HELP! I’M OUT OF GAS!
A TOWING MEMBERSHIP CAN SAVE A BUNDLE
For many years, a boater out of gas or out in the ocean with a dead battery simply called the Coast Guard and who would respond to their needs. Changing times and budget cuts have changed the Coast Guard’s mandate from assisting stranded boaters to saving lives and responding to “MAYDAYS” and other maritime emergencies. In the mid 1980’s the commercial assistance towing industry stepped in to fill the gap and now provides non-emergency services in addition to the salvage of sinking, sunk and beached vessels. In many instances, commercial towers will work hand in hand with the Coast Guard in an emergency situation but non-emergency services are now the domain of the commercial assistance towers. If a boater calls the Coast Guard with a dead battery, their officers will offer to contact commercial assistance for him or her and will make an announcement on the radio (Marine Assistance Request Broadcast – MARB) giving the boater’s position and letting other boaters know that there is a disabled vessel in need of assistance. What they WON’T do is come jump your battery!
As the Marine Industry continues to grow with more and more boaters taking to the waterways, calls for assistance are a daily occurrence. Towing can be very expensive partially due to the high cost of maintaining vessels and crew capable of providing service in all types of conditions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Commercial towers must also meet the rigorous standards set by the Coast Guard for safety and all captains must hold a USCG Captains License with a towing endorsement. A 1 hour tow can cost anywhere from 125.00 per hour to over 200.00 per hour. Most towing companies have a 1 hour minimum and charge from “portal to portal” meaning from the time the tow boat leaves the dock until the time it returns.
Fortunately, there are options for the educated boater. Companies like Sea Tow have membership programs for a very reasonable amount of money that work just like a road service membership. A towing membership can provide the boater with towing, battery jumps, fuel drops and many other non-emergency services usually AT NO CHARGE! These companies have staff on call to respond 24/7, 365 days a year when a boater runs out of gas, his or her vessel becomes disabled or they simply need local knowledge. A years’ membership can generally be purchased for around 100.00 per year and just one breakdown will more than pay for the cost of the membership.
Make no mistake, a towing membership DOES NOT replace hull insurance and if your boat is taking on water, beached or in a perilous situation, your local commercial towing company will be happy provide assistance and/or salvage services but it is not included as part of a membership. One way to look at it is “if your car battery dies or you have a flat, you call your road service company; if you wreck the car, you call your insurance company”. Generally, there is some towing coverage on a hull insurance policy but you need to call your agent and find out how much you’re actually covered for. In many instances, a tow from 20 miles offshore will far exceed the amount covered on your policy.
“It’ll never happen to me”. Don’t wait until you’re adrift in the Atlantic Ocean with a dead engine to try and sign up. This is considered a “pre-existing condition” and, while your local marine towing company will certainly provide assistance and/or towing services, most will not sign you up on the spot and tow you for free. It’s a good idea to sign up a day or 2 BEFORE you leave the dock since there is generally a waiting period of at least 24 hours before a membership can be activated.
Whether it’s out of gas, the battery died or the motor quit and won’t re-start, every boater should have a towing membership before they leave the dock. In the long run, for a minimal yearly fee, you can save hundreds of dollars in towing fees for just one breakdown.
Have a Safe & Happy Boating Season!
