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Thread: Tow during a tournament

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
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    I've only towed two in over 15 years: One was a pontoon boat that'd run out of gas while he was deer hunting and the other was a bass boat that was having some sort of electrical starting issues that we couldn't figure out on the water. I also recall assisting several others with jumps and various things at the ramp and on the lake on other occasions. I don't know whether it's my boy scout, military training, or my OCD... but something always has me (what some call) overly prepared with such things as cables, jump boxes and tools. Like many others on this forum: I'm always glad to help out whenever I can.
    "Just Like Iron Sharpens Iron... So it is that One Man Sharpens Another Man." Proverbs 27:17

  2. #22
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    Jan 2006
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    It's been about 15 years ago the wife and I were on the lake and in the distance was a man that at first I thought was fishing. After a few minutes I look over and his boat is sitting lower in the water, didn't think much about it. Looked a couple minutes later and he was definitely in trouble. I go over as quick as I could without swamping him. By this time there is only about the last 4 feet of the front of his boat above water. He reluctantly throws me his wallet and keys, and climbs into my boat. He was had taken on a lot of water and his bilge pump quit working. Decided the best option was to take the plug out of his boat and we tied a rope onto the front of his boat and I pull him around the lake trying to drain water before it fully sank. After about 45 minutes his boat was sitting pretty high in the water so we head to the docks, he got out and backs his trailer into the water. There are now 3 to 4 men at the ramp to help so I make a couple passes as they get ready to help him put his boat on the trailer. They get ready as I make a final pass and once close to trailer I cut the rope and the boat is now headed their way. They grab hold and pull it toward the trailer when suddenly and unexpectedly the boat flips upside down Not a good ending but noone was hurt or died so at least we tried.

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
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    Iowa
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    I've towed a few people. The last one was a 22' pontoon with 14 people on it (women, men and children) that hit a submerged (and clearly marked) rock pile at 20-25mph. I thought for sure there was no lower unit left, so went and offered to tow them to the nearest resort docks. it was a rental and they had no idea where they were or how to get back.. they were "following the line on the fish screen" and when I looked at the screen it was about 10-12 miles away and they were 3 lakes over from where they thought they were. It wasn't feasible to tow that boat 10+ miles on the water in a thunderstorm with all those scared people on it. The resort owner took them all to a cabin to warm up and calm down while they called the rental place who sent several cars to come get them.

    The worst part was when I got to the boat the guy who was driving said "it just shut off" I said yeah you hit that rock pile, I heard it from 200 yards away. He said "oh we hit something?" He had no idea why the boat stopped. I told him to not bother trying to get it started again from the sound of that impact, its not going to run.

    The next day the owners of the boat came by boat to get it, they towed it back and when they went past they had the motor trimmed up and there was no lower unit left, just completely gone. I couldnt believe there wasnt a giant oil slick in the water? It was very windy and storming and getting dark so maybe I just didn't see it in the chaos of trying to tow them out and calm everyone down.


    By the way for battery issues I always have a set of jumper cables in the boat, so I can jump from trolling motor to starting battery if needed. Plus on trips I always take a jump pack so usually toss that in the boat too.

  4. #24
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    Aug 2020
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    I've been towed in by a passing boat. I was the one doing the towing a couple years later. Sure was glad for the help as was the guy I pulled in. I won't leave anyone stranded on the water.

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
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    SE Pennsylvania
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    Good (and sometimes a little scary) stories about helping others. Nice to pay it forward!
    Bob

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