Very wise post right there.

I take the position of the Game Wardens, and agree.

And yes, if you were wondering, you are protected by "good summaritan" laws should you tow and something happen.

The problem with towing, if you are not fully equipped, is you too can get in danger.

I pulled in a ski boat with grandpa, grandma and grandson who looked about 8 or so with my 12 ft alum and 10hp Johnson. Fortunately didn't have to go far. Looked pretty funny, hanging on to the rope with a big boat on the end of it into the ramp.

If someone needs help, I am there to assist. I have towed many times. Just don't get in a hurry.

Hrmm sounds like a business opportunity. A boat tow service.

i always tow, but i hope i never see some of you as i am sure you would not help out if i need a tow.

Been towed in, and have towed someone in. Was stranded once when I ran out of gas, and a boater gave me some gas. I have given someone else gas when they ran out. What goes around, comes around.

Ditto. Sorry I wont risk getting myself stranded for "your" boat.

P.S. As they say in Texas, "Maintain your Vehicle!"

A while back, I came across a couple off Potter's Creek Park, in Canyon Lake, in an ancient 18 ft. Ranger. Their motor wouldn't start, and the trolling motor wasn't working. There was about 4 or 5 inches of water on the floor of the boat, and it looked to be sinking fast. As it turned out, the guy had inserted the bilge plug into one of the bilge pump outlet holes. Their truck and trailer was at the Tom Creek ramp, a couple of miles away. So, we hooked up a line, and I towed them over there, which was probably not a wise decision. I've only got a 60 hp Merc., and I was scared to death it was going to overheat. That old Ranger was like pulling an elephant. I should have taken them over to the Potter's Creek ramp, and given them a ride back to their truck.

BTW, in a judicial hellhole like Louisiana, the Good Samaritan laws and a $10 bill will get you a cup of coffee just about anywhere.

I've also had a motor blow up a week or so after doing a long tow. Maybe a coincidence, I don't know. On Lewisville, unless they are in imminent dager, I just give them the number of one of the towing services out there.

Interesting,
About every 10 years or so I have been towed in. Several times a year I tow someone else in. Sometimes if they are drunk or don't know where they launched, I tow them to the nearest boat ramp.
For over 15 years I worked 2nd shift and did not get to the lake until 1:00AM. The swimsuit someone was wearing in the afternoon, is kind'a cold by midnight.
When you tow someone that time of night, no place open to buy more gas??? You cut your own fishing trip short to help someone else.
Once a guy needed a tow 13 miles down the intercoastal canal to Sargent. The starter on his 140 Johnson would not function. I used a rope stretched up to the beach to start his motor by a running pull. Got the motor going and sent him on his way.

This is a topic that I have some first hand knowledge of... I have pulled many Jon boats in my day and I have on many occasions pulled big bay boats to shore on Big Lake. All went well until that one time when it went really bad!! And that one time changed how I think of people stranded in boats.

I was 19 years old and out alone in my dads 24 foot bay boat it had a 250hp Merc. It was about 3pm and I was running up the eastern shore headed home. I look over to the shoreline and see 4 guys waving me down. I came off plane and go over to the guys. The guys are happy to see me and by the look of them they are beat down and very tired. The oldest guy looks really bad off and he looks like a lobster from either the sun or over heated. They tell me they are very thirsty and their dad is very hot. I gave them all the water I had and they were very thankful. I asked what the issue was and they said the motor will not start and the trolling battery is dead.

I asked if they prefer to be taken to shore in my boat and come back for the boat later, or to be towed? They demanded to be towed and I said ok but we need to put most of yall in my boat and only have one person to drive the boat. I began to hook up the boats. I grabbed my 50 foot rope and hooked to his bow and took another rope and made a triangle between my two eyes on the side of my boat. Made a loop knot and hooked it all up.

I started out in idle and started to head toward the ramp. The older guy was under my T-top and was looking real bad. I asked if he needed food or more water and he said "I am fine". But he just doesn't look right.

Well we get going and right off the bat the eye on the boat being towed was just about to pop off. The guy driving the other boat never saw it and I stopped to tell him and he got pissed and was yelling at me like I did something wrong. I got kinda testy and said Its not my fault and I am doing what you asked me to do. He just gave me dirty looks and the guys in my boat were just looking at us like what do we do? I said to tie off on the two cleets on the boat and make a triangle with the rope you have in your boat. I told him I am not going any further if he doesn't feel safe and take responsibilty if anything goes wrong. He said ok and we were about to start off again. But during the talking we didn't pay attention to the older guy and I was about to put the motor in gear again when I look over at the guys in my boat tending to the old guy and they started yelling at the old guy. Like trying to wake him up!! I turn off the motor and rush over to the guys. The older guy is not really responding. He is about to pass out!!

I tell the guys to untie my boat and pull the other boat to us. We are headed to ramp on my boat and leaving that boat anchored right here. I was rushing all over my boat grabbing anchors and push poles to tie off that broken down boat. Anchors and rope were flying all over the place. I grabbed a bag of ice and tell the guys to ice that guy down. We tied every anchor we had and pushed that push pole into the mud and tied it off too. I started the motor and took off like a bat out he11.

Cell phones were not very common then and we used CB's out at the lake all the time. So, I started calling out on the radio. And finally got a hold of the Coast Guard and had them call it in for the meds to be at the ramp ready to go. We get to the ramp in about 15 mins. The old guy was not responding very much and the meds where not there yet. We tied off to the dock and transported the guy to the bait shop there. Just as we put this guy on the floor I heard the sirens in the area. I backed off the guy and let the family do what they wanted. The meds got there and started to work on this guy. They got him back to responding and it looked like he was going to make it.

They took the guy off with the oldest son. The other guys were just standing there in shock. One of them turned to me and said if it wasn't for me his dad would be dead right now out on that lake!!

I learned really fast that day that you should just leave the boat and get the people to safety first and go back for the boat when you are more prepared to deal with it. You can replace a boat but you can not replace a person!!

They did go back that next day and get the boat and the sons called me the next day or so and they gave me all my rope and anchors back. We became friends and still talk from time to time. The dad has passed away since then, but not that day!!

Like Tom, I will tow you to the nearest boat ramp. Most OB's aren't made for pulling the extra weight. I don't ask for gas money, but I've always gotten 10 or 20 dollars from the people I've helped.

Actually, the Good Samaritin law does not apply exactly. The law was written to as a defense to prosecution for those persons that help when a person is injured or in an emergency. A broken boat is not an emeregency every time... You can still be sued or charged criminally if you are trying to help and do something that causes injury. If you choose to tow a boat that is out of gas and you damage the boat and cause a person to fall onboard and break their arm, you are solely responsible for the injury nad damage. Had you not gotten involved, the injury and damage are likely to have not occured.

Each person has to choose what actions are appropriate, but in the end anyone can be sued anytime for anything. Only after an expensive trial is the chance that you will be found not guilty.

"Good Samaritan Law: Liability for Emergency Care
The Texas Good Samaritan Law limits the civil liability of persons administering emergency care in good faith at the scene of an emergency or in a health care facility. The law limits the civil liability of these persons unless their actions are wilfully and wantonly negligent. This protection does not apply to care administered for or in expectation of remuneration, or by a person who was at the scene of the emergency because he or a person he represents as an agent was soliciting business or seeking to perform a service for remuneration. Also, the limited civil liability is not available for a person whose negligence was a producing cause of the emergency for which care is being administered.[ 35 ]

Emergency medical service personnel who are not licensed in the healing arts who administer emergency care in good faith are not liable in civil damages for an act performed in administering the care unless the act is wilfully or wantonly negligent. This limit of liability applies regardless of whether the care is provided for or in expectation of remuneration.[ 36 ]

The limited civil liability provided by the Good Samaritan law is an affirmative defense. This means that after a lawsuit is filed, the physician must prove that the law provides protection. In a recent case (October 2001), the Texas Third Court of Appeals in Austin ruled this burden meant that the physician must conclusively prove, as a matter of law, that he is not legally entitled to remuneration.[ 37 ] In other words, if there was a legal theory that would permit the physician to seek payment, then the physician could be found liable because the Good Samaritan law would not apply.

This decision, in effect, rendered the Good Samaritan law useless because it placed a nearly impossible burden of proof on the physician. TMA filed a brief in this case after the Texas Supreme Court agreed to review it.

On June 26, 2003, the Texas Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeals and found that the defendant, Dr. McIntyre (an obstetrician who had responded to a "Dr. Stork" call) conclusively proved that he was entitled to Good Samaritan protection.[ 38 ] The issue was also favorably addressed in House Bill 4,[ 39 ] which clarified, "that being legally entitled to receive remuneration for the emergency care rendered shall not determine whether or not the care was administered for or in anticipation of remuneration (emphasis added)."

If you have a android or iPhone, there are apps that hook you up to towing services. You hit a button and it send them your exact location, GPS. They usualy are affiliated with real tow services and cover most bodies of water. So even if your on a body of water, you dont know, you can call for help.

I have towed people in the past. If you can pull a shrimp net with a 90 Johnson for 10 hours a day, towing a boat isnt going to hurt your motor. That being said, unless its a emergency, I will volunteer to call them a tow, with the app. I will volunteer to take them to shore. I will help any way I can. If they want to sue, oh well. I would rather try to help someone and be able to look in the mirror, than have to live with not trying.