Feel like I let fellow boater down?

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

The guy was tied up at the dock. No danger. How did he get there? No gas in his boat? You offer to help and next thing it twists and turns and you are drawn into drama, towing him around. Next thing you know, you are towing him home and wiping his a** after he craps. That is called being an enabler.

No pity from me. Just because he is old is no excuse for stupidity. I'm old too and I make sure that the engine starts and I have gas in the boat before launching--I also make sure that the drain plug is in. You are not an a- hole.

Someone breaks down on the water, I will gladly tow them in. Once at the dock, it is their responsibility to take care of their hull and transportation.

few years back my father-in-law god bless him found i had removed the chain of the chain-saw and a neighbour helped put it back on and to get the saw running (enabler)........pity my father-in-law had oldtimers and set about cutting down a 80' pine tree that he thought was to close to the house and might fall during a storm....saw jammed so he tied a chain around the saw and pulled it out with a truck which is the only thing that saved the house and power pole.......still can not thank the electrical company enoght for felling the tree so it didnt wipe out there power lines.

 

[888]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

One day your gonna need help or assistance. What goes around comes around. You should've at least offered to help him back on his trailer so he could go get his own gas. But then again, to each his own.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

First off, I'm not as old as you are young.

Secondly, you seem a little confused. I asked if you had anything for my gas/stomach cramps.
If nothing else, "could you pull my finger?"
I was a bit dehydrated from the heat, so perhaps I wasn't communicating very well.

Thirdly, I put a hex on your cobra drive after you left.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

As we are launching he says to me "it just died". I say sorry.

The same guy as if I could tow him back up the hill to get some gas in his boat.

I'm not going to jump on the band wagon and bash the OP as I don't understand why the guy was in distress and why he needed a tow "up the hill" to get gas in his boat. Was he at the dock and able to:

1- Load his boat on the trailer?
2- Drive his rig up the hill to get fuel?

Did he want to load his boat onto your trailer, so you could drive him to get some fuel? That seems like a ridiculous request. Sure, I would have helped him load his boat onto the trailer and get that squared away, but drive him to get fuel??? Don't get me wrong, I've run to get people fuel before, but it was pretty difficult for those people to get fuel, unless they wanted to swim a couple of miles, then swim back dragging a 5 gallon jerry can behind them. If he had a removable fuel tank and I had my vehicle at the ramp, I would have run him up to the pump.

I've never felt guilty for not lending assistance to people as I always help when I can, but I've had some ridiculous requests before and never gave a second thought that I was being the Ahole, for not lending assistance.

 

[geoff-nz]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

So last night my son and I launch at sunset to get early start fishing in the AM. Well there is this old guy with an old 17 foot 80's open bow, out board (which by looks is somewhat neglected). As we are launching he says to me "it just died". I say sorry. I get my son tied up to the dock and as I am getting back into the car. The same guy as if I could tow him back up the hill to get some gas in his boat. I told him sorry again and that I really want to get out on the water.

I felt kind of bad for the guy but, you should be responsible to get your boat out of the water with your trailer. Not sure how the guy launched in the first place.

So was I a A....Hole for not helping this guy? What do you guys think?

Oh Yeah fishing the morning of a full moon. NOTH'N!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If I read this right you were launching in the evening for an early start in the morning......is that correct?

If thats the case you had no real reason to refuse to help. I have to assume that he had no vehicle at the ramp or he would have gone himself and was therefore stranded.

I would always try to help a fellow boatie.

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

yeah, think ya did

 

[DayCruiser]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

I wouldn't have towed his boat with my trailer but I would have offered to tow his boat back to where his vehicle was located or to his dock or to a Marina gas station(if there was one)
The OP doesn't seem to care that the actual problem is not clear??? Here lies another problem with leaving your boat at a boat ramp. The OP's boat may have been loaded with valuables--ie fishing rods, tackle. Leaving it there to go get gas is not a good idea with possible sticky fingered people coming and going .
Hard to form an opinion when we don't know all the details ie where was the old guys tow vehicle? Was there a fuel station on the lake within a reasonable towing distance? Did the old guy live within reasonable towing distance on the Lake? Could a call have been made to his friends or relatives to help him? Someone with a gas can?
Some kind of help should have been offered. Just not towing his boat with your vehicle. Many gas stations sale gas cans

 

[JEBar]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

as with some others, its a bit unclear to me exactly what was being asked, I don't know where his trailer and tow vehicle were .... if the request was to load his boat on my trailer, leave my boat at the ramp unattended, drive who knows how far to put gas in his boat, tow his boat back to the dock, and relaunch it, I don't know what I would have said .... the leaving my boat part would be the point of concern .... if he didn't have a trailer/tow vehicle, I do believe I would have offered to take him to the gas station (with my boat in tow) and helped him get a can of gas to bring back to his boat .... but that's just me

Jim

 

[JB]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

We do not have enough information to be passing judgement. We weren't there.

The OP feels guilty. I suspect that he will never again turn down a chance to help a fellow boater.

Regrets are the seeds of wisdom.

 

[mdrinkwater]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

I have been the lucky recipient of much help on the water, and here in the forums.

I put my first boat in the water without even know how to start it....Thanks fellow boater for teaching me

I broke down and needed a tow second time I put it in the water....Thanks fellow boater

I broke down and needed a tow the 4th time I had it in the water....Thanks fellow boater

I needed help between the 2nd and 4th time I had the boat out....Thanks forum members

Your requesting help...here to justify not helping....somehow, someway I think you could have helped, you make it sound as thought you just blew the guy off, like a beggar on the street.

Hopefully it's just a poor explanation in your initial post, and it didn't really happen like that, if it did, I hope I never have an issue when your around.

 

[emoney]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

I'm starting to think that the OP's boat broke down either last night or this morning and he's still stranded because no one will help, lol.

In the words of the late, great Paul Harvey, where's "The Rest of the Story"?

 

[Fishin Magician]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

alot of good reading.....

I am fourty eight yrs old and have figured out that it is easy to be selfish......

personally...I am always up for a challenge......

woulda made for a good fishin story.....

FM

 

[coreybv]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

I dunno... Would have been nice to help, but the guy was on dry land and in no real peril.

Would have been nice to help him out, but I'd probably be more concerned about the example I'd be setting for my son. I'm sure the old guy got through the night ok.

 

[mandopickr]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

We ran into a similar problem a few years back. My father had his 60 hp johnson worked on, and though we had run it around the cove, we took it out for him to show me a particular fishing hole. We had a full five gallons, and for some reason, I took another two gallons. Normally his pontoon would have run for days on 5 gallons of fuel.

We had a 40 min run to the fishing hole, and about 5 mins short we ran out of the first 5 gallons. I put in the two gallons and we turn around, and I know we aren't going to make it back. We get just short of a isolated ramp before the two gallons run out, and it dies. We make it to thisramp with the trolling motor.

My niece and I start walking, knowing this is going to be miles. About three miles out, a man picks us up, takes us to his house to get a five gallon gas can, takes us several miles to the gas station, and then back to the landing. Overall, it took him maybe 90 minutes of his time. He never acted as if it was a problem, though I'm sure it was. Of course I offered to pay for his time and fuel, but he refused.

He could have said, not my problem, they should have been better prepared, and he would have been right. Glad he didn't though.

 

[90stingray]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

personally...I am always up for a challenge......

That's the only way to look at the situation for me. I am pretty handy, a mechanic for a living, can do plumbing and electrical work, etc.... So i am wanting a challenge. I don't know how many cars i have towed in the snow, trucks out of the mud, helped give someone a jump start, troubleshot and fixed problems on the spot, and i have towed a couple boats back to the ramp too. And I always make their day.... And that makes my day. Never take any money, if its offered. Just a smile and a handshake will do for me. Well, one lady did give me a hug. I think the OP should have done what he could to help the old fellow out.

 

[nwcove]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

there is a lack of info on this one, but as mentioned by another poster, "dad" just passed along a little bit of himself to his son.

 

[Fishin Magician]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

That's the only way to look at the situation for me. I am pretty handy, a mechanic for a living, can do plumbing and electrical work, etc.... So i am wanting a challenge. I don't know how many cars i have towed in the snow, trucks out of the mud, helped give someone a jump start, troubleshot and fixed problems on the spot, and i have towed a couple boats back to the ramp too. And I always make their day.... And that makes my day. Never take any money, if its offered. Just a smile and a handshake will do for me. Well, one lady did give me a hug. I think the OP should have done what he could to help the old fellow out.

yeah....makes ya feel good....

the smile you can put on someone's face when they are having trouble.....priceless !

FM

 

[Oshkosh1]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

Let's see if I've got the "Cliffs notes" version correct.

The "old" guy has a "worn" boat sitting at a public dock...apparently outta gas.
He wants you to put it on YOUR trailer, then tow it "up the hill"(as in what??? a landing, a mountain...what distance are we talking?) to put fuel in it.
He apparently doesn't have his own rig there, either it's at another landing, or he keeps it in the water at a marina/house elsewhere.

If he truly seemed desperate, and genuine then I'd help him out even if he SHOULD have been more cognizant of his fuel situation. _hit happens sometimes, and maybe he just forgot to check the gauge before going out early...not unrealistic, especially if he's "elderly".

If it appeared that he was just lazy and/or feeding me a line of BS...I'd leave him there.

Too many "unknowns" to make a final judgement in this situation.

I suppose only YOU truly know whether you did the wrong thing or not.

If your "need" to get out early overrode your willingness to help out the man and the guilt is getting to you...then the only one you need answer to is your son. Explain your mistake(I know...I've done it...more than once!:facepalmand hope he, and you don't forget it.

 

[Sunsetrider]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

I don't understand why he wanted to be trailered up the hill. Why not ask for a ride to a gas station and back? Did he want you to tow his boat to gas up and back to re-launch? I think some are being a little harsh on the OP. Some people ask for too much and show a lack of concern for the inconvenience of others. Old guys can be over-reaching A-holes as well. They should maybe be castigated for putting others on the spot without good reason, no?

Thing is, we need more clarity on what the heck happened.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

I've had people accost me to tow them in for gas when it was quite obvious that they were all stinkin drunk.
I've offered help to people trying to launch a boat when they obviously had no clue how to do it and all I got back was a nasty "MYOFB I know what the F... I'm doing.
I've towed people in and then got a lot of mouth because I didn't go fast enough or drive them close enough to the dock.
I've gotten mouth grief because I refused to tow somebody when I knew that their boat was too big for my little one to handle.
I've towed nice people in who then thanked me to no end and offered to pay for my time.

Its all the circumstances. Sinking, drownding or drifting toward Niarara Falls is one thing. Out of gas and tied to a dock is another. Its all how the poor soul makes his presentation.

 

[lakegeorge]

Re: Feel like I let fellow boater down?

I would of asked him why he needed a tow and then made my decision. I am the type of guy that likes to believe the best of people and would have tried to help him after he told me why.
As others have said, it wasn't the best of examples in front of your son.