Block Island Anchor Drag/Tow $$$

[Jim Cate]

Well, as someone inexperienced in the East Coast form of holiday sailing, I'm surprised that no one has said something about simply managing the OP's boat until he returned.

Over the years we have seen similar things in more distant venues, where the fleet consists of longer term cruisers. The usual response is to either tie the boat off to another or to reanchor it... no thoughts of liability or salvage, just do something to limit or avoid damage and help ones fellow mariners. We all know that despite our expertise (whatever level that might be) we could be the next one on the end of the tow rope.

I am not condoning poor anchoring practice, just saying that there are (IMO) better ways of dealing with such a situation than calling for a tow boat without consulting the person who will be charged for the service.

Cheers,

Jim

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Over the years we have seen similar things in more distant venues, where the fleet consists of longer term cruisers. The usual response is to either tie the boat off to another or to reanchor it... no thoughts of liability or salvage, just do something to limit or avoid damage and help ones fellow mariners. We all know that despite our expertise (whatever level that might be) we could be the next one on the end of the tow rope.

+1 (if at all possible)
Like this. Or re-anchor them.

[Teknav]

Hi Jim! Do you really want to "touch" someone's tackle without the owner's presence? Good Samaritan...yes...but the liability is tremendous! I'd not hesitate to re-position anchors, if the owner was present on his/her boat.

Mauritz

[DefinitelyMe]

I agree Jim. I've saved a few boats in my time and had mine saved in turn. No money has ever changed hands; just a bottle of rum and a dinner perhaps!

I used to work for a salvage company. It's a Bermuda company so the overheads that some have mentioned are likely much less than those in the states (we don't really have any health and safety regs. so gear gets used until it breaks. No licenses are necessary or in fact qualifications of any recognised kind...... mind you, our fuel is about $8.50 a gallon) but still, $675 does sound rather unreasonable. We used to charge $225 per hour for our services (two guys and a barge). With other fees thrown in there (such as diving fees, outsourcing specialist equipment etc.) salvaging a 28' boat (and i do mean salvaging, as in, boat is sitting on the bottom when we get there) would cost the customer about $2k and take us 4 or 5 hours. $675 for towing a boat to a mooring? That's downright taking advantage of someone, however negligent the owner might have been.

I wish you luck with your dispute.

[Cotemar]

Nice guys come in last.

The Good Samaritan probable had to deal with the flippin boat blowing down on them then had to save it and tie it off.

Then the Good Samaritan had to wait for the owner to show maybe for hours or maybe the next day.
Saving an un-known boat with and un-known owner can be a big liability as an owner could show up and be pissed and un-consolable

If you’re cruising with buddy boats, then yes do whatever possible to save a tow.

I save boats all the time, but only when the owners are on board.

[DefinitelyMe]

Originally Posted by Teknav

Hi Jim! Do you really want to "touch" someone's tackle without the owner's presence? Good Samaritan...yes...but the liability is tremendous! I'd not hesitate to re-position anchors, if the owner was present on his/her boat.

Mauritz

I can't see why not. Maybe you'll think me naive but boaters tend to be pretty decent people. You'd have to be a real arse to complain about someone re-anchoring your boat for you when it was dragging. Even if it drags again you haven't done any harm!

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Teknav

Hi Jim! Do you really want to "touch" someone's tackle without the owner's presence? Good Samaritan...yes...but the liability is tremendous! I'd not hesitate to re-position anchors, if the owner was present on his/her boat.

Mauritz

Mautitz, not only do I "want to touch" someone's tackle to save a boat from damage, I have done so and would do so again should that situation recur. I would hope that should Insatiable go walkabout, some other yottie would do the same for me.

As I said, it is not uncommon practice amongst the off shore cruising fraternity. I have never heard of unpleasant repercussions, but of course such things may have happened...

Cheers,

Jim

[sailorboy1]

sounds to me that some nice boater DID save the OP's boat

[JPA Cate]

Hello everyone:

Tanksalot wrote, "First, the tow boat did nothing to prevent any damage or save my boat from peril. That's what the savior boat did.. The tow boat driver did make it possible for the savior boat to depart, but at 8PM that was unlikely for at least 12 hours."

Sorry, but IMO, it's irrelevant to guess about how much inconvenience your vessel may have been to the folks who first rescued her. Maybe they wanted to go home that night, or to a less crowded anchorage for the night....I'm sure you can think of other possibilities.

The tow boat did do something to prevent any damage to your boat: it secured it to a safe mooring.

IMO, both the "good Samaritan" and the tow boat did you a huge favor, and if you can figure out how to do it, both are owed. You could try a nice gift for the Samaritan, and a big thank you to the tow boat skipper. Had your boat been bouncing around off many other boats, maybe one of those skippers would be the litigious sort, and just one such could make a huge hassle for you.

Seriously, I think the OP had a painful, but good lesson, if he chooses to use it. Like how to cope with grassy bottoms with poor holding underneath, when is it cool to leave the boat, do I want to leave it when it's anchored on a poor bottom and in close quarters? Lots of opportunities here.

Ann

[Suijin]

It's pointless to start blaming the boater who retrieved the OP's boat as being inconsiderate and selfish. No one was there, including the OP.

And here on the east coast, if you "rescue" for example a lawyer's boat and then some subsequent action causes damage to the boat or to other's boats, there is a sporting chance that they are going to hold you liable. But I guess all the lawyers on the west coast are not like that.

And as for generalizing that "boaters are decent people", give me a break. Postal workers are generally pretty nice people too...

[tanksalot]

Cotemar:

I've read numerous articles about marine salvage, towing, anchoring etc. as a result of this incident, but have seen nothing resembling your statement that: "Once the Good Samaritan that saved your boat called the tow boat and then subsequently released your boat to the tow boat then the tow boat became the savior." This implies that the "salvage" part of this goes on forever. Than when the tow boat releases the boat to the marina, then the salvage law still applies to the marina's charges. Wondering when it ever stops.

My reading has lead me to believe that the law of salvage stopped when the Good Samaritan tied up my boat to his, the peril ceased and the law of salvage no longer applied. If the law of salvage no longer applied, the $675 was excessive for simple towing.

If you have a citation, or a suggestion where to look regarding the "cascade effect" of a salvage incident, I will eagerly look it up. But until then, everything I've read about salvage refers only to the immediate salvager.

Tanksalot

[tanksalot]

I offered the towing company $100, but was rebuffed. I've tried to locate the Good Samaratin, unsuccessfully. He deserves the most. The tow boat company doesn't deserve the $675 (IMHO), and I believe they knew that since their practice is to lock up boats that they've "salvaged" until the credit card charge is authorized.

[sailorboy1]

I think you are just being a cry baby! Just to stop dancing around with the "issue".

If you really feel you have so other "case" it is time to stop wasting time on CF about it and to go get a lawyer etc.

[Mimsy]

Originally Posted by Don L

I think you are just being a cry baby! Just to stop dancing around with the "issue".

If you really feel you have so other "case" it is time to stop wasting time on CF about it and to go get a lawyer etc.

:LOL I was just going to say this! Ok, I was not going to call him a cry baby but I was going to point out that if he wants to argue the merits of salvage law, he will have to file a lawsuit against the tow boat operator. Not only is he likely to lose and have to pay the $675 ( I assure you, towboat operators are VERY familiar with maritime law) but then there will be storage fees for his boat and he is likely to have a counterclaim filed by the tow company and they might get a judgement which includes their legal fees.

This thread should be retitled "How to turn a painful $675 fee into an excruciating $10,000 one)

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by tanksalot

I offered the towing company $100, but was rebuffed. I've tried to locate the Good Samaratin, unsuccessfully. He deserves the most. The tow boat company doesn't deserve the $675 (IMHO), and I believe they knew that since their practice is to lock up boats that they've "salvaged" until the credit card charge is authorized.

I actually believe they lock up the boats so they can be assured payment. As I read this, you've just been given an expensive lesson on anchoring. If you think that by unloading your boat your anchor was pulled out of the bottom, then you anchored way to short and are quite lucky your bill is only $675.