Sea Pirates?? Here's the real deal.

[ecduzitgood]

So what are the fees based on? Value of the vessel or difficulty of the job/conditions. I couuld agree with a premiun price based upon conditions but basing the fee on the value of the vessel is wrong. If I am traversing the canal and loose power and have no anchor (let's say it was lost during deployment) and I am adrift and require your service would I be billed for a tow? I doubt it, you would feel it meets the criteria to be a salvage and try and collect/bill as such...opportunistic is a very good description.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[seadogg]

the scenario you described is a perfect one. Take a closer look at the scenario you've described, and judge for yourself. your boat will more than likely be destroyed or badly damaged if left unassisted. if the situation were under control, you'd have no reason to panic, right? Since the situation is not under control, you would clearly be in a perilous situation, potentially damaging your vessel or causing other vessels damage (think of the tankers, tugs and barges that cannot deviate from their course and frequently traverse the canal). in other words, you're now in danger, but you're a potential danger to others. This is indeed grounds for a salvage, and if you request our services, the subsequent bill depends upon the amount and extent of use of equipment, crew, and yes, the value of your vessel. if i can prevent your 50,000-dollar vessel from being destroyed, don't you think i deserve payment for my efforts?? now as you sit there and assure yourself that we demand these outrageous payments, think of the insurance company, who is in business to deal with such incidents. would you believe that they would pay us a made-up sum we didn't deserve?

[ecduzitgood]

Originally Posted by seadogg

the scenario you described is a perfect one. Take a closer look at the scenario you've described, and judge for yourself. your boat will more than likely be destroyed or badly damaged if left unassisted. if the situation were under control, you'd have no reason to panic, right? Since the situation is not under control, you would clearly be in a perilous situation, potentially damaging your vessel or causing other vessels damage (think of the tankers, tugs and barges that cannot deviate from their course and frequently traverse the canal). in other words, you're now in danger, but you're a potential danger to others. This is indeed grounds for a salvage, and if you request our services, the subsequent bill depends upon the amount and extent of use of equipment, crew, and yes, the value of your vessel. if i can prevent your 50,000-dollar vessel from being destroyed, don't you think i deserve payment for my efforts?? now as you sit there and assure yourself that we demand these outrageous payments, think of the insurance company, who is in business to deal with such incidents. would you believe that they would pay us a made-up sum we didn't deserve? you're foolish if you do. i don't want to argue or put you down, but what you're saying is out if ignorance and i won't let it go unchecked. you clearly don't have your facts straight, and are blinded by self-righteous opinions of something you know nothing about. that much is apparent.

Ok so seeing as you won't say how much the salvage value is you want me to remain ignorant.
Large vessels like barges and tugs traverse the canal around slack tide so mid tide the danger is reduced yet I bet the bill isn't.
If the amount you collect for salvage is reasonable (My scenerio your choice of $50,000 value) why not post it and explain why a $6500 vessel gets the same service but a smaller bill?
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[seadogg]

listen man, there is no cut and dry rate when it comes to salvage. we certainly wouldnt charge the same bill for a boat on the rocks in a calm harbor as we would for that same boat on the rocks during a small craft advisory in an unsheltered body of water. the potential for destruction and/or loss is much greater for the latter, and i'm sure it would require a greater effort and risk on our part. to put it bluntly, it's not always as easy as just pulling up to someone, tying a line on and hauling them to safety, and that's a part i think you fail to understand. have i heard stories of people treated unfairly in salvage operations? yes, i have, but the company i'm a part of doesn't work that way. what i'm trying to convey to you is that we do not charge outlandish sums of money to perform the task, and even if we did the insurance companies wouldn't pay it! plain and simple. our industry rate is dependent upon a variety of situations, and is only paid out after an agreement is reached with a customer's insurance company. for those without insurance, we work with them and reach agreements that sometimes result in a loss on our part, but it's more important to us to uphold the reputation of our company and profession as a whole, so we take it in stride. also, i'm sure you know what it costs to run a boat, so consider that our primary salvage vessel is a 36-foot vessel with twin 200's (sometimes an operation requires more than one vessel on scene, though). do you think that thing's cheap to run when we're hauling ass full-throttle to help a customer who's twelve miles away?? or what about the crew of 3 or 4 that are typically needed to pull off a serious salvage operation?? cheap?? or what about possibly hiring a diver to spend what has sometimes been hours in the water to rig a sunken vessel with float bags to get it to the surface?? the list goes on, and whether you choose to believe it or not, there are many expenses and risks associated with salvage operations. risks to gear, crew and yes, human life. that being said, when it's gritty out there and i'm called on to help rescue a vessel in danger, i'm loving it. the crew is capable, the vessels are capable, and the gear is capable. we operate as professionals and do a job not everybody has the ability to pull off. the monetary reward is nice, sure, but seeing a relieved customer when we prevent their boat from sinking or being destroyed is what keeps our company growing year after year. i understand your concerns here, but i'm trying my best to give you the facts. i don't have any intentions of starting a feud or making enemies here but even if i can't change your mind, i'll defend this position with all i have. My integrity as a mariner is second only to my pride as a mariner, and im standing up for my profession.

[Duke41]

Originally Posted by ecduzitgood

So what are the fees based on? Value of the vessel or difficulty of the job/conditions. I couuld agree with a premiun price based upon conditions but basing the fee on the value of the vessel is wrong. If I am traversing the canal and loose power and have no anchor (let's say it was lost during deployment) and I am adrift and require your service would I be billed for a tow? I doubt it, you would feel it meets the criteria to be a salvage and try and collect/bill as such...opportunistic is a very good description.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

This is a good point. I do not agree that the fees should be based on the salvage value of the vessel. At the end of the day you are a tow boat operator not a surgeon. If it is too rough then stay in and let the Coast Guard handle it. In the end its all about the money. Some poor bastards back against the wall and you got him by the balls.

And yes over my 45 years of boating I have (Salvaged) towed other boats, I have rescued boaters in peril in the water, in rough seas. I pulled a few guys out of the bay a few years ago after their boat was hit by a tanker in the middle of the night, I rescued 3 people out of Rhode Island sound after they hit a rock in broad daylight. I never charge anyone a nickle.

I do not disagree that a tow service is badly needed. It is. But the hosing of the boater under these circumstances seems bad.