Getting towed in picture/story thread

[zimm17]

I saw some towing photos in the winter fuel thread, I think we should make a dedicated one.

Here's the beginning of my Hampton Roads Powerboat Association Poker Run ($350 to enter).

I got 25 miles into the first leg and she overheated. I threw out the anchor in 2 foot chop, 20mph winds and we were 300 yards from getting blown into the I-64 bridge.

Luckily I had purchased Boat US towing insurance two weeks prior. They showed up in 1 hour.

A 2 mile tow to the local ramp would have cost $581, but was free since I had the insurance.

The culprit was impeller pieces from last year passed through my steering cooler and clogged up my oil cooler. I never thought to check that line until the overheat.

First pic is the beginning of the race, second the tow, last two the culprit.

[The Hedgehog]

It happens. Here is me getting towed in by Tex. We can chalk this one up to some issues with the fuel gauge which has now been fixed. I confirmed that the tank in a 27ZX is indeed 100 gallons. I put in 99.6 before stopping. The Last Real Texan can be seen standing on his boat laughing at me.

[Last Real Texan]

And here's the rest of the story...Bill's shirt says it all in the last photo

[gold-n-rod]

Anyone else? Anyone? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Oh, I know................ how bouts Tony? He's got a ton of material for this thread!!!!!!!!!!! :yes::yes::yes::bonk::bonk::bonk:

[glashole]

you only have to be towed in once to realize to don't want it to happen again :)



thanks again Ken

[Carl C]

A 2 mile tow to the local ramp would have cost $581, but was free since I had the insurance.

$581 for 2 miles! Eeek. Good thing you had the insurance. Maybe some calls for help on the VHF would find a boater glad to make a hundred bucks or so for a short tow. So far I've stayed on the right end of the tow line. (knock on wood)

[chappy]

I once towed in an elderly couple, almost five miles. Got back to their dock, instead of a thanks, I was told,"Your ski boat is too loud!" I told them I know, and I apologized, and told them to have a great day. Then proceeded to laugh all the way home. They reminded me of Ethel and Norman Thayer.
Rich
P.S. That's a real nice coat of wax Carl.:yes:

[f_inscreenname]

My boss come in on a Monday a couple weeks ago looking like the cat just drug him in. I ask what's up and he tells me the night before he took a couple clients and their kids down to Annapolis for dinner by boat. About 11pm they head back and the thing (Donzi) dies. With no other option he has to call Sea-Tow. It takes them until 1am to show up and then it was a $750.00 charge to go 3 miles. :eek!: He was like, "I didn't want to wake you up in the middle of the night". I said if it ever happened again and he didn't call he would be better off not telling me at all.:yes:
So the next weekend rolls around and I am about 5 or 6 miles from the ramp on a Sunday evening and I see the tell tail signs that some folks that need a little help (them staring down at a open motor box). I pull up along side and ask if I can help. They said they blew a hose and then over heated. Then they said "it". They were waiting for Sea Tow to call them back so they could give them their location. Out came the tow rope and we got back to the ramp well after dark and my boat is running on fumes. He pulls out his wallet and says he only has 80 bucks on him but can write a check for the rest. I look at him and say, "the rest of what?" He then said, "I have to pay you something" (meaning more cash then he had). I then told him that I was brought up off the coast of Maine where you never leave a boat behind because when you go to look for it again you may find it in England. With a shocked look on his face I said just return the favor one day for someone who needs it even if it means your ride is over before you really got started and that's payment enough for me. Then as I was walking away I herd him tell his wife, "see boaters are the best people on earth, you would never see that in the city".
When I met up with them he said this had to happen on her (his wife's) first ride on his "new" boat as she added "and last ride". I saw them out a couple weeks later with a big old smile on her face. I like to think that I helped put that smile there.:wink:

[dwiggl]

Right on man.
I was raised on those kinds of good deeds in your neck of the woods (Severn River). Wish I saw more of that kindness out here on the left coast!
We should all do at least one tow per year. It will keep the bank of good will full. Leave the the aggression for hammer time!
Don

[Tony]

Randy, you are a laugh a minute. But, the payback factor gets more dramatic with every additional wisecrack you're piling up. :)

Shoot, I was towed three times this summer alone! Add that to two times last summer, plus once with my Ski Sporter, minus the four tows I've provided. So, my current status is...I am needing to tow a couple people to get back to break-even!

[Carl C]

My boss come in on a Monday a couple weeks ago looking like the cat just drug him in. I ask what's up and he tells me the night before he took a couple clients and their kids down to Annapolis for dinner by boat. About 11pm they head back and the thing (Donzi) dies. With no other option he has to call Sea-Tow. It takes them until 1am to show up and then it was a $750.00 charge to go 3 miles. :eek!: He was like, "I didn't want to wake you up in the middle of the night". I said if it ever happened again and he didn't call he would be better off not telling me at all.:yes:
So the next weekend rolls around and I am about 5 or 6 miles from the ramp on a Sunday evening and I see the tell tail signs that some folks that need a little help (them staring down at a open motor box). I pull up along side and ask if I can help. They said they blew a hose and then over heated. Then they said "it". They were waiting for Sea Tow to call them back so they could give them their location. Out came the tow rope and we got back to the ramp well after dark and my boat is running on fumes. He pulls out his wallet and says he only has 80 bucks on him but can write a check for the rest. I look at him and say, "the rest of what?" He then said, "I have to pay you something" (meaning more cash then he had). I then told him that I was brought up off the coast of Maine where you never leave a boat behind because when you go to look for it again you may find it in England. With a shocked look on his face I said just return the favor one day for someone who needs it even if it means your ride is over before you really got started and that's payment enough for me. Then as I was walking away I herd him tell his wife, "see boaters are the best people on earth, you would never see that in the city".
When I met up with them he said this had to happen on her (his wife's) first ride on his "new" boat as she added "and last ride". I saw them out a couple weeks later with a big old smile on her face. I like to think that I helped put that smile there.:wink: Well said. In my pic on post #6 I never asked for or discussed money. I was just trying to keep these guys from being swept out into Lake Huron. They flagged me down and asked if I'd tow them closer to shore since they were dead on the water. I'm thinking that that's not going to do much good so I told them to get a line ready and I'd tow them into the harbor (2 miles). No money discussed or expected. When we got to the dock they handed me about $30 which I thought was generous and I accepted it. For a long tow I might request some $ but not hundreds but if they didn't have $ there is no way I'd leave a fellow boater in trouble.

[gold-n-rod]

Randy, you are a laugh a minute. But, the payback factor gets more dramatic with every additional wisecrack you're piling up. :)
Shoot, I was towed three times this summer alone! Add that to two times last summer, plus once with my Ski Sporter, minus the four tows I've provided. So, my current status is...I am needing to tow a couple people to get back to break-even!
Tony, I've fitted out the Mach One so that I'm ready for the next time you want to go boating together.
What do you think (see pic)?

[VetteLT193]

Well, it finally happened to me this weekend. I've boated my entire life without being on the wrong end of a tow rope until now.

We took out the Minx on Saturday, was running great. My wife (Kathy) drove it for the first (she did great). Went to lunch on the water, came back out and it wouldn't start. I could tell no spark, but couldn't diagnose it on the water. Lucky for me, the restaurant is next door to the marina where I launch. I walked down and camped out for the next launcher to tow me the 100 yards.
Nice guy by himself came, and he needed help launching his boat anyway, so it worked out for both of us:)

I had the problem fixed within a half hour at the house, no power to the coil.

Took Eddie's 22 out Sunday, ran perfect:)