Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

I feel bad about a situation this past weekend...

I had some guests show up who wanted to go for a ride. No big deal, happy for any excuse to go out. I broke one of my rules and turned away from the marina gas pump with my gas gauge bumping around 1/4. I figured a short little putt, see some sights and catch the fuel on the return. I'm a couple miles out and just ready to turn and go back when we pass by an old old deck boat sitting in an odd spot with 5 souls aboard. They all wave, I wave back, they wave some more and start yelling something. I shut down and back over to find he's broke down. The engine runs fine but won't drop into any gear and they're drifting towards the rock rip rap shore and wants to know can I give them a tow. I said sure, where do you need to go? He says the TWRA launch down by the dam. I calculate quick and figure that would be about an hour one-way at tow speed. I told them I'm very sorry but I'm low on fuel and don't think I can do this for you. He says I'll buy you some fuel. I'm thinking I am not at all familiar with any gas docks in that direction, it was fairly windy and with a boat in tow it was not something I wanted to experiment with so I again said "Sir, I really would like to help but I'm not comfortable doing that". I'm also thinking my guests wanted a ride but weren't counting on or prepared for hours out in the boat. I got him over to a nearby dock and tied off and suggested he give someone a call and headed back to get my fuel and get my guests back on shore so they could go home.

In retrospect, I've been in need on the water before and have always helped anyone else who's needed it. (Some day maybe I'll talk about the 3 drunk women in the party shack pontoon that drifted into view one day and couldn't get it started after taking a dip...) I felt bad but think I did the right thing by not getting further involved, considering all details.

What would you have done?

Makes sense to me. I can't say I would have done it any different. You did get them off the water. Doesn't make sense to put you and your guests in jeopardy to help someone out.

You got him out of harms way. thats more that good enough.

i am always the first to lend a hand, although whether i am on the water or jeeping or hiking i am always one of those who goes prepared. i always try to have myself and my equipment ready to go.

this is just one more reason to make sure you are loaded with fuel, food shelter, tools etc.

know your boat, understand how it works and be prepared to fix it, yes the tranny could have had an internal issue, but a lot of times it is just out of adjustment. ill bet $100 that he did not know the first thing about how his boat shifts, starts, lubricates whatever, and had not tool one on board..

how many people do you know that throw their boat in the water after a winter storage without going through it? ahhh it ran fine last season, let's go

If I didn't feel comfortable towing to the destination they request, I'd done just like you and tow to nearest safe harbor and let them take it from there.

I've towed a couple boats in but had the time and fuel to go where they wanted. One was two Texas bird and turtle officers broke down and I had just put a brand new 50 Merc on the toon and was breaking it it. Once I got them across the lake and back to their dock, I asked for my Get Out Of Jail Free card. The senior officer said he would fill one out I could pick it up on Monday (this was Saturday). Then told me today was his last day on the job as he was retiring. He thought it was funny... Me, not so much.

I think you did the right thing first you got him off the water he could either get a ride to his vehicle or have someone drop off the trailer. this has happened to me before and I always ask to go to the nearest dock. I can worry about the rest not the tow vehicle. don't stress about it Karma is in your favor.

You definitely did the right and courteous thing. You helped to the extent you did not endanger yourself (and running your boat out of fuel is endangering, I think you could argue). My understanding has always been that you're actually obligated by law to render assistance if someone is in trouble. What "trouble" is, guess that's open to interpretation. We've always helped people out, even once causing problems for ourselves which required our boat to be towed in and repaired (long story).

Rendering Assistance (46 USC 2304)
The master or person in charge of a vessel is obligated by law
to provide assistance that can be safely provided to any
individual in danger at sea . The master or person in charge is subject to a
fine and/or imprisonment for failure to

Can of worms. What's "danger"? They could drop an anchor and call for professional help. What's "at sea"? Is that us? The USCG regs govern our lakes, so.... guess it is.

On our chain we have commercial tow boat companies that can provide (costly) assistance (they also tow BUI boats for the marine patrol). People tend to help one another is possible. 2 yrs ago I towed in a kid about 15 on one of those 12 ft SeaDoo jet boats, the baffling in his battery compartment had caught fire and he was adrift. We helped him get the fire out and towed him 1 hr to his father's marina. The next yr I spotted him, he was out with 2 of his friends driving like an IDIOT. Didn't recognize him at first, I honked at him for cutting too close in front of my bow at 30MPH, and he gave me the finger. Him and his friends then got their jollies by zipping around us recklessly, laughing, playing big shot on their little POS. He got his, sheer luck I spotted his dad later the same day in a NO WAKE a few lakes away, never met the man before but recognized the boat. Told him the whole story about his punk kid. I never saw that kid again operating a boat.

I have done the same.. Some idiot twit of a boater breaks down miles from where they put in, and expects "the law of the sea" to compel me to tow them all the way back to it. Sorry pal, I'll tow you to the nearest safe dock with a phone, but no farther. If you don't have the money to call for a cab to take you to go get your tow vehicle, you probably shouldn't own a boat in the first place.

One of my good buddies does not even stop anymore unless they are clearly in danger. After 5 straight weeks of having to tow people (most with POS boats that shouldn't be on the water in the first place), he said screw it. "I didn't buy a boat to spend my weekends playing coast guard to some redneck idiot whose never maintains his shit". I was with him for 2 of them, and neither one even had a decent tow rope. While I don't agree with him, I can totally see his point.

Don't feel bad. You did what you should have.

Tim

Yeah, I towed two rednecks in a POS jon boat across the lake. Before we got under way, I loaned them my spare battery to see if they could get it started. Couldn't so I threw them a line and towed them two miles to their put in. When I asked for my battery back, they played dumb and said they already gave it back. I figured this was going to get ugly when I tied off, got on the dock and told them I will step down on their boat and take it if they wanted me to. They had a change of heart and said, oh yeah, guess we do still have it. After taking time out of my day to help these snuff dipp'n asshats out of a jamb, they were going to try and rip me off.

Some peoples kids...

Another thought! if you do get towed, by all means pay for some fuel. With gas costing what it is now it is ghetto to not give money for fuel or just pay for some to be put in. Most will say OH its ok never mind. Pay anyway, nuttin is for free and what is your day on the lake worth anyway. I carry a six gallon tank for come home fuel anyway.

The requirement to render aid is only to alleviate whatever danger may exist. By towing them to the nearest safe mooring, that standard is met. Nothing says you have to tow them an hour or 2 down the lake to the port of their choice. That's what commercial tow services are for.

Even the Coast Guard (and local law enforcement) will only tow in emergency situations and will hand off to Sea Tow/Vessel Assist whenever and as soon as possible.

And if rendering aid will put you and your vessel in peril, there is no obligation to assist. An extended tow while low on fuel would do just this.

trucky wrote:
What would you have done?

Probably exactly what you did. Don't feel bad.

Great responses, every one. Each perspective is of value.

I don't always think first if the person in need is maybe of a less than desireable person than I'm used to hanging out with. I tend to trust people but will ramp up the situational awareness if something doesn't smell right. Mr. Glock doesn't always ride with me on the boat but maybe he should, dunno.

trucky wrote: Mr. Glock doesn't always ride with me on the boat but maybe he should, dunno.

Yes, he should. You never know !

To the OP, I say you did the correct thing.

To the rest of you, I'm surprised by some of the attitudes out there regarding this issue. You cast judgment on people when their boats break down by calling them "twits" or simply passing them by without offering help. Some people take excellent care of their boats and things still happen leaving them stranded. For those that don't, who cares? They are in trouble when drifting on the water, and for you to just drive by without offering them assistance is just plain being a jerk. Imagine if you were in that scenario. Mr. perfect with your perfect boat out on the water when something irreparable happens leaving you stranded while everybody else just drives by waving. I bet you would feel pretty crappy sitting out there, huh?

Do the right thing. Tow them in. Who cares if you spend the entire day doing that. At least you were out there helping people and making a difference. Who knows. Maybe they'll be the people who tow you back to the dock the next weekend...