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rcferdon
Senior Member
592 Posts |
 Posted - 03/26/2012 : 4:40:50 PM
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I am hesitant to post this because I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea or think that I am spamming the board, but many of you know me. I just feel that this needs to be put out there after what happened yesterday. First I will start by saying...
We WANT to assist boaters whenever they need it; however we are a membership based business, and members are our only obligation. When we receive a call from a non-member, it makes us less available to our members. It also costs a lot to have specialized, well maintained, insured vessels on standby 365 days a year... not to mention what it costs when they are making way. So, we are going to charge what it takes to be profitable when assisting non-members. Right now that is a $350 dispatch fee and $250/hr portal to portal plus any additional surcharges.
Yesterday, I received a call around 2pm from a gentleman inquiring what it would cost to tow his friend from the lighthouse to the Carroll Campbell landing to which I replied $725. Of course that is too much, and after checking back twice with the gentleman who called me...I am told that a friend of theirs is on the way to tow them back. No problem...I just wanted to make sure they didn't change their minds and everyone was okay.
Around 8pm the phone rings from a different friend of the disabled vessel's owner who is livid because no one would go out there to tow in the disabled vessel, and now the vessel that was going to get them is sinking. I briefly explain that my service was declined earlier in the day, and get the number of the person aboard the sinking vessel. They were unable to give me their position. I call the Coast Guard on the way to the dock and they are already launching a small boat. The search begins...
After 2 hours of searching (a very rough) Winyah Bay along with the Coast Guard, DNR & Towboat US, the Coast Guard helo arrives to find the vessel sunk on the edge of the marsh. DNR and myself arrive on scene almost simultaneously. DNR retrieves the persons from the boat and I get started on the recovery. Fortunately, this story had a happy ending. Everyone made it back okay (the first disabled vessel called ANOTHER friend to come get him) and I was able to recover the sunken vessel. The situation could have easily turned out very differently.
This has happened 3 times (just that I know of) in the past 2 years... and in each case it could have been avoided for $169/year. You can't take your boat out for one day without spending $169. Just the discounts we have arranged make up for what it costs for a membership. Take a look: http://www.seatow.com/map/deals-and-discounts/list?zip=33.386227%2C-79.35707694999996&category=&max=143.17835234333353 there are pages of them.
I have no problem with friends helping each other out; and I'm not coming down on anyone for simply trying to help out a friend. At the same time, we have very specialized equipment and experience, and what we do is always met with some degree of danger. This isn't meant to sound condescending ...just trying to provide a little perspective on how one thing can lead to another.
Richie
Sea Tow Georgetown
24hr Dispatch: 843-527-4136
"If you were a member, it would be free." |
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Taz
Senior Member
833 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2012 : 6:24:11 PM
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If someone can't afford $169 a year they really can't afford to own and operate a boat of any kind on the coast. Not meant to offend anyone, just my opinion.
I'd rather fish than eat.
A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.
In God We Trust |
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Bad Habit
Senior Member
2025 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2012 : 7:01:24 PM
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when buying a boat it's the FIRST $169 someone should spend after buying safety gear. i feel it is just as essential as any other safety gear you can own.
OUR GOVERNMENT HAS BECOME THE ENEMY OF FREEDOM. |
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Lake Murray Viper
Intermediate Member
128 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2012 : 9:14:09 PM
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I had a stack of Sea tow cards I would hand out to people when they asked for a tow. I'm not saying I wouldn't assist them but they are going to join after I do so. I grew up on a Lake that Sea tow did not exist, until recently, and it was just a part of life that you helped out fellow boaters and we were happy to help because there were many times as a kid I needed help. Now that Sea Tow is on the lake I get frustrated when people do not support it.
On the Coast to not have it is about the most ignorant thing a person can do. Last year I had a boat wave me down coming into Winyah bay and say they needed a tow and they were just inside the jetties. I asked if they had called sea tow or towboat US and their response was, yes but they wanted X amout of $. I responded, are you a member...of course they responded no. I hooked up to a tow rope and about the same time towboat US pulled up. We hailed them on the radio and made them pay Towboat US to tow them in.
I will always do everything in my power to help anyone and help a fellow boater but you can't continue to help people that won't help themselves and that is what not spending $169 is in my opinion. If I seemed like a bad person for not taking 45 minutes of my time to tow them to where they wanted to go then so be it. I had been out since 4:30 AM and needed to get back to the dock and clean fish and a boat before dark and they were to cheap to buy a membership and wanted me to clean fish and a boat after dark because they were cheap. It was not a situation that was life or death and I think they learned a valuable lesson. Had they been a member and couldn' get help for an extended period of time because of other boats being towed I would have gladly assisted.
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26 Regulator FS "Miss Ella Pearl" |
Edited by - Lake Murray Viper on 03/26/2012 9:14:45 PM |
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rcferdon
Senior Member
592 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2012 : 10:21:50 PM
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Another thing to consider is you should NEVER use nylon line for towing as it has too much stretch. We use a poly type line that has very minimum stretch and is 'supposed' to fall flat in the event it parts. The only line most recreational boats have that is long enough for towing is their nylon anchor line which packs a nasty recoil if it parts.
Richie
Sea Tow Georgetown
24hr Dispatch: 843-527-4136
"If you were a member, it would be free." |
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saltydog235
Senior Member
9683 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2012 : 07:53:38 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by rcferdon
Another thing to consider is you should NEVER use nylon line for towing as it has too much stretch. We use a poly type line that has very minimum stretch and is 'supposed' to fall flat in the event it parts. The only line most recreational boats have that is long enough for towing is their nylon anchor line which packs a nasty recoil if it parts.
Richie
Sea Tow Georgetown
24hr Dispatch: 843-527-4136
"If you were a member, it would be free."
LOL, I sure hope ya'll got some new ones after my mishap the other year. We broke that (**() rope 4 times.
Safety gear and Sea Tow are the first things I make sure I have in my checklist.
Richie are you guys testing EPIRB's?
Mark
Mako 262 Twin Yammaha F200s
Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal? I wouldn't go so far as to call a dog filthy but they're definitely dirty. But, a dog's got personality. Personality goes a long way.
"Life's tough......It's even tougher if you're stupid" John Wayne
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The Seahunter
Intermediate Member
96 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2012 : 08:22:31 AM
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| If you are going to play, you have to pay! |
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pawayne
Senior Member
1518 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2012 : 09:08:25 AM
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The tow insurance is a bargain, just for the peace of mind it provides. Thanks Richie for being there when we need you.
I don't mind helping others out, but it's dangerous and in todays world, you are opening yourself up to some serious litigation should something go wrong. |
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Easy
Senior Member
2828 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2012 : 10:36:29 AM
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| I guess the Good Samaritan Law won't help, or would it? I mean, if someones life could be in danger? |
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rcferdon
Senior Member
592 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2012 : 12:37:57 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Easy
I guess the Good Samaritan Law won't help, or would it? I mean, if someones life could be in danger?
Only when that someone's life is in danger AND lending assistance would not put you, your passengers or your vessel in dander.
Thanks to all our members. We have one of the highest membership per capita in the country right here in Georgetown, and it is because of your support that we are one of the finest service providers in the country.
Richie
Sea Tow Georgetown
24hr Dispatch: 843-527-4136
"If you were a member, it would be free." |
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Redstripe
Senior Member
2986 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2012 : 3:24:54 PM
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| While I am in total agreement here with the Sea Tow membership thing, your profit margin here seems to be a little steep. I guess that's a whole other discussion though. The closest comparison would be the charter business where guys are doing 3/4 King Mackeral charters for 4-6 hours, in the open ocean, usually with a mate, and providing bait, etc for about the same price. Also if a member needed your services they would take precedent so I'm not sure how thats relevent (maybe it could take you further from where that member needs you??). Go ahead pile on, just offering another perspective. I have everything needed to make sure the same thing doesn't happen to me, sea tow included. |
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pawayne
Senior Member
1518 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2012 : 4:10:08 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Redstripe
While I am in total agreement here with the Sea Tow membership thing, your profit margin here seems to be a little steep. I guess that's a whole other discussion though. The closest comparison would be the charter business where guys are doing 3/4 King Mackeral charters for 4-6 hours, in the open ocean, usually with a mate, and providing bait, etc for about the same price. Also if a member needed your services they would take precedent so I'm not sure how thats relevent (maybe it could take you further from where that member needs you??). Go ahead pile on, just offering another perspective. I have everything needed to make sure the same thing doesn't happen to me, sea tow included.
Ummmm, how do you know what the profit margin is? I'm not sure what profit you're referring to, the membership fees or the non-member charges. I often wonder how they even make money; dock fees, fuel costs, insurance, boat maintenance, plus enough to live on. I doubt you sign up to run a Tow boat service to retire rich. |
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nu2salt
Senior Member
435 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2012 : 08:08:16 AM
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I do not own a boat yet, but a few years ago I was with a buddy in Tampa Bay on his boat. We had been out fishing all day and the weather was getting rough as the darkness was coming fast. My buddy has his Capt. License. We were heading in when we came across a larger boat than his that needed a tow. He says that his Capt. License would be in jeopardy if he did not help this boater out. We stopped and some how tied the two boats together with the little bit of rope we had, and in fairly rough water by this time. I felt like a yo-yo lunging forward and getting yanked back with the rough water. About 30 minutes later we had them on the ramp, and with only a couple of minutes of day light left we threw the 275 Verado into high and trimmed it up with the jack plate about as high as it would go and made a run through some areas we might not should have. Given the weather and the darkness I felt it was the best idea given his knowledge of the area and expertise with the boat.
I felt safer on the trip home in the dark wide open through shallow water than towing the boat.
I will be getting some tow insurance for sure when I get a boat, but my question is this is there a policy that I can use from SC to Fla? I live in Atlanta and travel to SC and Fla during the year.
There have been plenty of times as a kid my grandfather towed a boat across a lake but the salt is so much different.
Far better it is to dare mighty things to win glorious triumphs even though checkered with failure, than to take ranks with those poor spirits who never enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. |
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shrimp king
Senior Member
167 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2012 : 08:32:07 AM
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| I hate to admit it Richie, but I was happy as hell to see your ugly mug that night you came to my assistance. Well worth $169/ year. Emery |
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hdgb
Senior Member
375 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2012 : 10:41:35 AM
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I've had Ritchie and his boys looking out for me for 4yrs now. Have auto renewel lest i forget.
I haven't needed him so waste of money right. NOT that's what insurance is for just in case. Same situation with the healthcare debate people don't want to buy health care cause it cuts into there beer and cigarettes fund then complain when the goverment wants to make them buy it cause its too expensive to do for everybody for free.But they want service when they need it.LET SOMEBODY ELSE PAY mentality.Same with car insurance i pay for uninsured motorist WHY? cause there are alot of people who want to drive but don't want to pay for the privledge. Price goes up for everybody else. The more people who honestly carry an insurance policy land or water the cheaper it is for everybody How about some respsonsibility DUH Bottom line if you don't have a policy with sea tow than you should either expect to pay them a going price to rescue you when it happens or pay anybody else that helps out.
If thats the way you roll w/a big ass wad of cash in your pocket fine if not bring a big ass paddle along.
Thanks Sea Tow for what you do. and for being there for me just in case.
"Destiny" 35ft
Contender and "Scintilla" 20ft Keywest, Manning SC |
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rcferdon
Senior Member
592 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2012 : 1:47:36 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Redstripe
While I am in total agreement here with the Sea Tow membership thing, your profit margin here seems to be a little steep. I guess that's a whole other discussion though. The closest comparison would be the charter business where guys are doing 3/4 King Mackeral charters for 4-6 hours, in the open ocean, usually with a mate, and providing bait, etc for about the same price. Also if a member needed your services they would take precedent so I'm not sure how thats relevent (maybe it could take you further from where that member needs you??). Go ahead pile on, just offering another perspective. I have everything needed to make sure the same thing doesn't happen to me, sea tow included.
I have run/worked on plenty of charter boats. Can't say any of them were really profitable at all.
The profit margin you speak of is diminished over the 364 days a year we are at the ready, 24 hours a day to provide assistance. If you would like a go at it, you could always buy me out  .
Richie
Sea Tow Georgetown
24hr Dispatch: 843-527-4136
"If you were a member, it would be free." |
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One thing leads to another
