who is having a bad day.

[Cadence]

It's called insurance. I'm surprise it cost so little with the # of idiots out there. I ran out of fuel come tow me in.

[Scaramanga F25]

I have personally witnessed a good Samaritan, in a sailing catamaran, tow the last 20 miles into Bimini a 25-foot twin-engined center console powerboat with two young couples complete with weekend luggage aboard.

A few are still out there.

[alexanick]

This reply is a little more in response to a64pilot. I have Progressive insurance for my boat that has a clause with BoatUS towing so my tows are covered. But on an occasion last year, I gut my Cal29 hung up on some rocks. Before I had a chance to call for a tow, The Coast Guard came by asking if I had a problem. I responded yes and without hesitation pulled me off and towed me right to my dock. A big "Hats Off" to our seamen in blue.

[Cadence]

The last time I was a good Samaritan, was because the overloaded boat had kids aboard.

[sailjumanji]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I look at this quite differently.

We sailors traditionally have a strong, even superstitious belief, belief to the point of fanaticism, in "what goes around, comes around."

So I not only help a fellow sailor in peril, I am just as eager to help a fellow sailor avoid an expensive commercial towing bill. If someone on the next pontoon has an electrical problem, I don't tell him to call an electrician (although I'll gladly give him numbers if he wants them) -- I jump on board with my electrical bag. If a sailor from far away doesn't have charts or tidal stream maps, I don't tell him he should be better prepared next time, I just give him some old ones I have lying around, or let him photograph mine on his cell phone. Not hypothetical, but real examples. If he needs a tow, then I put himself in his shoes -- $2000! Wow! -- and roll up my sleeves and throw him a line, and am very glad to be able to help.

For the whole cruising world to rely on commercial towing means we have to somehow support a whole infrastructure of professionals ready at all times to do it. That is expensive. If we simply towed each other, it is much cheaper and more rational.

I have absolutely no problem towing a fellow sailor to help him avoid what I know would be a painful hit for most of us -- a multi thousand dollar towing bill. I am even glad to spend a few hours doing it.

It's not only a question of "what goes around, comes around." I sail for fun, doing what professional mariners do for money, for free, or rather I pay to have a chance to do it. Navigation, boat maintenance, anchoring, pilotage, crew management -- we PAY to do all of this, rather than getting paid. What's the difference to add to that "towing other sailors"? It's just one more in a long line of maritime jobs. So I do not only to help, but because it's an interesting challenge, and like everything I do on my boat, i find fun in it.

As to the risks -- who cares? We risk damage every time we go out. I have insurance to cover the stuff which I can't easily repair myself. I don't begrudge my fellow sailor taking some kind of risk to help him.


People's attitudes about this vary a lot by country. In the U.S., it seems people are much more comfortable just letting other people deal with their own problems. Over here, when someone has an engine conk out or runs aground, he calls the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard swings into action and, if there is no immediate peril to life, gets on the radio and asks if there is someone nearby who can help. Usually there is a DELUGE of offers of people willing to go even far out of their way to help, even if it's just to help a dumb fisherman who ran out of fuel. The Coast Guard sorts through the various offers and chooses the one best suited. If there isn't a good private solution, then the Lifeboat is despatched. Or a CG cutter. Even if it's just someone who has run out of fuel. I like this culture and I firmly believe that this is more in line with the old traditions of the sea.

Well, I will be the first to help out a stranded cruiser with an outboard problem, electrical issue, repair a dinghy, and have even tried to work on diesel's (which I know nothing about, but then again was maybe a bit more mechanically inclined than the owner!). And probably my issue is really just with local fishermen. It is shallow here, and as someone said everyone is going to run aground at some point. But despite that, you have some who refuse to buy tow insurance but will be the first to flag down another boater to tow them after they have run aground and damaged their lower unit. They saved $180 per year and you've become their unpaid tow insurance/service provider.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by sailjumanji

. .. . But despite that, you have some who refuse to buy tow insurance but will be the first to flag down another boater to tow them after they have run aground and damaged their lower unit. They saved $180 per year and you've become their unpaid tow insurance/service provider.

Sure, but so what? You can say that about anyone in any kind of difficulty. Why didn't you carry an emergency canister of fuel? You saved $25 and I've become your unpaid fuel delivery service.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by alexanick

This reply is a little more in response to a64pilot. I have Progressive insurance for my boat that has a clause with BoatUS towing so my tows are covered. But on an occasion last year, I gut my Cal29 hung up on some rocks. Before I had a chance to call for a tow, The Coast Guard came by asking if I had a problem. I responded yes and without hesitation pulled me off and towed me right to my dock. A big "Hats Off" to our seamen in blue.

Im not saying anything bad about the USCG, they in fact have nothing to do with it.
However, I bet they, and I know other government agencies have found themselves in court cause a business owners is sueing them cause they are taking away their business.
It actually happens all the time, California burns, while their National Guard UH-60’s sit on the ground, while I’m sure their crews would love to help put out the fires, but if they did, how would Evergreen etc get paid? They are taking away their livelihood if they did.
I watched the MAST go away in Savannah, what you as a tax payer had was a BIG helicopter with a flight Nurse, Crew Chief, two pilots etc and an awful lot of equipment that came and got you if you were in an accident, and the bill? There was none, cause all those people were already paid for as was the helicopter, they got good training and you got assistance, for free.
Now you get a little Bell 206, one flight Nurse, one pilot and bumps in the windows so your head can stick out of one and your feet out of the other, and if there was room for much additional equipment, which there isn’t, The little aircraft doesn’t have the load carrying capacity to carry it anyway.
From a quick glance on the Internet it seems $50,000 Helicopter rides are not that uncommon.
Lot of money to be made if you can stop the government from giving it away for free.

[BandB]

Let's clear one misconception up immediately. IT IS NOT INSURANCE! IT IS A MEMBERSHIP. It's a membership in an organization that contracts with tow providers and agrees to provide it's members certain services per the membership agreement.

Now Towboat US and Sea Tow work largely the same but their agreements do have some slight differences. It's very important that one reads each level of agreement and especially the one they purchase, completely, to understand what they do and do not cover.

The most common issue arises when there's a hard grounding or an accident and these services aren't covered. They should be covered by your boat insurance policy. They're considered salvage and not part of the membership program. Contact your insurer immediately. Then they will often enter into an agreement with the tow provider. However, these services are far more expensive than covered tows are.

Coastal US, these memberships are worth many times what they cost. One tow will pay for the membership for years. You get entangled in a lobster or crab trap, you run across a shoal, you have steering or fuel problems just offshore, or you need your boat moved from your home marina to a yard. The comment of should be able to take care of oneself overlooks the time and sometimes danger of doing so.

As to lakes. When I was young, people on our lake did tow others. However, there was still the issue of when you were boating and few other boats were out and of boaters becoming less inclined to help as they just were not equipped to do so. Now, on that same lake, virtually no one will tow you as they'll immediately send you to Sea Tow or Towboat US whether or not you have a membership. The general thought is that membership isn't expensive and if you don't have it, that was your choice so pay the lady now. Over the years on various lakes there have also been tragedies while someone was towing another boat and lawsuits and large claims and that discouraged individuals from towing.

We travel a lot of areas so have both memberships. I'd definitely want the one that served my home area best.

I will add, that at no cost, the tow captains are the best source of local boating information available. To avoid needing them, if you're not familiar with an area, contact them. They know every shoal as they know every boat that has run aground and they're up to date.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Sea Tow for milquetoasts? Sure. Just like life jackets, EPIRBs, emergency flares. Heck! Carrying a VHF is probably for milquetoasts. Real men don't need no stinkin' help from nobody never!

Finally, someone who gets it.

[sailjumanji]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Sure, but so what? You can say that about anyone in any kind of difficulty. Why didn't you carry an emergency canister of fuel? You saved $25 and I've become your unpaid fuel delivery service.

Nope, maybe YOU can say that about anyone in any kind of difficulty, but I am talking specifically about boaters who choose not to buy tow insurance, in a predominately shallow area with high risk of grounding. Who save the $180 per year premium and EXPECT good Samaritans to rescue them, instead of paying for a commercial tow.

So why should anyone have boat insurance? In your world, is the answer just a GoFundMe with everyone contributing to replace their boat? If no, then what is the difference regarding towing insurance? Don't buy it, because others will be there for you, cost free?

[phydeaux]

It's like AAA for your car. You may seldom need it, but when you do...Our experience has been good. We use them for our Club's committee and coach boats - Tow Boat has done a great job in good weather and bad, onshore and 30 miles out.

[Bawlmer]

Funny you should ask. I just used Tow Boat US last week. I was out in Baltimore harbor. Day Sail. Winds were flaky and I decided to go back in. The engine would not start. No clicks, nothing. I called Tow boat US and they were there in 20 minutes. I was hooked up in no time and they even took me on their hip and delivered me back to my slip. I could have taken the hour or so to find a place to anchor and figure out the problem and hope it was an easy fix and hope I got back before the predicted T-storm but I chose the tow instead. I pay 149.00 per year for the insurance and the tow cost me nothing. Once I got settled in I troubleshot the problem. It was a corroded connection on the control wire to the started solenoid. I had it fixed in ten minutes. I still have no regrets about calling. It was a very active seaway and the distractions caused by troubleshooting would have run me into something. I would have done the same thing again.

[Cadence]

As I recall they differentiate between soft and hard groundings. Someone gets hung up on a sand bar vs someone putting it on the rocks. I'm not sure they don't have a distance from the COLREGS line.
What can you expect for $180 a year?
I believe it is portal to portal. From when they leave their dock till they get back to it. Doubt I'd like to call them without a membership/insurance, call it what you will.
Never the less, a well spent $180.