[Don't fish e nuff]

I think Don hit it on the head. Karma. Probably towed a dozen boats in through the years, not on the ocean, just lakes. Needed a tow once and was really glad when someone did. What comes around goes around.
Nobody going to look out for you, we have to look out for each other.

 

[Tinman]

i signed up for Sea Tow a couple of years ago because I wanted to advertise there. They flat out admitted they have no services or tow boats in our area. I don't think any of the commercial towing services do.

Towing another boat can be a can of worms

• Liability if a towline snaps and hurts someone
• Liability if anything bad happens to the towed boat
• You don't anything about the captain/crew of the other boat. Are they drunk, high, beligerent, clueless?
• What do you do if the seas get so rough you must stop towing? Do you just cut the guy loose and head home? Do you stay with him all night?
• Do you have enough fuel? Your fuel consumption could be double or triple

There's no easy answer.

 

[Don G Baldi]

i signed up for Sea Tow a couple of years ago because I wanted to advertise there. They flat out admitted they have no services or tow boats in our area. I don't think any of the commercial towing services do.

Towing another boat can be a can of worms

• Liability if a towline snaps and hurts someone
• Liability if anything bad happens to the towed boat
• You don't anything about the captain/crew of the other boat. Are they drunk, high, beligerent, clueless?
• What do you do if the seas get so rough you must stop towing? Do you just cut the guy loose and head home? Do you stay with him all night?
• Do you have enough fuel? Your fuel consumption could be double or triple

There's no easy answer.

One of the times towing has been discussed I think you posted a link to a website about towing. Thought I'd saved it but can't find it now. It went over those points and others to consider as well as pointers on how to safely tow another boat. Think it was from USCG or BoatUS. Liability is always a concern whether towing or allowing someone on your boat. If they are injured, you're liable. As far as towing, I tend to weigh risk vs guilty conscience for not helping.

 

[bweybright]

So no Good Samaritan protection as you get from offering aid like CPR with first aid training on land?

 

[bweybright]

That's why you want a bridle to form a "Y". Motor sits between the two contact points on your transom and avoid tight turns.

I don't like bringing people over the bar and CG will come and fetch them. The time we got towed and got inside, they redid and side tied us gunnel to gunnel to put us against the dock. That was in the tiny harbor of Garibaldi. Imagine the 42 with a 22' footer tied to its side getting set against the dock. That dude was a skilled helmsman.

So how many feet back from the rear end of the outboard to you put the connecting point of the two legs to the single line?

 

[Don G Baldi]

So no Good Samaritan protection as you get from offering aid like CPR with first aid training on land?

There is as long as reasonable actions were made. I was just reading the reg but closed the link and now can't find it again. But here are a couple links to towing on the water.

https://www.boats.net/blog/boat-towing-guidelines-tips

https://www.boats.com/how-to/towing-on-the-water/

 

[Don G Baldi]

So how many feet back from the rear end of the outboard to you put the connecting point of the two legs to the single line?

Mine is maybe 10' behind the motors but wish I'd made it a bit longer. My outboards are near the corners of the transom so turns are limited in order to keep from rubbing against my motors.

 

[bweybright]

Mine is maybe 10' behind the motors but wish I'd made it a bit longer. My outboards are near the corners of the transom so turns are limited in order to keep from rubbing against my motors.

You get my concern. I have a single primary so was wondering about spacing. I have an Intruder 20 and wouldn't want to much larger than me. What size line?

 

[Don G Baldi]

You get my concern. I have a single primary so was wondering about spacing. I have an Intruder 20 and wouldn't want to much larger than me. What size line?

I'd want at least 1/2" and bigger is better. Tensile strength is the issue as a lot of stress can be put on the line if you're trying to pull a boat up the back of a swell or get a little slack and have it snap tight. That's why I went with 3/4".

 

[sprigdog]

I had to get towed by the Coos Bay CG a couple years back. It was the first trip over the bar in a brand new boat. We shut off both mains and were trolling on the kicker, and could not get the mains restarted due to an idiosyncrasy of the dual digital helms that we couldn't resolve. We notified the CG and continued to run north to just outside of the bar on kicker power. The kicker on that boat was autopilot only, and we notified the CG that we weren't comfortable crossing the bar without an ability to steer. The CG came out and towed us back into slip. They were very nice about the whole thing. Of course, we got a complimentary inspection once we were back at the dock.

What!!! You’re obviously joking. The CG didn’t do a cavity search after the tow?
I’ve read here that the CG will ruin your life if they tow you in.
On a 26’ boat there is so many onion layers to pull back.
Got life jackets. Check.
Got throwable. Check
Got flares. Check.
Got fire extinguishers. Check.
Whistle. Check
Honestly. Y’all have zero clue what you’re talking about.

 

[bweybright]

Soooo what are you doing that has you concerned? You running drugs and worried when you get basic safety questions asked?
"you have read" ever really experienced a boarding inspection? Do you factually know anyone whose life has been "ruined"? I have been boarded multiple times... and a training boarding on the Hudson River was pretty funny when I had more safety gear than needed.... pretty funny the training officer response.

Just wondering about your paranoia?

 

[bweybright]

I'd want at least 1/2" and bigger is better. Tensile strength is the issue as a lot of stress can be put on the line if you're trying to pull a boat up the back of a swell or get a little slack and have it snap tight. That's why I went with 3/4".

Thank you for the insight...kinda what I thought. Just looking storage space on the foredeck....and keeping it mold free from moisture after boating.

 

[Fireguyfish]

I would be more curious on the fuel burn on the boat doing the towing! Do we as sport boats have enough fuel? Might take two boats splitting the 50 miles to tow a boat in. Considering same boat and HP.
Also being a smaller boat owner I only have a 90hp so don’t know how I would do pulling a big boat any distance.

 

[bweybright]

Excellent point. From experience even the pros utilize assist when needed.
A life experience: Brand new boat and the cutlass bearing went out off of Wellfleet MA in 2001. The wonderful harbor master came and got us just before the beach, but needed fuel assist by the second Harbor Master boat to get us all back. Low tide, put us on a buoy for dinner time until high tide then side tied us into docks. $50 bucks, charge - I was shocked.... Lesson learned is know your fuel level and consumption, and when to call in help.
BTW, Wellfleet harbor master got a nice dinner gift certificate. Remember to show appreciation to those who are there for you.

 

[grim]

In my instance, we made a makeshift harness attached to the two rear cleats of the front boat and used our anchor line for the tow rope. It connected to the harness with a bowline knot loop and then to the bow eye of the towed vessel. About 150' of anchor line. The harness placed the tow line about 8 or 10' behind the motor. No problems coming in, no problems across a reasonably decent bar, and no problems pulling up to the docks at South Beach because they were mostly deserted when we got in. The system worked fine until I thought it might work better with the towed boat's motor dropped in the water. That caused the towed boat to fish-tale. Went slow and easy. No issues. Experienced skippers that knew each other on both ends of the tow line helped. Those kind of times are why we should always be a community out there - that and the opportunities for a Kodak moment.

 

[JeffO]

Really interesting thread and I will now make or buy a tow harness.

So………. what keeps you from going down with ‘em if the boat you are towing swamps and sinks quickly? Fast knife work?

(I guess something like that is highly unlikely to happen THAT quickly… but with my anxiety now expressed about having an unpowered boat attached to the stern of my boat, on the ocean, <grin>…… how dangerous is it to tow another boat on the ocean? What can go wrong, like REALLY wrong?)

I would never just leave someone out there in distress, but my 20’ splashwell boat with its 115 horses is far from an ideal tow boat, I think. I’d be REALLY skeeved out about bringing somebody across a bar of any consequence.

 

[Don G Baldi]

Excellent point. From experience even the pros utilize assist when needed.
A life experience: Brand new boat and the cutlass bearing went out off of Wellfleet MA in 2001. The wonderful harbor master came and got us just before the beach, but needed fuel assist by the second Harbor Master boat to get us all back. Low tide, put us on a buoy for dinner time until high tide then side tied us into docks. $50 bucks, charge - I was shocked.... Lesson learned is know your fuel level and consumption, and when to call in help.
BTW, Wellfleet harbor master got a nice dinner gift certificate. Remember to show appreciation to those who are there for you.

Out of the last 4 or 5 I've handed off to the CG I don't recall any even saying thanks on the radio. The one time I was towed in on my buddy's boat I offered the guy that towed us 40 miles a full tank of fuel. He declined.

 

[Reel fortunate]

Out of the last 4 or 5 I've handed off to the CG I don't recall any even saying thanks on the radio. The one time I was towed in on my buddy's boat I offered the guy that towed us 40 miles a full tank of fuel. He declined.

That's the new america unfortunately Don.....

Your offer was more than generous as we all should be in a case of need like this. Even though it's not about the money but helping a fellow boater out. Very sad the gratefulness is not there anymore but expected.

 

[Fireguyfish]

anything could happen out there and it is nice having a buddy boat!

 

[Simon Peter]

I can say I have only had thanks! Offers of full tanks of gas and another that was 1/2 of a Bison!!! I always turn it down as I never did it for anything other than knowing at some point it is going to be me.