How about some "Tow Karma"

[treeskier]

I gave a young family a tow today. They were in a Glastron outboard with a dead battery. It was only 20 minutes out of my way and it felt good to be able to help out. I never towed anything with the boat before so I wasn't sure of any "do's or dont's" related to the process so I just decided to wing it and it worked out well. Skiing the Utah Wasatch on big powder days if you stopped skiing to help someone located a lost ski in 3ft of fresh we called that "ski karma" ... for good fortune. I wonder if there is "tow karma"?

 

[Trm1765]

It must be a towing kind of a day. Hope I don't need any karma though..

 

[Gym]

I gave a young family a tow today. They were in a Glastron outboard with a dead battery. It was only 20 minutes out of my way and it felt good to be able to help out. I never towed anything with the boat before so I wasn't sure of any "do's or dont's" related to the process so I just decided to wing it and it worked out well. Skiing the Utah Wasatch on big powder days if you stopped skiing to help someone located a lost ski in 3ft of fresh we called that "ski karma" ... for good fortune. I wonder if there is "tow karma"?

I'm sure the water gods are smiling on you @treeskier. nice job.

 

[dan144k]

Helping stranded people fun and you feel good after doing it. I towed one boat years ago with a stand up jetski. probably helped out about 8 people over the years. Most were stuck on lake michigan not far from the harbor but drifting into rocks. Before cell phones were popular.

 

[Bousbous55]

This is a good thread to keep adding to, I never took pics of any of my tows, so far it's been 2 boats and 1 jetski.

 

[itsdgm]

Great job guys. @treeskier that guy that you towed looks like he's gotten "an earful" from the wife!!

 

[beachbum]

Last weekend we were waved down by fellow jet boater. .. sea doo ... dead battery. I had never used it on the water, but I was happy to hear his engine fire up when we passed him our portable battery booster... he was off to buy one for himself. Saved towing him a LONG way to the dock.

 

[scokill]

I've towed my share of people over the years and have given folks my second battery on the water to use a number of times. I also keep a long set of jumper cables and have jumped a couple of folks at the ramp too. You might hear from the liability police on towing though.....that's never been a concern for me.

 

[justason]

Our lake has near zero traffic weekdays,specially dusk. My daughter and i took the waverunner out last monday. Found a couple drifting/no gas. Its simpler for me to bring them a tank, but this was a 2 stroke.

Tied a rope around my abdomen to thier cleat. My girl drove......maybe 1.5 miles to the dock!!!!!
It was hard but we got it done...no doubt they wouldov slept out there if we didnt come thru

They tossed my girl a $20. Go figga

 

[rkluck]

As mentioned above it always makes me feel good to help people. I have towed so many people in over the years and have helped several get their boat running. Two years ago we saw a boat with about 5 girls and it wouldn't start. We had about 7 people swimming around so at first I was watching but they were drifting out and heading towards some rocks as well. I dove in and swam over to them. It was a mother that had got the boat in a divorce her two daughters and their friends. The scenery was great. I didn't think I could my stomach in as along as I did! HA. Anyway the carb was messed up but I was able to get it going and showed her how to start in until she could get it back and fixed. It saved their weekend and they were so happy. They dropped my off by my boat and then of course I was kidded about the purpose of me helping but all in jest. We help at least one person a year on the lake and we also help many bikers (I love to ride). The first one this year was at bike week. I figure some day I will need help and I am hopeful someone will come along just like I do. We have meet some good people this way as well.

 

[tdonoughue]

I am only in my 3rd year of boating, but have also helped several folks. Basically I see it as a responsibility of being a captain. You always help another in need on the water. Period.

However (and here is the good teaching reminder point, I believe), a captain always has primary responsibility to his craft and crew. So, whatever aid is rendered must be done safely. If you tow, be sure to have a good knife nearby and that no one stands near the tow rope. Why? If the craft you are towing sinks (dead battery craft tend to have non-working bilge pumps), you need to be able to cut your craft from theirs quickly. And that rope under tension? If it snaps, it can have very nasty whip effects.

So, for me, stop and render aid is never even a question. But let's keep our heads about us out there, don't add to the panic, and make sure that we are thinking of the safe way to help.

 

[robert843]

On the Bimini Gathering I towed @Jerry Ferrera in to the fuel dock using my jet ski and @andy07sx230ho towed @veedubtek in on a jet ski as well both of their boats ran out of fuel about 100 feet from the entrance of Bimini Sands. Don't get me wrong I can think of a lot worse place to run out of fuel as when we picked them up they were all swimming in the water having a good time lol. Wish I had pics but there was so much going on at that time I didn't think about it.

 

[veedubtek]

And a million thank yous sirs. Definitely weren't really in a bad situation, lol.

 

[JC6275]

2 weekends ago we were out on Clinton lake and were passing by another boater who waved us down, he had gotten too close to some pilings and busted his prop, we gave him a ride back to the marina where he had a spare prop. Then gave him a ride back to his boat..... I was happy to help, this Is just one reason I am glad we go " propless"

 

[MikeyL]

[QUOTE="Gym, post: 118349, member: 116"]I'm sure the water gods are smiling on you @treeskier. nice job.[/QUOTE]
A BIG X2 !~!!!

 

[KXCam22]

Just don't tow from the tower or the waterski rope connection - I have seen a few pull out of the hull making a mess. Only use the trailer strap connection points as they are very strong. It is a pain since it is not centered. Cam.

 

[treeskier]

Great point I didn't think of that I used the waterski rope holder. The trailer strap tie down hooks make better sense.

 

[treeskier]

I am only in my 3rd year of boating, but have also helped several folks. Basically I see it as a responsibility of being a captain. You always help another in need on the water. Period.

However (and here is the good teaching reminder point, I believe), a captain always has primary responsibility to his craft and crew. So, whatever aid is rendered must be done safely. If you tow, be sure to have a good knife nearby and that no one stands near the tow rope. Why? If the craft you are towing sinks (dead battery craft tend to have non-working bilge pumps), you need to be able to cut your craft from theirs quickly. And that rope under tension? If it snaps, it can have very nasty whip effects.

So, for me, stop and render aid is never even a question. But let's keep our heads about us out there, don't add to the panic, and make sure that we are thinking of the safe way to help.

Great point about being able to cut the rope if the other boat sinks I hadn't thought about that possibility.

 

[buckbuck]

Towed a Jet Ski in a couple weeks ago.

 

[KXCam22]

A bad story. We pulled a guy off who was grounded on a sand bar. It was 150' away (2 extended tube ropes) and I couldn't see where he hooked it (over 50 eyes). He had hooked it to the ski rope attachment instead of the trailer attachments and so we pulled a perfect 12" square of fiberglass out of the back of his boat. I felt bad but he took it well. Cam.