Years and years ago, I was fishing Grapevine and there was two guys in a Jet Ski that were broke down in the middle of the lake. I stopped and asked if they needed help, I was in a tournament so I offered to tow them to the shore I was headed for. Did ya know that towing a Jet Ski turns it into a Deep Diving Crank bait if ya go to fast.

Years and years ago, I was fishing Grapevine and there was two guys in a Jet Ski that were broke down in the middle of the lake. I stopped and asked if they needed help, I was in a tournament so I offered to tow them to the shore I was headed for. Did ya know that towing a Jet Ski turns it into a Deep Diving Crank bait if ya go to fast.

Mark made me remember a funny story..

I was 15-16 and fishing my home (waco) lake one hot summer day. I was fishing "the bubbles" by the dam looking for a bunch of white bass for a fish fry. There were tons of pleasure boaters out but none really came to close(suprise huh). I notice a few "hotties" on a few jet skis as they came buzzing buy. About an hour goes by and I'm headed in with my daily limit and just do happen to pass a jet ski with two girls drifting. I stop to see if they are broken down. I pull up and they say they are indeed broken down and they launched at tge marina on the opposite side of the lake. I say well let's get you good looking gals back! I hooked up to their jet ski with a tow rope and tell them to hop on in. We start making small talk as we make the jorney. I get quite involved in paying attention and all of a sudden one says "hey where's our jet ski"? I jokingly say probably still behind us! As I look back and it's gone.. I look at the rope as it is extremely tight but no jet ski.. Yep it was diving like a crankbait! I slow down abit and it pops black up. As we pull into the marina they say thank you do much and I say no problem. I reach over to untie their jetski and I can't quite reach so I slip over a bit more to reach the eye hook and you guessed it, I fall in, wallet, cell phone, both their numbers.. Lol, turned out ok though

Get you a GOOD tow rope and keep it in your boat. Longer is better. I read somewhere that one closer to 100' is better than one 10'. Mine is 50 feet. Make a two point harness with strong hooks/clips for attaching to your transom hooks. One end of your tow rope should have a metal ring braided into it. This ring goes over your harness and will ride in the center of the harness while towing. The other end should have a hook on it to attach to their bow hook. You may have to remove this and tie directly to a forward anchor point on their rig if no bow hook is available.

Depending on conditions, I'll typically tow someone at around 2,000-2,500 RPMS. Less if windy or rough, maybe just a little more if it's calm and they're in a bass boat.

Get everyone on the towed vessel in life jackets and proceed to the nearest safe harbor. Take them by water to their vehicle if it's too far to tow.

One other thing, try and get everyone possible in both crafts out of the line of fire in case your tow rope snaps, or hardware comes loose. The latter can be fatal. Hence, the longer tow rope

I've towed everything from jon boats to pontoon barges and in between. I never pass anyone on the water who needs assistance. EVER, law or not. It's simply the right thing to do. I've been towed in twice, myself.

One last thing. When you tow another boat, you assume all liability associated with that effort. I never worry about it BUT, if conditions are dangerous, you'd be better off getting the stranded vessel's occupants onboard your boat and to safety. Their rig can be replaced. Towing in dangerous weather can get you all killed!

Something about good looking women on the water while you're fishing that overloads a bass fisherman's brain I think. On Palestine fishing boat docks about 17 years old, come around a dock and there is the most gorgeous thing suntanning on the dock. She never heard us, I turned to tell my buddy (but kept gawking at her) and stepped straight off the deck of the boat and into the water.

Mark made me remember a funny story..

I was 15-16 and fishing my home (waco) lake one hot summer day. I was fishing "the bubbles" by the dam looking for a bunch of white bass for a fish fry. There were tons of pleasure boaters out but none really came to close(suprise huh). I notice a few "hotties" on a few jet skis as they came buzzing buy. About an hour goes by and I'm headed in with my daily limit and just do happen to pass a jet ski with two girls drifting. I stop to see if they are broken down. I pull up and they say they are indeed broken down and they launched at tge marina on the opposite side of the lake. I say well let's get you good looking gals back! I hooked up to their jet ski with a tow rope and tell them to hop on in. We start making small talk as we make the jorney. I get quite involved in paying attention and all of a sudden one says "hey where's our jet ski"? I jokingly say probably still behind us! As I look back and it's gone.. I look at the rope as it is extremely tight but no jet ski.. Yep it was diving like a crankbait! I slow down abit and it pops black up. As we pull into the marina they say thank you do much and I say no problem. I reach over to untie their jetski and I can't quite reach so I slip over a bit more to reach the eye hook and you guessed it, I fall in, wallet, cell phone, both their numbers.. Lol, turned out ok though

Towing a boat should have nothing to do with ruining an outboard. RPM's are RPM's.
Take for example a 250 Merc. The saltwater guys put these motors on boats that have much more drag and weight than two bass boats combined.
I ran my last 2006 Merc. over 1000 hours. I pulled so many boats in a cannot count, back when I was guiding maon Fork.
Hook a rope up and idle in... NO BIG DEAL.