While this may come across like I'm being harsh, I don't mean to be anything more than simply serious.

The US Coast Gaurd (CG) is the gaurdian of our coasts and not a tow boat service. If you call for help from the CG, then they have one thing in mind: to get your butt to safety at almost any cost. And when they do it, I don't think that they try to bill you for the hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of time, fuel, wages, and equipment operating expense, in form of aquisition, and depreciation, that it all costs. In short, they sacrifice American tax dollars to save your life; even if you were the cause of the situation.

If, in the course of less than life threatening assistance, they can allow private enterprise a shot at not having to compete with them, they are obliged to allow those companies to perform their business. And if you are not in immediate danger, then I believe the C.G. has an obligation to keep themselves available for a real emergency that may crop up. They certainly are not allowed to take business away from U.S. citizens.

If you ask for help, and accept help, then you are obligated to compensate for that help. If the price is sky high, well then you can blame the law of supply and demand for that. Maybe you didn't do such a good job at bargaining at the time, too.

Toe Bote U.S. is in the business of capitalizing on our ability to find ourselves in need of a rare service. If they did not charge outrageous amounts, then they probably would not be there. If their price is too high, then other competitors would step up and offer similar help for less money. Your story will warn many of us what can happen if we use their services.

There are a lot of good samaritans on the water who will offer help and refuse compensation for their efforts. Almost any boater is one. When I hear the C.G. make a radio call about someone who needs assistance, they usually say "all mariners in the area are requested to keep a look out and offer assistance if needed."

If a commercial company arrives and does not offer free assistance, you can either say no thank you and wait for some possible free assistance, or you can take what you can get and pay the price.


I don't mean to diminish your surprise for how much money you had to pay. But in light of your, what some may call whining, I would like to present you with this question: Would you like for each and every tax paying citizen to pay the bill in lieu of you paying the bill? That is what would have happened if the C.G. would have done the job for you at no charge.

If you do want some free, government provided help, you should be calling lifegaurds, water police, or whatever other services are around in your area. If you simply want help from someone who won't accept payment, then you might want to do your boating at a time when there are a lot more good samaritans near you on the water. I am willing to jump in the water next to you and help you get that thing back on its paws.


I might also add that if you were in a life threatening emergency, Toe Boat Yo butt would have likely offered some free help as a good samaritan.

My bottom line has nothing to do with what I've just said, but here it is anyway. If you sail an unballasted sail boat that you can not uncapsize without outside assistance, then you should be ready to face the consequences of the inevitability that you will find yourself needing outside assistance. If you depend on outside assistance then you should have a full time plan for where that assistance will come from.

Please remember Sven and don't let his ultimitely expensive lesson to us all, be forgotten. He paid the big price, not you. Here is a link to the story of Sven:
The Story of Sven

[color:"red"]Congratulations on being able to call for help!![/color]

GARY