Last summer, I towed a rowboat back to the ramp using the 30lb electric motor on my canoe. They had broken an oar lock and were trying to get back to the ramp using one oar. It was kind of pathetic, but at least they were trying. It was only about 300 yards back to the dock, so it did not impact my day. The guy offered to give me $$ to pay for electricity for charging my battery (which I thought was a good gesture), but I declined and took a beer instead.
It's a jungle out there!
- Thread starter _WW_
- Start date
Isn't there also a salvage reward? Like if someone is towing or transporting something valuable and they make a distress call and you put yourself at risk to rescue them you're subject to an award based on a number of factors?
Westfly Refugee
Steelhead
For these situations, it's very much worth making a towing bridle and having it aboard. A bridle makes the whole process easier and safer. AND if it's you that ever has to be towed, now you have the right gear to assist your rescuer.
Jeff Dodd
Steelhead
What a disappointment to hear.
I’ve been towed once, and I’ve spent hours helping a couple guys out of a bad situation and tow them to a protected bay…. I wasn’t in the mood and they were so stoned they didn’t even know they were at Whidbey Island rather than Jefferson Head
.
You just gotta do it.
I’ve been towed once, and I’ve spent hours helping a couple guys out of a bad situation and tow them to a protected bay…. I wasn’t in the mood and they were so stoned they didn’t even know they were at Whidbey Island rather than Jefferson Head
. You just gotta do it.
I admit, I had to google that. I'll be putting one of those together along with a nice container for it.
This is good advice.
Late this last summer @Irafly and I were headed back to Kingston when we came upon a large Bayliner that was broke down. Husband and wife onboard asked if we could tow them to Kingston.
The boat was probably 28' and super heavy. My boat is a 19' aluminum center console that weighs next to nothing. Not ideal. Didn't have a bridle onboard, and it took a bunch of attempts and Jerry rigging to finally make it work. Ira was able to fashion a makeshift bridle with the line we had available and we made it work. Without that it was impossible to make any headway with my light boat towing that beast. Definitely need to add a bridle to my equipment in the boat.
10-4 on having/using a bridle in towing a fellow boater!
The first couple times I towed a was on freshwater lakes and made a rope work (make sure that it is long enough to provide safe distances between the boats).
The third time was again on a lake while kokanee fish. At the time I used a drift sock rigged on a bridle to slow my trolling speed down. Quickly recognized the value of a bridle in towing another boat. That bridle also had a small buoy in the towing loop which can be helpful.
Have also provided assistance in the salt (I fish out of 16-foot Lund), one of those had a prepared bridle ready (don't count on many boaters being so prepared. His bride was a length of rope with clips on each end with a large center loop with a float. All I had to do was catch the bridle clip to the stern and attach a nice long tow rope. Really like the ease and safety of those clips If some goes wrong easier to detach the two boats.
One addition thought is to think on the best approach to safely landing the boat being towed and before the final decision be sure to share the plan with the other skipper.
Be safe and prepared
Curt
The first couple times I towed a was on freshwater lakes and made a rope work (make sure that it is long enough to provide safe distances between the boats).
The third time was again on a lake while kokanee fish. At the time I used a drift sock rigged on a bridle to slow my trolling speed down. Quickly recognized the value of a bridle in towing another boat. That bridle also had a small buoy in the towing loop which can be helpful.
Have also provided assistance in the salt (I fish out of 16-foot Lund), one of those had a prepared bridle ready (don't count on many boaters being so prepared. His bride was a length of rope with clips on each end with a large center loop with a float. All I had to do was catch the bridle clip to the stern and attach a nice long tow rope. Really like the ease and safety of those clips If some goes wrong easier to detach the two boats.
One addition thought is to think on the best approach to safely landing the boat being towed and before the final decision be sure to share the plan with the other skipper.
Be safe and prepared
Curt
Many years ago I was on the Columbia springer fishing. It was late in the afternoon, wind blowing rain sideways. We were heading back to the launch when we saw a guy in an older boat using a canoe paddle trying to paddle his boat upriver and into the wind. He was screwed. My buddies weren't to keen on helping him out, but then I saw not a child, but an infant in the boat. Kid was under 5 years old. Conditions were absolutely miserable. I immediately went over and offered to tow him. It wasn't a long tow, probably under 30 minutes. I felt good about helping out another boater in distress, until we got back to the launch and the guy never thanked me. Asshole! 20 minutes later after pulling my boat out of the water I scolded him for having an infant on the water in those conditions. He deserved the beat down. I drove away thinking never again, but with passing time I fully realize if I encountered another rescue situation I wouldn't hesitate for a second to offer help. I got good karma from it as the next morning I hooked a nice king the first 5 minutes on the water.
My father and I were fishing the St. Lawrence River near Clayton from his little Boston Whaler when we were flagged down by a couple guy fishing in a professional bass tournament. They had run out of gas. As I recall, the co-angler did most of the talking and he was pretty hot. Apparently, the boater had neglected to fill up before takeoff and they were losing valuable time. The co-angler was in or near the money when it happened. We towed them back to the gas dock at the state park where we were camped. Quite a picture with the 14' Whaler towing the 20' metal flake bass boat. The boater offered to pay Dad, but the chuckle we got out of it was payment enough.
Yes definitely this! It's not the easiest thing to do to get a towed boat to the dock. Ira and I had an interesting time getting the Bayliner tied up at the docks in Kingston for sure. Not a lot of room to maneuver.
The float on the bridle to help keep it up top and out of the engine / prop area is a good idea.
SF
A bridle is a must...spread the strain on two cleats instead of one...also a good idea to have a float on the bridle in case of powering down and not letting the lines reach the prop...
Also, be sure to put your power poles down before the tow line tightens up. 
Denwor54
Life of the Party
I was surprised that you were not helped as the golden rule with all boat operator’s is if a boat is in distress you stop and help. I grew up on the straits and I have helped numerous anglers make there way back to there launch. Last year a buddy was floating the same river and his oar broke and he called for help and we ran back down river to support him. The boat operator that refused should have his boaters license revoked in my opinion. And I can guarantee that if i see anyone needing help I will do my best to make sure they make it home safe.
FinLuver
Native Oregonian…1846
Yesterday, a young driver was sitting in the middle of five lanes, on a highway in the middle of town; he had ran out of gas.
Traffic was pretty heavy, just before rush hour, and all cars and trucks were going around him, on the way to fulfilling their important lives.
Me and the boy pull up beside and holler “need a push?” The nervous kid gladly accepts the offer.
I stop traffic for two lanes and my boy helps push the disabled rig to the curb.
It amazed me how many just passed on by.
I know in today’s whacked out world, you have to think of your own safety…for which we as a society have been conditioned to fend for ourselves (and with some just cause). I say assess the situation, surroundings, and your capabilities…and help if you can.
It took all of five minutes to get the kid safely to the side of the road and traffic flowing smoothly again.
Enjoy your day.
Traffic was pretty heavy, just before rush hour, and all cars and trucks were going around him, on the way to fulfilling their important lives.
Me and the boy pull up beside and holler “need a push?” The nervous kid gladly accepts the offer.
I stop traffic for two lanes and my boy helps push the disabled rig to the curb.
It amazed me how many just passed on by.
I know in today’s whacked out world, you have to think of your own safety…for which we as a society have been conditioned to fend for ourselves (and with some just cause). I say assess the situation, surroundings, and your capabilities…and help if you can.
It took all of five minutes to get the kid safely to the side of the road and traffic flowing smoothly again.
Enjoy your day.
Paige
Wishing I was fishing the Sauk
About 20 yrs ago a buddy and I were fishing IRS for Chum when I see a pontoon coming down. It looked funny and the guy wasn't rowing but was waving.
We hop into my friends sled to go see what was up, turns out the straps on 1 side of his pontoon failed and he was holding onto it, he'd dropped his anchor to try and stop but it didnt work.
We pulled him to shore loaded up his boat and gave him a ride down to Ben Howard, he was very thankful and lucky we where there, as there was a log at the bottom of the shoot bellow IRS or gotten stuck in the middle of that shoal.
We hop into my friends sled to go see what was up, turns out the straps on 1 side of his pontoon failed and he was holding onto it, he'd dropped his anchor to try and stop but it didnt work.
We pulled him to shore loaded up his boat and gave him a ride down to Ben Howard, he was very thankful and lucky we where there, as there was a log at the bottom of the shoot bellow IRS or gotten stuck in the middle of that shoal.
