Last year I burned through 55 miles of fuel in less than 6 miles towing an elderly couple in a bay boat.

I myself got stranded.

My position is now, I DO NOT TOW. However, I assist, you can unload all your stuff and yourselves into my boat, we can secure your vessel, and you can come back with a buddy and a boat load of gas to get your boat.

Anyone agree? Disagree?

If no one is in immediate danger, I won't tow. I will call the tow service we have on my local lake and wait with the other vessel until the tow service arrives. If there is an immediate danger, like high winds and the like, I will tow. If you tow someone and something bad happens, I understand you're liable.

Ive never hesitated or even thought twice when someone needed assistance.
I know Ive needed help, and hope I dont have to wait for bad weather to get it !

If you don't feel your boat is up to towing (fuel burn or whatever), then by all means offer what assistance you are able to. Anybody who is stuck out on the water is likely to be grateful for a ride in to shore even if they have to leave their boat behind.

Certainly something to consider. As I understand the matter, you have no duty to rescue or otherwise come to the assistance of someone in distress, but once you undertake to do so, you can be held liable for any damages resulting from your lack of due care. In practical terms, this means you are setting yourself up to being second-guessed to death as to whether the damage could have been averted had you gone about things differently. Depending on the jurisdiction, you can even be held liable for injuries that would have occurred in any event, had you not happened upon the scene.

[censored],lend a helping hand.

So they didn't offer you any $$$ for gas?
I struggled with this same question a few months ago when a large runabout was broke down and all I kept thinking was, is this big boat going to rip my jackplate off (the only place I have tie downs on), leaving me with 100% loss. I finally agreed to pull them in and of course a half hearted thank you, they didn't even say goodbye. If I was broke down I'd give anything I could to the towers.

I would tow except that my ole Merc 150 XR4 does not have a big enough water pump for towing, it heats up.
But, I help any way I can. I've been helped myself, I know how it feels.

I always tow. Of course, I am always in a lake where a couple of miles is max I have to tow. If it was way over that, I would try to help in some other way. No sense in me being broke down, too, and now two boats needing help.

I have towed two long distances at Lake Amistad in the past. On both occasions the next trip out my motor blew. I will not make any long tows.

This is a tough situation. However, think about when you may break down and need help. I always offer to pay when I am towed and even though I have not had to be towed much, the person who helped has never wanted anything. If it appears to be a long tow and/or unusual situation, I would insist they take something. Now, the shoe on the other foot, I always ask if someone appearing to be in a difficult situation if they need help. The individual situation will determine whether or not I tow or take someone in. My deal is "use common sense." I may need help sometime.

I have got a little towing karma built up. You never know when you might need one yourself.

Not good!

I will always give what assistance I can but as far as towing it will be to the nearest ramp. Last year I had some college kids run out of gas about 200 yards from a ramp but they didn't want to go there and wait for someone to bring gas, they wanted someone to tow them 6 miles to daddy's boat slip do they didn't have to buy gas. Needless to say they had to wait for someone else to tow them.

Game Wardens and US Coast Guard no longer tow boats. They will rescue and take people off of endangered boats. I get calls from time to time to go and tow people, but it is a risky venture if you or your craft is unprepared. If I tow, it is always to the closeest shoreline or safe harbor, not where they want.

It is always nice to help someone in need, but not if it puts the safety of others at risk.