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Old 02-06-2013, 10:37 AM   #20
Moonstruck
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City: Hailing Port: Charleston, SC
Vessel Name: Moonstruck
Vessel Model: Sabre 42 Hardtop Express
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,276
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sailor of Fortune View Post
If you call the tow on ch 13 ,the bridge to bridge nav channel (ch 67 on western rivers) the towboat capt should respond to you. He probably won't call you unless you are in his way. Remember, he is monitoring at least 2 and maybe 3 radios in his wheelhouse so sometimes patience is a good thing.
They will appreciate your contacting them with your intentions.
Capt. Jack is the pro here. I have always had the most success contacting tows on channel 13. That goes for AICW and GICW traffic as well as the river system. Never did the Mississippi, and don't intend to. A few will not answer, but they are in the minority. I have found that sometimes at night the tow captains or pilots like to chat a little. They are usually very helpful. They don't want to deal with any "incidents". Just had a court case of a tow running over an open fishing boat at night near the Sequayah Nuclear Plant. Loss of life was involved. Fishing boat was anchored in the channel.
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