# Sportfisher distress call



## Argo (May 21, 2004)

Did anyone hear the distress call from sportfisher Caravelle on Sat? I am curious what happened to them and if anyone knows. I could only hear the CG airship as the boat was too far out to get a transmission from them. I hope it came out alright. This was out of port A btw.


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## Crossroads (May 21, 2004)

There is a 2cooler with a 23 foot Caravelle, I can't remember his 2cooler name but he was going to make the Saturday PortA run.


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## Crabby-D (Jun 15, 2004)

It was us. We left the dock after 2am, the winds had died down and the forecast called for thick fog early, and settling seas before the front. Our plan was to be around Southern area by sunrise, and head back by 2pm to beat the incoming front. I guess the testosterone, the smell of all the bait we cut up made us feel brave.

All was going well until about 20 miles out, just inshore from that first rig. We decided to go try to get some live bait at that rig and as we were getting close to it, the engine stopped runnning. Threw out the anchor and decided to wait for sunlight to check the engine. Did all the trouble shooting we could possibly due onboard with what we had, no luck. Engine would turn over, but it wouldnt spark. So we believe there is a problem with the fuel pump, fuel filter or spark plugs. We just changed the spark plugs 3 weeks ago, and test ran the boat at Lake conroe about a week ago, fired it up a couple of times earlier this week and it seemed to be running well.... 

After coming to terms with the fact we were dead in the water and hadnt seen any boats for about an hour, and the front that was coming we decided to hail the coasties.

Made contact with the Coast Guard around 10:30am, had their jet circling us by noon and a tug by 2:30pm, made the marina by 5pm. 

Definetly an educational experience, though I dont recommend it learning this way!!


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## Sight Cast (May 24, 2004)

Good to hear yall are okay. Its a little spooky running in the gulf at 2 am with only one wheel much less two.


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## Crabby-D (Jun 15, 2004)

I think "never again" and "you should know better...." went through my mind about a million times saturday.

It didnt really get spooky until after sunrise and we did all the trouble shooting we could. We concluded we could not start the engine and we had about 6 hours to beat the front, that's when it got spooky. 

Its one of those things, when you talk yourself into something risky just because you are so eager and the eagerness turns into confidence....


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## wiley199 (May 22, 2004)

Just wondering what the coast gaurd charged you. Glad you made it back safe!!!!


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

Glad you made it back alright. Sorry we could not hear your transmission but I guess you were to far off? How long is your antena. There were a few boats around us.....Again, glad you made it in.


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## Crabby-D (Jun 15, 2004)

Wiley: We were wondering the same thing each time the jet flew over us. We had everything in order for the inspection when they boarded and they sent us on our way without charge.

Argo: I dont know what the length of the antena is, Im guessing 7 feet. I dont think there was a problem with our radio, we got responses to radio checks but when we asked for help *NOBODY* responded, except the coast guard, and that took about 1 hour.


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## wiley199 (May 22, 2004)

Good to know. Something that really pizzed me off several years ago was the fact that a guy from,,well ill wont go there, told me he would go out knowing his boat would probably break down, didnt worry because he would call the coast gaurd to tow him in. Horrible thing to d knowing the job those guys have to do and not to think about the lives that could be in jepardy while they are on BS calls. just my 2 pennies


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## Kauffballs (Jun 2, 2004)

Glad you made it safe.
Who towed you in? was it the Coast Guard? I thought they always called SEA TOW.
Scott


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

Hey Crabby,

Sorry that I was unable to hear you as we were at southern and would have gladly given you a tow. You made it to the docks just a couple minutes before we arrived. We were the Dusky with the blue homemade hardtop. Glad to hear that you made it in safely, but do wish that the trip was a little more productive for you. 
Bill


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

From what I heard the airplane saying I think they tried to call towboatus to go out there aand the last resort was for the CG to go out and get them. How fast did they tow you guys. I have never seen the CG go out and tow someone in, they usually do call out a towboat of some sort. From a rough estimate you guys were 20 miles from us and we could not hear anything but the plane that was in contact with you and then we also heard the CG boat as he went past us. I can usually hear the sport fishers talking up to 60 miles away. I guess it is because they have their antenas 30' up.


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## Crabby-D (Jun 15, 2004)

Wiley, we were confident about the engine, its got less than 75 hours on it, we serviced it recently, fluids and spark plugs, ran it on the lake and fired it up a couple of times this week. Calling the coast guard was the absolute last thing to do and the coming front forced our decision. Reality slapped us to our senses, either we called the coasties or we face the front powerless...

Argo, when the plane made visual contact and contacted us by radio, they asked us if we would go with a commercial tow service or if we had somebody in shore to help us tow the boat. We said we would welcome sea tow or anybody else. We came down from Houston, so we didnt have any body in Port A that could run out to tow us. I dont know if Sea tow wasnt working or if they were out on another call, but the coast guard made the decision to come out themselves. They towed us in at about 8-10 knots. 

DBunk, I think we saw you all come in Friday night, you were towing with a red truck?
To think we almost went to talk to you that night, but got sidetracked cutting bait and anticipating all the fish we were going to get into!!!

Yea, it defintely was not the type of trip we planned, but it is certainly one we will never forget and one that has taught us an important lesson about the gulf.


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

This is a very educational thread for me. I also have never heard of the Coast Guard towing someone in. Crabby, I am sorry about what happened to you guys, but for what it's worth I am learning from your experience. I am new to offshore boating, and as of yet I haven't gone out more than about 10 miles - partly because I am scared to break radio contact with shore in case of trouble. I have been wondering about this very thing - everything I am told about a VHF radio is that it has a range of up to about 20 miles under good conditions, but more like an average of about 7 - 10 miles. OK, so what does everybody do for communications if they are 30, or 60, or even 100 miles out?


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## Over the Edge (May 21, 2004)

If venturing out over 60 miles, I would seriously reccommend a satellite phone onboard your vessel and definately an EPIRB.


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## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

Sat phones, or ship-to-shore radios if venturing over 50 miles out. EPIRBS are an absolute must.


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## Crabby-D (Jun 15, 2004)

THanks Vinny and all who have expressed concern. 

It may be a little embarrassing and we may feel a little bashful about admitting it was us who had to call the coasties for help, but I think the importance of sharing this experience so that others may learn, outweighs our pride.

Over the Edge, I agree with you and I would add a reliable buddy boat to your list, and float plan with someone onshore.

One question we debated before being able to contact the coast guard was, if the seas start to build, should we pull the anchor ?


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## wiley199 (May 22, 2004)

Crabby, I was not saying you would do this,, just passing on a story, sorry if you took it wrong as I didnt mean you, later


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

I would stay anchored and let out as much line as you have available. I would not want to be drifting dead stick in bad conditions. Either way you would have been in bad shape with 8-12' seas.


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## Over the Edge (May 21, 2004)

Crabby-D,

Good idea with the float plan. I always like to call a family relative or friend and let them know when we are headed offshore and what area we will be fishing. It makes sense to have somebody who knows when and where you went offshore in the event you dont show back up.

I havent filed float plans with the USCG, but I think some do. Does anyone know if USCG files float plans for recreational fishing vessels?


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## Snagged (May 21, 2004)

Over the Edge said:


> Crabby-D,
> 
> Good idea with the float plan. I always like to call a family relative or friend and let them know when we are headed offshore and what area we will be fishing. It makes sense to have somebody who knows when and where you went offshore in the event you dont show back up.
> 
> I havent filed float plans with the USCG, but I think some do. Does anyone know if USCG files float plans for recreational fishing vessels?


 No, they do not.
File your plan with someone you can trust to keep tabs on time and you.


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## Team Binnion (Jun 3, 2004)

Crabby-D said:


> One question we debated before being able to contact the coast guard was, if the seas start to build, should we pull the anchor ?


Never pull anchor, stay put and put out all the rope you have.


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

Hey Crabby, I could not agree with you more about eating our pride and freely telling others about our bad experiences so that they hopefully won't make the same mistakes we did. One of the best bumper stickers I ever saw said, "Learn from other people's mistakes - you can't live long enough to make them all yourself." By the way, I don't really see where you guys did anything that was all that bad.. You had every reason in the world to believe that your equipment was functioning properly, and you did the responsible thing by checking the forecast and planning a trip that should have put you in safe water before the front even arrived. In my opinion, you guys were simply the victims of a mechanical failure, which happens to us all. Yes, a person could say,"Well, if you knew a front was coming, you shouldn't have even gone out at all.." But to me, the fault with that logic, is that your engine was probably going to let you down on your next trip anyway - whether it would have been the other day or a month from now. Either way, the next time you went out, the engine was going to fail on you. What real difference does it make whether it failed on you the other day or a month from now? None, my friend.. None. You're in the same boat either way! (No pun intended!) I really don't see where you guys did anything all that flagrant or irresponsible - not at all. I can easily see the same thing happening to me or any other one of us.. Actually, it may be a good thing y'all decided to try to go out on that day. If you wouldn't have, then the next time you did go out, a front probably wouldn't have been expected, and so y'all may have been a LOT father out when your engine wouldn't restart.. 

I gotta ask you though - I am curious.. After y'all realized that you were not going to be able to get the engine started, and after you had already made contact with the coasties, and there was nothing left for you do do but just sit tight and wait - did y'all put any lines in the water? I think I would have! Why not? And if you did, did y'all catch anything? Actually, I think that when the engine wouldn't start, and I was waiting for sunrise to start troubleshooting, I would have put lines in the water then, too.. I mean, why not? There's not much else to do.. 

Also, these other guys are absolutely right about the anchor - When you lose power, in the name of all that is holy, set the anchor with all the rope you have, and do not pull it up. It is the only thing that is keeping your bow facing the waves. Without the anchor you will be turned sideways and swamped before you can believe it. I am sure you already know this, but I'll say it anyway for the benefit of anyone who may be reading this and doesn't - you want at a MINIMUM, 6 times the ammount of rope as the water is deep. So if a person is in 30 ft of water, he needs at least 180 ft of rope on his anchor. An anchor rope that is too short will sink you in a heartbeat, because it won't let your boat ride up on top of a big swell quickly enough, and it also won't prevent the seas from dragging you and turning you sideways and swamping you.

Tu Primo


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

No one should feel ashamed to call the Coast Guard when they need to.

If you play around out in the Gulf long enough, something will go wrong and you will need some help. The only thing you can do is be as prepared as you can.


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## Over the Edge (May 21, 2004)

Vinny,

I agree with your post for the most part. But I was curious what most on this board think. No matter how new or good your equipment is, you always risk a chance of breaking down offshore. We all know that. So it does take on added significance if you know a strong front is coming in that will produce seas large enough to take down your vessel. You have to assume if I dont make it in this afternoon due to mechanical or electrical failure, I will have large seas on my arse before help arrives. It is a risk that must be taken into account if you try to fish a window up to within hours of that window closing on you. Have I done it, YES. Should I consider the "what if" in the future, YES .


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## Crabby-D (Jun 15, 2004)

Thank you for the comments, and replies to the question.

We did fish, we caught a few sharks while we were waiting. nothing to do except to stare at the fish finder, cut chum, catch sharks and wait. My buddy did use a lot of his nervous energy to clean the boat. If you stay busy, you dont freak out as bad!!
But that is about as freaked out as I have been on the water. 

Over the edge, definitely consider the what if, I know we will.


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

Hey Crabby, I agree with you 100% about not freaking out so much if you stay busy, and I am glad y'all fished some while you were waiting. I remember one time we were broken down on the highway about 40 miles south of Truth Or Consequences, NM, in the middle of NOWHERE, waiting HOURS for help, and just to keep busy, as well as draw attention, I went along the highway and gathered up little pieces of tires and debris and built a little campfire! It was getting dark and cold and the fire was very comforting. Well, guess what - a NM state cop finally pulled over and started chewing me out for having a fire - I told him we needed help and no one would stop so we built the fire to try to get the attention of the police so that we could get some help! I think that must have made him feel like the jerk he was, because then he calmed down and asked me politely to put out the fire and said that he would call for help for us! 

Just out of curiosity - what kind of sharks were y'all hooking up with this time of year - sandbars? And how big were they - I mean were they juveniles or decent size?

Tu Primo


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## Crabby-D (Jun 15, 2004)

I believe some sandbars as well as spinners. We released them in the water, handling them as little as possible. Last thing we needed under the circumstances was someone getting bit by an unruly 3 footer. Nothing of size to speak of most under 3 foot.


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

Hey Crabby, Really? That is kind of cool - I mean, were the spinners jumping out of the water for you? Even though they are small, that is still kind of fun.. I can think of a whole lot of ways to kill time while waiting for help that are a lot worse than hooking spinners and watching their acrobatic jumps.. 

Tu Primo


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## Crabby-D (Jun 15, 2004)

Yea, you are right about killing time, it definitely could have been worse, but we had our hopes up for much better. I didnt get to try my Islander tuna lure, we didnt get to troll, had a bunch of leftover bait, as much as we chummed.. 

We joked that maybe we should try to troll on the way back, to ask the coasties to change their speed for our lures, kidding of course, trying to keep my buddies spirits up since he was still thinking he was going to pay for the jet fuel and the cutter's diesel... 

Then the discussion turned to ebay and all of our fishing gear the boat, briefly of course, no chance of that. We will fish again!!!


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

I chalk up bad days to "paying my dues"


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## Crabby-D (Jun 15, 2004)

Argo, 
Following your logic then, Im due for some fish!!!!


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

Hey Crabby, That long red chevy truck was me on Friday night. Next time we are both out I will have to catch up with you. One other suggestion, it might be worthwhile to find the channel that other buddies are on other than 16 and try it. Unfortunatly my radio can not monitor 2 channels at the same time, and I was on 68 most of the time.


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## Crabby-D (Jun 15, 2004)

BDunk, we will. It may be a while before we get it together to go down to Port A again...

We tried 16, 68, 9, and most in between. Looking into a longer antenna as well...take care.


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

Yeah Crabby, I am too.


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

The Coast Guard is required to assist/tow a vessel in distress. They do not charge for the tow at this time(tax dollars pay for it). They will, however, do a complete inspection of the vessel. 

If you call the Coast Guard for a tow they will first ask for another vessel in the area to assist. They will also ask if you are willing to accecpt a commercial tow.

You do not have to accept the commercial tow.

Unfortunatly I have had to accept a tow from the Coast Guard and they were very polite and responded within 2 hours.


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## wave hopper (Dec 27, 2004)

My uncle's boat sank last spring and the coast gaurd went out to a jack up to pick them up and bring them in and it didn't cost them a dime just had to wait about 4 hours and they had to go to port o instead of matagorda (the launch site) because of there location.


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## Slightly Dangerous (May 21, 2004)

I figure that if the Coasties can spend a gazillion dollars to assist the Alaska crab fishery every year then they should splurge a little of our tax money to help a weekend sailor. 
One neat little trick to try in an emergency is to make a little dish out of aluminum foil or anything metal and point it at the land and place your cell phone in front of it when making a call. You may have to move it to many positions before you get a signal but it has been known to work. Try it sometime when you're offshore and the fishing is slow.


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

Fishingfool, thank you for that post. I learned something from it. I remember a story my Dad used to tell me about a friend of his that had trouble on the water once - this would have been in probably the late 60's. The man called for help, and the Coast Guard came out. His boat was small and I think this was in Galveston Bay - I know he was not offshore. The first thing the Coast Guard did was have him sigm a waiver saying that he understood that the Coast Guard was not responsible for his personal property. Then they began to leave the scene with the man, but not the boat. As the man asked about his boat, the Coast Guardsman told him, "We rescue people, not personal property. You are free to come with us aboard our vessel, or stay on your vessel." Well, the man had no choice but to go with the Coast Guard on their boat, and abandon his poor little boat, which he never saw again. As a result of this story, I was always under the impression that the Coast Guard would save YOU, but not your vessel, and so you better not call the coasties unless your boat is taking on water and you already know that it is going down regardless. Other than that - don't even bother calling the Coasties. I am VERY happy to know that this is no longer the case!!

Tu Primo


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## wave hopper (Dec 27, 2004)

I agree on the foil and cell phone thing team sponge had a friend that tried it and it worked.


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

I just folded neatly a big piece of foil and put it in my tackle box!


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## HonkyFin (May 28, 2004)

It always cracks me up how some people on this board pile on the Coasties with all these "stories" about the C.G. doing this or saying that.
They will come and get you PERIOD 
Yes, you may wait 4 hrs,,,During prime time (summer) you may wait all night or day before they come. But they will come. Just get your boat in top order before they arrive.You'll have plenty of time.
It works like this, You need help, you call the coasties,,, they offer a tow service but if you ever see the price tag on a tow service, you'll wait for the coasties.
Tow services dont tow for free. And its not Mayor Whites "safe-clear" program either. I have no method to pay for any private tow service,,,,so then what?? I die of exposure ? 
Also, they will try to get you and your vessel to shore, they will not leave a navigational hazard like that floating around the big pond so an oil tanker can collide with it or for that matter any vessel.
Who wants to smash their $ 250,000 Sport Fisher into some jalopy , cuddy cabin the coasties just left out there bobbing around like a piece of garbage ?
One more thing, Boat/US has a cell-phone adapter for a VHF radio.
This allows you to co-op the ant. of your VHF for cell phones. It is similiar to a coax cable adapter and comes with the cell-phone connections just bring you celly to the store with you so you can get the correct adapter.


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

HonkyFin said:


> It always cracks me up how some people on this board pile on the Coasties with all these "stories" about the C.G. doing this or saying that.
> Also, they will try to get you and your vessel to shore, they will not leave a navigational hazard like that floating around the big pond so an oil tanker can collide with it or for that matter any vessel.
> Who wants to smash their $ 250,000 Sport Fisher into some jalopy , cuddy cabin the coasties just left out there bobbing around like a piece of garbage ?
> .


Whose to say it isnt the 250k sportfisher that is the floating piece of junk without power?


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## bigdaddyriverrat (May 24, 2004)

What I had heard one time, don't know if its true or not is that if weather conditions are bad the Coast Gaurd may elect to leave your vessel and only rescue the crew. Which would make sense to me, I mean would you try to tow in a 25 foot vessel in 12-14 foot seas with a 50 mph wind? I doubt it would make the trip.


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## shallow-minded (Jan 24, 2005)

How about these guys like vessel assist. They are suppose to have a service you pay yearly and if you break down they come and get you. Has anybody used them or have there service?


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

All the services that do this are great but alot of them cut you off at a certain distance from shore.


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## shallow-minded (Jan 24, 2005)

I was just looking at the vessel assist web site on one service it had free unlimited tows to 50 miles from where the boat is. So its probably so much a mile our hour after that. that service is about $125. a year. Iy looks like they have a location in Galveston. Not sure where else.


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## Hooked (Oct 15, 2004)

We have Sea Tow. I think they have unlimited distance towing. $120 a year for peace of mind. Had to call them early last summer. Good folks.

Bob


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## Crabby-D (Jun 15, 2004)

Hooked, How did you reach(radio, phone, smoke signals) sea tow?


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## Over the Edge (May 21, 2004)

Hooked,

Did they specify what unlimited distance is? What if I am at Hoover Diana (120 nm from POC)? Will they stand behind that $120 contract and come get me??


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## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

Unlimited distance means a max of 50 miles, usually.


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## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

Check the terms of the coverage. Basically, no. Unlimited towing does not mean unlimited distance offshore. Depending on the service, its typically limited to something like 30 or 50 miles from the tow boat's point of departure/dock. I forget what mine says exactly, but I am real sure its not 50 miles from the farewell buoy at the end of the jetties. I use the one affiliated with Boat USless. 

My recollection is that there are not a whole lotta choices. I seem to recall there was only one service that served Freeport (but not Galveston) and vise versa, but that may have changed since I researched it a couple years ago. 

Have used them once (operater error). They were real cool. towed my rig with no problem, and were prompt. But, I was not offshore at the time and it was not a real busy weekend. When I asked the actual tow boat operator, they told me they were come out in any conditions that were safe for them, tow me no matter how far I was off, but I would pay the big rate for all the miles coming and going beyond the 50 miles. His advise do whatever you can to get within the 50 mile range (drift, sail, paddle, beg a tow off a fisherman) cause the regular towing charges will kill you.


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

Hey, whoa! whoa! whoa! I was in no way intending to pile on the Coasties, and I apologize for even giving the impression that that is what my intentions were. I was simply reporting a story exactly as it was reported to me, and then I freely admitted that this story caused me to have a totally wrong impression of the Coasties until I began reading this board and learned the actual truth. That is the exact reason I said in my first post that this has been a very educational thread for me and that I was really glad that it had been posted. I freely admitted that I had been totally wrong about the Coasties all these years, but I was just going on the only info that I had ever been exposed to. 

OK, to all of you guys who have had to call for private tows, I am also curious about how y'all contacted the tow company - VHF, cell, SSB, SAT Phone, and how far out were y'all? The reason I am curious about this is because of the range limits of cells and VHF.

Tu Primo


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## Crossroads (May 21, 2004)

I assisted a fellow boater about 20 miles out of Port O'Connor last year. He could not raise the USCG or Boatus on his VHF. I was able to converse with the USCG but could not raise the POC Boatus. The CG contacted Boatus and we had a 4-way relay going. As I recall, Boatus wouldn't come out until we provided them either a Boatus member number, or a credit card number. The fellow in need was a Boatus member and we met the Boatus Towboatus boat about an hour later while I towed the fellow boater toward POC. I believe the POC TowBoatus guy will come to your aid as far out as you need as long as you have the insurance and/or credit card upfront.


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## wiley199 (May 22, 2004)

Whats the deal with the foil?


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

There is one other thing I would like to add to my previous post. First, let me describe my boat. It is not a 250,00.00 boat. It is an '87 Glastron 22' Cabin Cruiser, and although I have worked hard to maintain it and keep it in good seaworthy condition, and keep the engine running as reliably as humanly possible, I figure that if I were to try to sell it on ebay tomorrow, it would probably fetch only about 4 or 5 grand. I am very sure that this is exactly the kind of boat that would be considered a 'jalopy cuddy cabin,' but I also very much resent it being referred to as such. Let me tell you something - it is entirely possible that tomorrow I could be sharing a rig with a 250,00.00 boat, and I could have mechanical problems, and I would be forced to ask that boat for assistance, and I am sure they would render aid with no problem. But it is equally true that the more expensive boat may have a mechanical failure and they may need me to pull them out of there, which I would do in a heartbeat. All things are relative - as compared to the awesome power of the Gulf and Murphy's Law, we are all 'jalopy brothers..' 

Tu Primo


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## wiley199 (May 22, 2004)

1984 Tiara Pursuit,,,25 foot,,,,Well said Vinny


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## wiley199 (May 22, 2004)

Whats the deal with the foil???????????????????????????????


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## wiley199 (May 22, 2004)

Never mind I found it,, great idea


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## jtburf (May 26, 2004)

Funny I have a rider on my Boat insurance to cover towing charges!!!...


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## jsb223 (May 23, 2004)

HonkyFin said:


> some jalopy , cuddy cabin...


Hey, I resemble that remark!!!


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

Hey JSB and Wiley, I am glad you guys weighed in.. I'll go ya one even better than that! I have not said anything yet about my other boat.. It is a 14 foot Helton that my grandfather had built in 1951. It has been garage kept since 1951 and is literally in showroom condition. My Dad used to go to the Helton Boat Works on Old Spanish Trail Blvd when he was a teenager at St Thomas High School here in Houston, and watch the craftsmen actually build the boat. Last Summer my Dad and I removed the '62 40HP Johnson that my grandfather had on it, and replaced it with a brand new 2004 Johnson 40HP. The old engine was a short shaft, and so the transom had been notched out.. but the new engine was a long shaft, so I had to go to a hardwood supplier here in Houston and get some Red Oak and Mahogony stock and fill in the notch on the transom, then stain and varnish to match the original construction, so that the new long shaft engine could be fitted. And yes, I have been seen in the Helton since then at near shore rigs on nice days, which I believe technically classifies as 'offshore fishing.' 

I am not good at posting pics, but I will try to post pics of my 'other offshore boat' if you guys would like to see them. Just tell me and if y'all want, I'll try to post them..

Oh, and by the way, if I were at a rig in the Helton on a nice day, and a '250,000.00' boat needed assistance, I would drop what I was doing in a heartbeat and pull him to safe harbor immediately, because there but by the grace of God go I.. 

How do you guys like THAT for a JALOPY!!!?????

Tu Primo


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

Hey man, I am right there with you. I have had to help out a couple of nice 100k plus boats and enjoyed doing so. One was as simple as being 40 miles out and not having enough 2cycle oil for his twin 300s. I gave him my extra gallon without flinchiing. That is what it is all about.I have an 81 aquasport that doesnt even run right now due to the lack of an engine. I will get it running and surely in the future it will break down, even with new motors on it. I am sure I will run across another 100k boat that is broken down one day too. I will help them again.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

if you are in trouble and tired of fooling around..............injured, sinking etc.

say exactly , "I request professional coast guard assistance"............ that is direct from my ex-coastie buddy, they have to respond.

put on your life jackets, state your position fix very clearly and anchor as best you can.

no games, it's serious, you better not just be out of gas or oil...............


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## HonkyFin (May 28, 2004)

CoastalOutfitters said:


> if you are in trouble and tired of fooling around..............injured, sinking etc.
> 
> say exactly , "I request professional coast guard assistance"............ that is direct from my ex-coastie buddy, they have to respond.
> 
> ...


 Thank you ! thats what I was saying in my first post.
and tow services will have you taking a second mortgage on your house if you use them.
The "jalopy cuddy cabin" remark was simply a figure of speech. no need to hit me with the class envy mentality, besides I paid $8,000.00 for my "sportfisher" which could just as easily be the broke-down "jalopy" .
I just am amazed at the bad myths the Coast guard gets for the very simple fact that an attitude like that could jeapordize someones life.


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## toyotapilot (Jun 11, 2004)

*Helton Boats...*

I think this is the first time I have ever heard of anyone else that own's one of the Helton boats... We have a 14 foot Helotn Clinker sitting in my mom's garage fully restored. It has a 20 something horse Johnson on it that runs great, but I don't know that it will ever touch the water. It's just too pretty. The boat has personal ties too, since my great uncle helped the Helton's with the early designs, and supplied the original drain plugs once they moved past teh cut off broom stick idea.


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## Crossroads (May 21, 2004)

_I just am amazed at the bad myths the Coast guard gets for the very simple fact that an attitude like that could jeapordize someones life._

The USCG does not project itself as a friend when you need one, its more like we're a last resort. An image issue which may or not be earned. I have full respect for those guys and the things they do but its kind of like thinking an ATF agent your friend.


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

The Coast Guard can be your friend!!! They do the best they can with what they have. 

When I was towed in from 30 miles out they were as friendly as can be and very professional.

When we first contacted them the first thing they inquried about was our safety
and while we were waiting for them to arrive they would contact us by VHF every 20-30 minutes to check on our safety.


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

Hey Honky Fin, I know you didn't mean anything by the cuddy cabin thing, and I didn't mean to seem like I was throwing the class envy attitude at you.. As far as I am concerned it's no harm done and we're cool. Besides, one of us may need the other for a tow next week! 



And Toyotapilot, I know what you mean about the Helton - it kind of makes me nervous to take it out because I don't want anything to happen to it, but I just don't have the heart to tell it that it can never go out and play again. It looks at me and begs me to take it out and play, and I just give in every time!! 



Valkyrie, that line about the ATF was great! I laughed so hard I about fell out of my chair! I envisioned myself calling the ATF and telling them that I was having trouble with my Mini 14 and requesting them to come over to my house to render professional ATF assistance! LOL!

Tu Primo


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## toyotapilot (Jun 11, 2004)

hey Vinny, any chance I can get a picture of yoru Helton? I have never seen another one in modern times, just photos from the past. I want to compare it to ours. I will post a picture of the one we have as soon as I can get one too if it's wanted.


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

Hey Toyotapilot, yes, I would very much like to see a pic of your boat if you can post it. I am trying to post my pic, but my problem is that I changed the OS on my computer to Win XP, and now my scanner won't work. I am not sure what to do about it either. I may just have to take some pics with my digital camera when I go back out to my Dad's in Pearland this weekend.. I will see what I can do about getting something posted. Like you, I have also not seen anything like my Helton in modern times, and I sure would like to see your pics..

Tu Primo


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## toyotapilot (Jun 11, 2004)

*My Helton...*

Here is a picture of the Helton we have... I may post it in the 'post photos of your boat' thread too. So far it has not been in the water since it's restoration, but this summer it may make it's maiden voyage with my grandfater, since it's the type boat he used to run around Chocolate Bay.


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## Snagged (May 21, 2004)

That is a real head turner!


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

That is very nice.


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## wave hopper (Dec 27, 2004)

Thats a nice boat.


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## Crossroads (May 21, 2004)

Maybe a new thread is needed, a long way from distressed fishing boats.


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## Dutch Treat (May 21, 2004)

Valkyrie said:


> Maybe a new thread is needed, a long way from distressed fishing boats.


Amen to that!


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## kingslayer0 (Jan 14, 2005)

I am fairly new to this website, but had a story that i thought fit the bill. Most of my fishing experience was learned in Alaska, as i have been a guide there for the last 3 summers. We were heading for our honey hole 55miles out into the gulf of alaska. we had just reached our 53rd mile into the trip when one of my engines went down. i was running a 30 foot sea sport with twin volvo I/O's. The water was fine only 3 to 4 foot swells, but the scary part is that every electrical component at the helm was wired off of that one engine. So i had gone from a 30 knot boat with state of the art electronics to a 4 knot boat without a single working instrument (except the old compass). When that engine went down (turned out it had seized up and my boss was expecting this to happen, which i was unaware of) i lost my GPS, Radar, VHF and CB. We made it in alright and the boat recieved a new motor to be ready for the next days charter,I had never been more scared or felt more helpless in my entire life. Just thought i would share!


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

Hey Toyotapilot, I cannot believe that! That is the only other one I have ever seen. These other guys are right about us having gotten off topic, and I apologize for that, but I still really appreciate your pics. I will get some of mine posted..

However, I have another question that is back on topic. When one of us needs help, the Coasties are a more attractive option that I had previously thought, and certainly the commercial towers are an option, but by far the most attractive option for us all is each other. The one thing that has been bothering me about this story is that Crabby called for help, and no other boaters responded - only the Coasties. There had to be other boaters in VHF range, so how can this be? Should we all be taking a closer look at our communication systems? Are our antennas too low? Do we need to do a better job of monitoring the air waves? As a fellow boater, it just bothers me that Crabby needed help and could not raise another boater on the radio, and I am just trying to figure out if there is anything we can do to improve this?

Tu Primo


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## toyotapilot (Jun 11, 2004)

I apoligize for getting off topic, but I didn't want to start a whole new thread just for that.

With any luck I will never need the Coast Guard's help... again. We once lost a transmission on the way out on a 31' sport fisherman, then had a vibration dampner spring come off on the other engine and jam in the flywheel. We managed to do repairs to both at sea, but kept in contact with the Coast Guard the whole way back. It was great knowing that they knew where we were and what was wrong just in case. Now I stay in sight of land anyway since I only have one engine on my current boat.


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## Farmer Jim (May 21, 2004)

Vinny,
Your post is dead on. There has always been an understanding that if you fish offshore, you simply cannot ignore a distress call. I've been fishing the gulf out of the sight of land since 1960 and have thousands of hours offshore. Since 1972, most of that was in my own boats. Amazingly, in all that time, I've never had a breakdown or been on a boat that did. I've pulled a few myself, but never been on the receiving end of a tow. I know, however, that I've been remarkably lucky and that it could happen on the very next trip. It's a big and lonely place out there and we all have an obligation to look out for each other. If we keep going out there long enough (and most of us have the bug bad), almost all of us are going to have some sort of problem that requires help sooner or later. 

Personally, I have to believe that the reason no one responded to Crabby's calls was because no one heard them. Anything else is just something I do not want to even contemplate.


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

Kingslayer, I got a shiver up my spine when I read your post. I would have been very worried indeed. I am wondering if, when they put in the new engine, they took the opportunity to 'split up' the electronics, so that if an engine goes out, you might lose something but not everything. This is one of the reasons that I have always believed that there is still a place in this world for LORAN. It is not as easy or accurate as GPS, but it is cheap and how comforting would it have been to have had it set up as an aux nav system drawing it's power from your other engine..? The whole world seems to be ready to pronounce LORAN DOA, but I am not.. 

Farmer Jim. when you said that anything else was something that you did not even want to contemplate, you said a mouthful my friend.. You said a mouthful. The awful truth is that the more I think about this, the more I think that other boaters did in fact hear Crabby's requests for help, and they also heard the Coast Guard respond, so they figured that there was no longer any need to get involved. I pray in the name of all that is holy that I am wrong about this.. 

Tu Primo


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

*New Member*

I had to join so I could say "I wish I could have said it better." There is a shared experience between those of us who go offshore. I hope it goes deep enough to want to look out for each other.


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## Snagged (May 21, 2004)

I don't want to think about Jim's thought's.
I do want to put a bug in your minds about Texas law, this may have changed. If you tow someone with your line YOU are responsible for any damages to their craft while under tow.


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

*Bridle*

Just built a new towing bridle to carry in the boat. Not really worried about that damages thing.


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

Goggleye, I am glad to have you aboard and I agree with you.. I figure that if I throw someone my towline and then they sue me, well, that is just too far out there for me to even think about. And even if I did get sued, and the very next week you needed help, I would not hesitate to throw you my tow line.. The one thing I gotta say though, is that only the Texas legislature could come up with a law that far out there. No one held a gun to the head of the 'towee' and forced them to accept the tow from the 'tow-er'..

But the one thing I still want to know, is how come there are still fellow boaters out there calling for help, and their calls are not being responded to by other boaters? This is bothering me. This is really bothering me..

Tu Primo


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

Farmer Jim, I was re-reading your post, and I just gotta say, I don't know who your guardian angel is, but whoever it is deserves a Congressional Medal of Honor!!! I am sure you already know that, though, and are already duly appreciative to your angel. You have a very special relationship with someone up there my friend.. 

Tu Primo


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## Farmer Jim (May 21, 2004)

Vinny,
Man I know how lucky I've been. I've had a couple of problems, but we've always managed to get some sort of fix and limp in. Once, about 20 miles off Grand Isle, I broke the belt to the water pump on a Mercruiser I/O I had. Went looking for the spare and couldn't find it. Well, we learned that at about 1300 rpm you could spin the pully enough by hand to keep the temp just below the red line. It was a looong trip back, but by taking turns on that danged pully, we limped in under our own power. Had a couple of other similar experiences, but always managed some sort of a fix. However, I know the chances of finishing up my fishing life without eventually ending up on the wrong end of a tow rope are pretty slim.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

snagged is correct , if you tow someone , have them throw you a tow line, there was a court case lost where a good samaritan threw a boat a line to pull a boat off a reef and the line parted and killed a passenger on the stranded vessel, the aiding person was deemed liable for the death, go figure..................

as i said months ago, have your tow lines and bridle on your boat, at least you will be comfortable with them if you have to throw them to someone for a tow home.

later, Bob


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

mcguyver tip of the day

broken fan belt....................fishing stringer or ski rope and a pack hitch knot.

drive slow and it will get you in

been there done that...............42 mi out , arrival 1 am, un-aided


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

Crabby-D 

Let me guess.....>Evinrude?


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## Snagged (May 21, 2004)

Crabby,
Were there any other boats in line of sight? That is the only possible reasonable reason nobody gave assistance.
Vinny,
I don't own a bluewater boat, I have towed people in on the great lakes, the Mississippi river and a couple of mid-west impoundments. This is the only place I've heard of such a towing law.


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## Crabby-D (Jun 15, 2004)

*Can you hear me now?*

The engine is a 2001 Evinrude E-Tech 225 with less than 75 hrs on it, per print out.

The fuel filter checked ok, the sparks plugs too. Captain claws decided he will take it to the shop, since it still wont fire up. First has to fix a bearing on the trailer that blew out between Victoria and house.

We did several radio checks on the way out and also when we lost power. We got "Loud and clear" responses from different voices on different channels both times. However, when we asked for help, explaining our situation, got a lot of DEAD SILENCE. We eventually made contact with the coast guard. After giving them our gps coordinates, we heard the coast guard call for all boats within 25 miles. They did this several times.We had some problem understanding what the coast guard was saying because of static and bad amplification. We did not hear any responses to the coast guard's call. It wasnt until about 12:30 that we were certain coast guard was coming, thats about the two longest hours..We did hear other communication, seemed to be between rigs and crew boats. Coast guard instructed us to change to another channel, we where on 16, the 11 and then the jet pilot switched us over to 22 to communicate with the boat that came out to get us, as best I remember.

The only fishing boats we saw came by early, and we did not hail them, it was about 8am. We had not figured out we were not going to be able to fire up the engine.

We came out of Port A on a 126 heading. We saw a large cruise liner about 6 miles off at one point. A shrimper heading in around the same time we saw the two fishing boats.

As far as what I think, I think I still want to fish.

Whether someone heard us or not, I would like to think nobody but the coast guard did. If somebody did and blew us off, that is for them to sleep on, not for me to judge them.


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## Jerry-rigged (May 21, 2004)

It may have benn a typo, but a 2001 E-Tech 225? I thought the Big block E-tech motors only went into production in 2004? Is the motor a FICT? Or was the year a typo?

Jerry


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## Badhabit (May 20, 2004)

Farmer Jim said:


> Vinny,
> Man I know how lucky I've been. I've had a couple of problems, but we've always managed to get some sort of fix and limp in. Once, about 20 miles off Grand Isle, I broke the belt to the water pump on a Mercruiser I/O I had. Went looking for the spare and couldn't find it. Well, we learned that at about 1300 rpm you could spin the pully enough by hand to keep the temp just below the red line. It was a looong trip back, but by taking turns on that danged pully, we limped in under our own power. Had a couple of other similar experiences, but always managed some sort of a fix. However, I know the chances of finishing up my fishing life without eventually ending up on the wrong end of a tow rope are pretty slim.


Hey Jim, remember the mono around the prop shaft, whew, what a day that was.... But we stayed calm, used our brain and did what we had to do.... PULL THE PROP off the outboard in 150' of water after securing the prop to the boat with a safety line, I remember how tight you were holding the prop nut and washer when you handed them to me...LOL


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

Hey Crabby, Check the coax cable connector where it goes into the back of the radio. Mine had a set screw that punctured the insulator and shorted out. Went out with lordbater and could only reach him if we were really close less that about a mile away at most. When I got home I started looking and could only get the weather on channel 3. On my smaller boat I could recieve about 3 different stations. I noticed that there was no difference when the antenna was plugged in and unplugged. I fixed this connection and can now get about 5 different stations in my driveway. It is just a though but you can be assured that most everyone that I know is more than willing to lend a hand. I have seen some really awesome acts on the water. Shrimphorn and Lordbaiter picked up a boat that had broken down a few miles from the jetties, hooked up to them, then towed them around the rest of the day so that everyone still get to fish. 
I think that helping someone in need is a common feeling shared between most of us and really doubt that someone would ignore a boat in need on the water.

Bill


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## Crabby-D (Jun 15, 2004)

Jerry- Rigged, I believe you are correct. It has a 2006 EPA sticker on it.


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## Crossroads (May 21, 2004)

I have towed 5 boats in the last 6 years fishing out of POC. In all those cases, no other boaters would respond. In one case, a small aluminum boat with a dead motor in the big jetties was drifting out to sea because of the strong current, he had no anchor and no radio and the two on board were waving at every boat passing. I saw several boats pass by without even acknowledging that the boat was there. I did stop and assist them with a tow back into the Fishing Center. I believe most boaters are not turning on their radios and certainly don't listen to hails for help. A MayDay broadcast might get more attention but maybe not.


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

Wow! This thread has been a real education for me. Crabby's story is even more disturbing than I had realized. He put out calls for help, and it took him a long time to raise the Coast Guard. That means that if anybody did hear his call, they KNEW that he had so far been able to reach the Coast Guard, and yet they still disregarded his call. 

And after what Valkyrie said, I am beginning to think that maybe I better make sure that wherever I go, I better make sure I have some reliable way of reaching the Coast Guard directly, because if I put my life in the hands of other boaters in the area, they will 'probably' help me, but then again they may just let me drown.. I just always figured that if I needed help, I just get on the radio and request it and someone out there will help me, but now I know that this is not necessarily true. My confidence in my VHF is rapidly evaporating. So what are we supposed to do now, all go out and get SAT phones, even for relatively short trips?

Tu Primo


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

I have been helped out offshore 3 times to date and never have had a problem contacting others. I have also helped out many times and each time there were multiple responses. The hard part is doing it in winter when not alot of boats are in any area. As I said. I heard the coastguard plane and that is all. By that time they had called for a towboat and shortly thereafter called the CG ship out. I would have certainly gone after you as would anyone else that I have met off this board. The reason I origionally wanted to konw was because if you were so close to shore and only 15 miles from aransas banks/southern area then we should have heard you calling in the first place. Really, check your antenna. When they said they were talking to sportfisher caravelle I was thinking yacht with the name caravelle. I guess I got in the radio chatter a little late in the game though.


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## Crabby-D (Jun 15, 2004)

There's no doubt that you all would have helped us out had you been aware of our predicament. 

Im not upset that we needed coast guard assistance. 

I am upset this thread is not about all the fish we(should have) caught on our Port A trip. All I know, is 'em fish better look out next time we make it out there.


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## gundoctor (May 20, 2004)

With all the discussion of the limitations of VHF marine radio, I got to thinking about what might be better. 
Any body ever consider getting a "ham radio" license and putting a 2 meter rig on your boat? If I remember correctly, 2 meter radio is not line of sight, so with a little luck, you could reach someone inland that would get you some help. This would be a emergency set up and not designed to replace VHF, just a back up if no one was close enough to hear you on VHF. The test for a ham license isn't that hard I don't think and there is no where near the expense of a sat phone. I don't know if there are "ham" transceivers that will hold up well in a salt water environment, but it may be something worth checking into.


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## Fox (Jul 23, 2004)

gundoctor,


2 meter ham radios are vhf, therefore line of sight also. To get the "skip" that you are probably thinking of, you would need an hf radio. This requires 2 written tests and a 5 word per minute morse code test. Go for it. It is great fun talking around the world.

Later,
FOX

Ham Call: KE5AFA


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## JIM_D (May 25, 2004)

Fox

Don't forget the VHF/UHF satelites!

I was thinking 20 meters (for hemisphere to world wide), 40 meters and 75 meters for for mid range (500 to 1k miles) general coverage.

kd5pad


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## gundoctor (May 20, 2004)

Fox said:


> gundoctor,
> 
> 2 meter ham radios are vhf, therefore line of sight also. To get the "skip" that you are probably thinking of, you would need an hf radio. This requires 2 written tests and a 5 word per minute morse code test. Go for it. It is great fun talking around the world.
> 
> ...


Yep I was thinking of "skip." Back in 68 when I was in Nam, we used to talk to the states on what I remember as being 2 meter band. I was thinking that VHF didn't start until it got down to 1 meter. After 36 years, I guess my memory isn't as good as it used to be.
I've started to get a amateur radio license a time or two, but I just never followed through with learning "da" "dit"s. The Air Force taught me enough theory to pass that part of the test, I just never did learn code or all the FCC regs.


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

I also have a ham license, but it is a Tech license, so I can't transmit on HF.. However, as I recall, in an emergency situation, ANYBODY can legally call for help on an HF set, license or no license. So then, why not just go ahead and put an hf set on the boat, even if you don't have a license, and then only use it to put out a distress call? I think that would be legal..

Tu Primo
N5UNC


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## JIM_D (May 25, 2004)

Vinny, get an IC 706Mk2G and you will have all your bases covered for when you NEED to contact anyone, anywhere! H.F., VHF, UHF


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## HonkyFin (May 28, 2004)

Snagged said:


> I don't want to think about Jim's thought's.
> I do want to put a bug in your minds about Texas law, this may have changed. If you tow someone with your line YOU are responsible for any damages to their craft while under tow.


 I dont think Tx law applies in Federal waters.
If the act of towing originated in Tx waters I can understand that scope of jurisdiction, But if the tow starts in federal waters i dont see the application.
On a more disturbing note ,, I think that someone on this thread said that if they (other boaters) hear the C.G is involved then everything is okay and they dont have to respond, I think that is dead on.
Also I have a sneaking suspicion that some boaters have that "me" mentality, I think it goes something like this,,,A couple guys out fishing,,just filled the boat with $150.00 in gas, Then another $100.00 on bait , ice ,beer, if its my boat , that would be 150.00 on beer only !
then they plow thru 3-4's for 2 hrs to the fishing spot and before they have caught their first fish someone on the radio is calling for help.
This is the moment of thruth, is it all about you and the fishing or do you go get someone and pull them in ?
Most people will offer help,,others will not, its the nature of the beast.


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## Fox (Jul 23, 2004)

You guys are right. All rules go out the window in an emergeny, but I can't see spending all that money for electronics that weren't built to be around water and that you could only use in an emergency. Even then someone may not hear you. Probably better just buying the epirb.

I thought I read something a while back about marine radios that worked in the hf band (not the ham portions). I think that is what big ships use along with sat. Not sure tho.

later and 73,

FOX KE5AFA


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## Vinny (Aug 25, 2004)

Jim, that Icom radio you mentioned - how reliable would it be - by that I mean, if I were 75 or 100 miles out, would I absolutely positively be able to hit the Coast Guard, 1st time, every time? Which frequency would a person use in that situation? Also Fox raises a good question - how well would it hold up in that environment?

I agree that an EPIRB is a must, but I would prefer to have it in addition to a reliable voice communication device, rather than instead of a reliable voice communication device. 

A SAT phone could be a better option, though, since it is portable and could be taken into a liferaft.

Tu Primo


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

SAT PHONE IS CHEAPER THAN SIDEBAND RADIOS EITHER HAM OR MARINE AND MUCH EASIER TO USE.

Charlie


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