joet wrote:
Paul I. wrote:
By law you must lend assistance, and I "think" stay with them until help arrives. The $85 tow is not your problem, but there safety is. You are now there, so it becomes your problem. At worst I would have called the Harbor Master on the VHF and waited for him to show up. Once he shows up, I would than leave unless the Harbor Master wanted me/you to stay.
http://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/wor ... ns/420.PDFQuote:
Rendering Assistance (46 USC 2304)
The master or person in charge of a vessel is obligated by law to
provide assistance that can be safely provided to any individual in
danger at sea The master or person in charge is subject to a fine and/
or imprisonment for failure to do so
I would not consider someone unwilling to spend $85 for a tow as being at danger. Assistance was offered and turned down, OP met his obligation.
Now decribe "danger"? A wide open term. Now why was the boat disabled? Fuel leak, bad battery cables that ether one could start a fire? What happens if that anchor thats go and now some one has a "heart attack"?
OK, I am reaching, but you see were I am going with this. After you leave you don't know what can happen or what that boater will say. Remember, he is not happy that you left him.
"I would not consider" Thats great, but your not the judge. As to "Assistance was offered and turned down, OP met his obligation" He refused to tow him in. Not to pick on him, because he felt that he could not do it.
To wait 15 or 20 min. for the Harbor Master and to know that this boater is safe & its off of you. Its worth it!