Professional Idiot

T

Tommy Allen

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366
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Went to the flotilla and fireworks at Wrightsville Beach NC Saturday night after Thanksgiving. Our tenth trip and a great overall experience. Fun, beautiful weather, and awesome fireworks.

On the run back to Topsail at night with good spotlights and GPS, all was well. Then we started hitting some rolling wakes that we couldn't figure out the source of. We probably went a mile (just a guess) and came up on a professional tow boat towing about a 28 to 30 foot cruiser. Not a light in sight anywhere. None, total darkness. We hit him with the spotlight is the only way we saw him.

Called him on the radio and told him that he had no stern lights and was in danger of being hit.

He told us the towed boat had a total electrical failure, and he had lost his stern light. Again, this is a professional tow operation. Not to mention any names, but it was a red tow boat. Didn't seem to bother him at all.

Now please explain to me how much trouble it would have been to have someone on the stern of the tow boat with a flashlight? Is that too much to ask for?

I thought the "professional tow boat operators" were a little more prepared than that.

Rant off.
 
Around here, all tow boats also have flashing red and yellow lights that can be seen for miles.
 
I'd take a responsible amateur before a trained professoinal anytime. I don't let professional mechanics on my boat. At least I don't anymore.

The tow boat, limited in its ability to manuvoer, would have the right of way so why would he need lights? Of course that doesn't seem to be his only limitation.

Glad you didn't hit him or disturb his tow.
 
"The tow boat, limited in its ability to manuvoer, would have the right of way so why would he need lights? Of course that doesn't seem to be his only limitation"

It was 9:00 PM, pitch dark. It would have been nice to have something to show where he was? Hard to give right of way to something you cannot see.
 
Not to pick nits, but a towing vessel is not automatically considered to be restricted in it's ability to maneuver, as defined in the COLREGS, nor is "right of way" established but on certain waters.
 
You needed a search light to see? I hope you were not running with your spotlights on. THAT would be dangerous.
 
I have never seen a Yellow or Red boat without strobes as well as an array of lights. It does seem strange he had no visible lights on either vessel. In my area the Professional towers in my opinion are right up there with the CG in their skills. They don't have the assets the USCG do but they have saved enough lives in my area that I need to count with my second set of fingers.
NC The only time I have ever heard them call out on 16 that they have restricted maneuvering is when they are doing a side tow in a narrow channel. Again it is broadcast on 16 & 22A and their working channel either 19 or 80 depending on Yellow or Red.
They are so good in our area they sit and warn boats on the radio where the shoaling is or if the boat is going into a dangerous area. I have heard them go out in the fog and lead people in the inlet when the CG says we don't or can't make recommendations. It must be a liability thing with the CG?

Now what happened to the above poster just seems to be strange and as said stupid. I can only defend the operators in my area THEY ARE FANTASTIC. Every area has its own franchise from what I understand.
Bill
 
Perhaps reporting the Tow to the parent company might be appropriate.

Not only should there be lights, but the tows we've been near (except on) usually review their surroundings regularly and request slow passage.

That the tow had no lights is inexcusable and could have been disastrous if a second accident occurred. Ill equipped tows are just as bad as an ill prepared boat they are rescuing or recovering.
 
Yeah, you've got to love those people that try to squeeze by a fat alongside tow in a tight spot, never failing to come off plane, but not all the way, so as to throw the largest possible wake.

Correct about the liability thing.
 
You would think that a tow boat could have a battery pack with two 5ft. wires on it and one 20ft wire on it.

One 5 footer would have a red light and the other 5 footer would have a green light.

The 20 footer would have a white light.

Take the battery pack and plop it on the helm, stretch out the 5 footers to each side and then run the 20 ft wire to the stern.

To simple, to easy and to safe I bet.

Its done with auto towing.
 
We carry battery operated dinghy lights, which also could be used in an emergency for main vessel running lights. This includes an all around white light as well as a bi color red and green. We also carry a all around 25 watt Aqua signal anchor light we used to hang in the rigging in a 62 foot sailboat, as an auxillary to the masthead anchor light. This is bright and can be connected directly to any battery present. We carry a U 1 tractor battor or PWC starting battery which is kept independant of all other DC systems.
 
I have to adjust my sarcasm to be less esoteric.

As for red boat operators in Barnegat Bay and Little Egg Harbor, they don't get any better.

The tow boat, the subject of this thread, should have called for a tow boat.
 
The tow boat should be displaying proper towing lights, I should think. The question would be what proper lighting should the towed boat have on? Towed barges have yellow lights on dont they?
 
quote:
A vessel towing astern displays two all-around white lights vertically on its mast, instead of a masthead light, red and green side lights and a white light above its stern light.
Click to expand...


I'm certainly no expert but I found this on a nav light website. Doesn't this apply?
 
The vessel under tow should display the lights required for her size and service. A small boat under tow, should display red and green side lights (a combo light if appropriate) with a stern light (or all round white, if appropriate) and the towing vessel should display the lights required by her size and overall length of tow. All light fixtures (perminate and temporary) are required to be USCG approved and the light they display must meet USCG requirements. Be careful with some of the temporary light fixtures, they are not USCG approved and you will be in violation if you reley upon them and a collision or striking occurs. The flashing yellow and/or red lights the outboard towboats like to use are not approved for maritime use and in fact could be considered distracting or confusing in some situations. Don't forget the day shapes!
 
quote:
Originally posted by rbmitchell

I'd take a responsible amateur before a trained professoinal anytime. I don't let professional mechanics on my boat. At least I don't anymore.

The tow boat, limited in its ability to manuvoer, would have the right of way so why would he need lights? Of course that doesn't seem to be his only limitation.

Glad you didn't hit him or disturb his tow.

Click to expand...


I hope you were being sarcastic. IF he was limited in his ability to manuver, he is require to light the appropriate masthead lights. If he had a complete electrical failure, he should have been on his handled with securite annoucements as to his location heading and speed.

He also should have not been traveling so fast as to be creating a wake!

If you were serious, you need a boat safety course.

Actually given more though to this, he should not have been underway at all. if he cannot display the appropriate running lights, he should not be on the water.
 
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