When USCG is called..what next?

[jefndeb]

Hello all,

I generally keep an eye out on USCG Southeast District activity and I see how valuable they are. They typically rescue boaters who have health issues and need to have medical care, disables vessels & groundings, anything and everything basically....they are truly amazing...

I also understand they are there to save your life, not your boat. The boat is your responsibility, functional as well as not..

What I often wonder is what happens to the vessel that is left to drift?
That is the backstory that I never hear about...

I am assuming BoatUS or Seatow will assist with the towing?

What if your 10 miles offshore?

Thanks for comments in advance...

Jeff

 

[psneeld]

A lot of "if's" in your question.

The USCG usually will attempt to help in property recovery, even if only to coordinate the assistance towing operators to assist.

I have recovered and towed vessels where the owners have left them for various reasons when an assistance tower.

If the vessel is worth something, salvage alone might interest them.

10 miles may or may not be a big deal...too many factors to comment on in generalities.

 

[SteveK]

Canada CG have for many years leaned on commercial assistance for boat recovery. Of course they will help to keep off the beach until commercial arives. Gone are the days of a free tow.

 

[rslifkin]

Canada CG have for many years leaned on commercial assistance for boat recovery. Of course they will help to keep off the beach until commercial arives. Gone are the days of a free tow.

USCG is pretty much the same way, although I know depending on location and situation, they will tow at times if commercial assistance is unavailable or a commercial tower declines the job. But they're not allowed to just take the tow if a commercial tower may want it.

 

[Shrew]

That is interesting. I've never heard of the CG responding to disabled or grounded vessels, (at least not in the Eastern Long Island Sound or Cape Cod. Those calls get dispatched to Towing services. The only CG dispatches I ever hear are for vessels taking on water, fires, MoB and medical emergencies, or missing vessels. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, I've just never heard one in the hundreds of hours of monitoring Ch 16.

 

[psneeld]

It happens if there is any danger or delay of assistance when a medical condition may require quicker response.

One in a hundred or so calls may be even low.

 

[jefndeb]

https://coastguardnews.com/coast-gu...essel-allides-with-savannah-jetty/2020/05/26/

 

[OldDan1943]

And here is where I have a problem.
If there is a medical emergency resulting in removing the only person onboard or the only person who knows how to steer the boat,a boat and in need of a tow, I call my towing service, they board the boat and tow it back to a dock, the towing service will claim salvage rights, BIG BUCKS!!!
Why am I paying for the towing service if all they will do is tow if I am onboard?
I know of one case that required a tow back from the Bahamas, (engine trouble) the tow company towed the boat back as far as their area of operation would allow and handed the disabled boat off to another, same company, boat to finish the tow into the owner’s dock..... (owner and wife were onboard for the entire tow) then the towing company tried to claim salvage rights. The owner’s wife called the towing company, reminding them, they had unlimited and just what were they trying to pull.
OOPS, the towing company settled for the agreed upon tow price.
NOW, to go back, I have unlimited towing, if I, for medical reason, were to be removed from the boat, leaving the boat unmanned, the towing company, even though they are in my employment, can legally claim salvage rights? What a crock!!

 

[psneeld]

It is a crock, that us neither how the towing services operate normally (meaning g thi ga can be fixed through their national hqs) and it really doesn't matter as I highly doubt maritime e court would allow salvage claims in those cases. Most likely they would award the typical hourly rates if all things were were pretty typical (weather, etc).

They have to be able to prove that their services prevented some kind of probable loss to claim salvage and services that are billed are not covered by the membership agreement.

Neither want a reputation of piracy and the ones I know work hard at servicing customers to keep their business.

Unlimited towing doent include the moon..... Bahamas aren't necessarily included. Outside of normal areas may cost extra...as well as towing to your home dock if too far or you are passing lots of places that can fix you.

In cases of no capable captain, they may be able to deliver a captain under membership agreement but the cost of the captain would be yours... which is only fair.

 

[OldDan1943]

Most likely they would award the typical hourly rates if all things were were pretty typical (weather, etc).
They have to be able to prove that their services prevented some kind of probable loss to claim salvage and services that are billed are not covered by the membership agreement.
Neither want a reputation of piracy and the ones I know work hard at servicing customers to keep their business.
Unlimited towing doent include the moon..... Bahamas aren't necessarily included. Outside of normal areas may cost extra...as well as towing to your home dock if too far or you are passing lots of places that can fix you.
In cases of no capable captain, they may be able to deliver a captain under membership agreement but the cost of the captain would be yours... which is only fair.

An hourly rate for a captain to be on board and steer the boat, for reasonable and traditional hour rate has got to be cheaper than buying your boat out of salvage.
This particular company maintains a business presence in the Bahamas.
In this case, the wife contacted the national headquarters and ‘suggested’ she was willing to make this incident public knowledge.
I have forgotten how the contract defines, your home dock or first repair facility.
BUT, you are correct. Once there was a suggestion of negative publicity, problem solved.
I think the company has redefined that “unlimited” to “up to....” but still call it “unlimited” which may come back to bite them in a maritime court.
I would agree “unlimited” does not mean 1,000 miles.

 

[psneeld]

Unlimited really means times used more so than distance......

But several times a year for the same problem or more than maybe 5 or so tows...your boat is probably going to be checked out.

 

[soin2la]

Gone are the days of a free tow.

Well, that may be the case in the Gulf Islands, with its city dwellers who, whilst on the way to Starbucks, routinely ignore any and all in need of assistance.

There are still Good Sams among serious boaters, who will even tow sailboats, which often run out of fuel.

 

[SteveK]

Well, that may be the case in the Gulf Islands, with its city dwellers who, whilst on the way to Starbucks, routinely ignore any and all in need of assistance.

There are still Good Sams among serious boaters, who will even tow sailboats, which often run out of fuel.

That sounded like an asshat snide remark intended as a personal attack. You do not know me. You do not know my history of involvement with the CG, so when I comment on no more free tow by CG, that is what I spoke to, so pay attention.
The city dwellers as you call them never did offer a free tow. It was and will always be a select few.

Oh, and I once towed a sailboat past their hull speed and had to slow down.

 

[soin2la]

100% on all counts, but I also believe you shouldn't let you chain hang where it's so easy to jerk.

 

[OldDan1943]

That sounded like an asshat snide remark intended as a personal attack. You do not know me. You do not know my history of involvement with the CG, so when I comment on no more free tow by CG, that is what I spoke to, so pay attention.
The city dwellers as you call them never did offer a free tow. It was and will always be a select few.

Oh, and I once towed a sailboat past their hull speed and had to slow down.

If you had to go out of your way, I would hope they at least offered you cash for fuel.

 

[psneeld]

If you had to go out of your way, I would hope they at least offered you cash for fuel.

Can't take money in the US....illegal to accept money unless you have towing license credentials.

In the US....if there is assistance towing...and you aren't all that experienced and gave superior towing equipment.....even good sam towing can be a slippery slope for liability. If no assis tdd ance towing or the USCG wont do it... then sure I am all for it.

Some of us wouldn't drink Starbucks if it were free... those that even bring it up must be more familiar with it than some of us....

 

[OldDan1943]

Can't take money in the US....illegal to accept money unless you have towing license credentials.

In the US....if there is assistance towing...and you aren't all that experienced and gave superior towing equipment.....even good sam towing can be a slippery slope for liability. If no assis tdd ance towing or the USCG wont do it... then sure I am all for it.

Some of us wouldn't drink Starbucks if it were free... those that even bring it up must be more familiar with it than some of us....

You are correct but, if they phrased it as “I need fuel. Come to the fuel dock with me.”
‘Twix you and me, I would find it impossible to accept cash and also impossible to accept fuel. I would tell them, I hope you will help the next boater in distress.

 

[psneeld]

Even if you just accept fuel..... I believe it could be a chargeable offense and the assistance towers have their ears open and sources of info for those kinds of dealings.

Most of the time I dont see it as a big deal for the true good sam...but there are boaters out there that take advantage of the situation and are taking income away from a legit business.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
I would never accept $$ payment for ANY assistance I provided regardless of any laws. The most might be a cold drink or a hot coffee. I'm a firm believer in "play it forward" and I've been on both ends.

 

[SteveK]

Greetings,
I would never accept $$ payment for ANY assistance I provided regardless of any laws. The most might be a cold drink or a hot coffee. I'm a firm believer in "play it forward" and I've been on both ends.

^^^ what he said except we say "pay it forward".

 

[RT Firefly]