Just FYI: I don't know what TPWD's policy on towing is, but I used to work in a boat for a Sheriff's Office. We were only permitted to tow in a life-threatening emergency. Thank a bunch of greedy attorneys for that. If anything happens to your boat (or you/your passengers) while I am towing it, and there is any way an attorney could convince a jury that my negligence caused it, my agency would be sued. My agency didn't want to be sued. My orders were to refer non-emergency tows to a commercial towing service.

I would imagine that most, if not all, agencies funded by tax dollars have similar policies.

I don't recall the name of the service, but there is a towboat franchise that works many of the larger Texas lakes. When I fished fresh water I kept the operator's number in my phone. Tows aren't cheap.

BoatUS.com

This

> Thank a bunch of greedy attorneys for that.

Aren't you supposed to say thanks to jury that makes the final call? Or agency lawyer that has no balls and decides to settle? Or the actual owner that sues his savior and no one teach him manners afterwards...

It would probably depend on the City they are based in and their level of customer service.

I know Plano FD will turn you water off if you get a water leak in your house, and you don't know how to shut of water to your house.

I had the same experience on Roberts maybe 10 years ago, in early January. Fished in Jordan all day and when we pulled out to main lake - it was dead calm and a beautiful sunset. Stopped and took pictures. When I fired back up the oil warning came on. You guessed it - out of oil . I hadn't filled the reservoir since summer and this was the first trip out in some time. My mistake. Got on the trolling motor and headed to Buck where we put in as fast as I could. It got dark and cold and we weren't really prepared for that. My mistake again. I started calling Pilot Point FD - no interest, the Wise and Cooke Count GW- all out checking duck hunters- no interest, and you have to tell the story over to every one who answers the phone. Mean while the cell phone battery is dying - no charger cord. My mistake again. By now its dark and cold- thankfully zero wind- calm as glass. I call my duck hunting buddy and tell him where we are and ask if he'd come get us if the trolling motor battery died. He agrees , and we keep in touch about every 30 minutes on the phone. Finally roll up to the Buck Creek ramp at about 9:30 with almost no TM battery left. But got home safe.
Learned a few lessons: 1) check the oil 2) carry spare clothes 3) carry a cell phone charger 4) Unless your dying - the fire dept. and GW's really won't help , and if they do it's probably a search and recovery effort only!
Be safe out there!

A few years ago wife and I were out on a Sun afternoon, no one else on the lake. Decided to come home and motor would not start. Wind was blowing a gale, but it was blowing us in the direction of an isolated boat ramp, known as a place for druggies to meet. Fortunately we blew in real close, called 911 and after about 2 hours a deputy came out and got us and took us to the boat ramp where out trailer was parked. Got home about midnight. Lessons learned for sure.

Yep. Them too......

https://www.boatus.com/MembershipWeb_Main/Membership/personalbuytowing.aspx
The freshwater towing is all bounded unless you go to the coast. A average tow on Texoma will run $300. It all dependes where you are and where you need to go back.
One thing about Boat US all there captain hold a maritime captain license by Coast Guard.
If there is not a tower on the water you are on they will find one, money youbare out they will reinbuse you

Thanks for all the replies.

Donothin + Lstewartplano: your experience sounds almost exactly like mine. It's great to have the lake all to yourself - until it isn't!

FYI - asked Grapevine FD and was told they don't help in situations like these unless there's a risk to public safety or welfare...

BoatUS is provider for all ins companies. You may be able to get BoatUS cheaper through your agent than buying direct from BoatUS. In my case, it was half the $$$ BoatUS coverage I had with Geico was $15/yr and only covered first $250 of towing. I changed to unlimited towing for $31/yr through Geico. Same coverage from BoatUS is $72/yr.

There are some limits on "unlimited" towing. They cover a handful of TX lakes (lew, eagle mtn, texoma, conroe, sam & tb) in their entirety. If you're lucky/unlucky to be stuck on one of them there are no limits. If you're not on one of those six, they'll come to you at a charge of $300 per hour, starting and ending at closest port. BoatUS pays first $2,500 I think that would cover big chunk of TX, maybe all except far west and border lakes.

Hope I'll never need to use it but $31/yr seems pretty dang cheap for peace of mind.

Ok, first off...stuff happens when on the water...so, I always carry extra clothes for warmth, extra food/water to survive a two day ordeal...and I let someone know where I am going and when I intend to call them from the boat ramp...it is usually a fishing buddy, that knows where I plan to go...and that will come get me...at times I have had to park the boat on shore and wait out bad weather, or have been dead in the water, locked up on a stump etc...usually, someone comes by, but not always...as happened to you...I do have two local GW�s phone number in my phone, but never used them...I guess if worse came to worse, I would call 911...but hey, I just look at it as another adventure as long as I am relative safe, I don�t worry much about it. Personally, if I was in real trouble and had to call for help, I wouldn�t be concerned about the cost of the rescue...

BTW, I used to have a Johnson motor that did that to me occasionally...it was an issue with the choke Staying engaged and flooding the cylinders (or something)...normally when it happened, if I would just fish for another 30 minutes, it would start right up...told my Mech about my problem, when I took it for service, he never mentioned it again, and it never happened again, so I don�t really know what he did...or if the motor was just in need of regular service.

For $3 a month, you can add unlimited towing to your Gieco BoatUS policy. And that will include roadside service if you have your trailer insured with them.

There are some advantages to Boat US. It covers you in any boat you rent own or borough. It covers tows as long as you are not at you slip. It covers all soft grounding, battery jumps and gas drop. You have to pay for the gas. If there is not a tower on the lake they will find one for you. Texoma runs 24 7 365 days a year. He has 3 boats on the water and one ready to travel. Its does not cover salvage, that you will need your insurance or bank loan for.
Boat US is a tower for GICO but the call has to come thorough GICO. If you have Boat US you can call tower direct, That saves time.

I don't think the fire department is free and it will cost you more than $250. It cost over $600 for the f ire department ambulance to take my mom to the hospital.

Apparently for some folks it is me .

Mo

Ambulance is EMS. Fire department services are paid for by your taxpayer dollars. EMS is a medical service that is handled between you, them, and the insurance company.

And these days, $600 for an ambulance ride is a bargain. I've heard of folks being charged over $20,000.