Salvage rights

Zing

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A yacht broke away from its mooring, bounced off anchored yachts. I saw the chaos, jumped in the dink, fendered it off another accident and got aboard. Couldn’t get inside, couldn’t drop the anchor, couldn’t start the donk. I found the kedge, chucked it overboard just in time before it smashed itself on the rocky shore. The anchor held and I called the boat’s sales agent to ask him what to do with the boat ( the boat had a for sale sign on it with the agent’s number). He said to take it to a marina. I got the help of a passing superyacht tender to do just that. Tied it up after two hours to a buoy and went home to nurse my sore back and wash off the sweat and salt. I told the broker the boat was where he wanted it.

So, I’m expecting a phone call to say thanks a million and here’s a bottle of malt whisky for your trouble and a kiss and cuddle or whatever. What happens? Nothing at all. Total frikkin ingratitude 2 days later. I’m not happy.

So next time, if I don’t get courtesy it’s a salvage claim. How do I do it? Can I do it for this ungrateful sod?
 

PilotWolf

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A yacht broke away from its mooring, bounced off anchored yachts. I saw the chaos, jumped in the dink, fendered it off another accident and got aboard. Couldn’t get inside, couldn’t drop the anchor, couldn’t start the donk. I found the kedge, chucked it overboard just in time before it smashed itself on the rocky shore. The anchor held and I called the boat’s sales agent to ask him what to do with the boat ( the boat had a for sale sign on it with the agent’s number). He said to take it to a marina. I got the help of a passing superyacht tender to do just that. Tied it up after two hours to a buoy and went home to nurse my sore back and wash off the sweat and salt. I told the broker the boat was where he wanted it.

So, I’m expecting a phone call to say thanks a million and here’s a bottle of malt whisky for your trouble and a kiss and cuddle or whatever. What happens? Nothing at all. Total frikkin ingratitude 2 days later. I’m not happy.

So next time, if I don’t get courtesy it’s a salvage claim. How do I do it? Can I do it for this ungrateful sod?

Had similar a few years ago. Took over the tow of a vessel some what larger and heavier than us in a building gale. With hindsight probably a bad choice. Anyway we got it into harbour safely and tied up alongside the 'fish' quay as with the wind I was struggling to maneuver it at all,

The owner turned up the next day with a bottle cheap Tesco wine bitching because I had refused to try and put it in a marina berth that was surrounded by expensive looking yachts and motor boats. At least the local pilots and RNLI were grateful for releasing their assets...

PW
 

arcot

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2 years ago a local power boater here in the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and Hornby Island in a 16 foot boat ran out of outboard fuel.

A passing US flagged power boat towed them a short distance perhaps 3 n miles to Deep Bay Government Dock.

A demand for $500 US was made for the short tow.

It was paid.
 

john_morris_uk

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I’ve had a similar poor experience after ‘saving’ boats. Boat rescued and towed into harbour safely and barely a thank you. I’m not expecting to be showered with money or expensive gifts but some basic courtesy wouldn’t go amiss. Shrug your shoulders and move on. It reflects on them and not you.
 

PilotWolf

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I’ve had a similar poor experience after ‘saving’ boats. Boat rescued and towed into harbour safely and barely a thank you. I’m not expecting to be showered with money or expensive gifts but some basic courtesy wouldn’t go amiss. Shrug your shoulders and move on. It reflects on them and not you.

I would hope no one does it for reward, especially within the leisure field.

But I've also had large bottles of liquor and dinner brought or cooked for less.

W.
 

PilotWolf

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Most altruistic sailors would be rewarded by the knowledge that the vessel is safe and that damage to the environment had been averted. An ego massage isn’t always required after a good deed is done.
My point?

A hot chili cooked by a previously very scared (you know what)less wife following a nice long shower was one of the best thank you offerings we could have wanted.

W.
 

Stemar

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Can I do it for this ungrateful sod?
Invoice the owner. Small claims court if it's ignored.

Was it the owner's mooring that failed or the broker's? If the latter, they may be keeping quiet about their negligence in the hope that it'll go away and the owner won't realise how close he came to losing his boat.
 

capnsensible

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A few years back I was going out of marina bay, Gibraltar in a bavaria 37. I was hailed by a 70 foot charter motor boat that had run out of diesel going to the fuel dock in gib for cheap diesel. He was about to be blown onto the rocks at the end of the runway.

I took him under tow and pulled the boat clear whilst being moaned at over the runway loudspeaker. Which I ignored. Having settled the tow, I took him to the diesel Dock. This took awhile. A police rib turned up, called the control tower and told them to wind their necks in.

Once on the dock, the skipper passed over 200 euros and one of my students blagged the phone number of one of the two lovely hostesses.

Result.
 

penfold

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A yacht broke away from its mooring, bounced off anchored yachts. I saw the chaos, jumped in the dink, fendered it off another accident and got aboard. Couldn’t get inside, couldn’t drop the anchor, couldn’t start the donk. I found the kedge, chucked it overboard just in time before it smashed itself on the rocky shore. The anchor held and I called the boat’s sales agent to ask him what to do with the boat ( the boat had a for sale sign on it with the agent’s number). He said to take it to a marina. I got the help of a passing superyacht tender to do just that. Tied it up after two hours to a buoy and went home to nurse my sore back and wash off the sweat and salt. I told the broker the boat was where he wanted it.

So, I’m expecting a phone call to say thanks a million and here’s a bottle of malt whisky for your trouble and a kiss and cuddle or whatever. What happens? Nothing at all. Total frikkin ingratitude 2 days later. I’m not happy.

So next time, if I don’t get courtesy it’s a salvage claim. How do I do it? Can I do it for this ungrateful sod?
The section in bold was at the broker's request; bill him for a handsome hourly rate.
 

Biggles Wader

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We once towed a broken down RIB into Gib------On arrival the Police arrested them------something to do with baccy smuggling.
We got invited to a bar for our efforts but never took up the offer.
 

rotrax

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We were towed in after a serious fuel blockage from the Needles Channel by a training boat called Maybe.
First thing I did when alongside was heave a case of beer to them.

First Mate and I recued a 40 foot yacht in the $h1T off of QAB Marina - sails flapping wildly, no donk and weak crew.
During the alongside tow we got a deep scratch. One on the crew was a pro valeter. He fixed it for us FOC at Saltash Sailing Club the next morning.
 

Zing

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Most altruistic sailors would be rewarded by the knowledge that the vessel is safe and that damage to the environment had been averted. An ego massage isn’t always required after a good deed is done.
It’s not an ego massage I need. Your cynicism is completely misplaced and in your own head. It’s a case of the absence of common courtesy. It’s analogous to stopping the traffic to help a handicap person cross the road, or to give your seat up for someone on the bus, if you don’t get a smile and thank you most people would think it was ungracious and would feel rudely treated. That’s my sentiment here.
 
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It’s not an ego massage I need. Your cynicism is completely misplaced and in your own head. It’s a case of the absence of common courtesy. It’s analogous to stopping the traffic to help a handicap person cross the road, or to give your seat up for someone on the bus, if you don’t get a smile and thank you most people would think it was ungracious and would feel rudely treated. That’s my sentiment here.
I would much prefer a "thank you, I really appreciate your help" than "here's some money, hope you didn't damage it"
 

Skylark

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It’s not an ego massage I need. Your cynicism is completely misplaced and in your own head. It’s a case of the absence of common courtesy. It’s analogous to stopping the traffic to help a handicap person cross the road, or to give your seat up for someone on the bus, if you don’t get a smile and thank you most people would think it was ungracious and would feel rudely treated. That’s my sentiment here.
Thou doth protest too much. I’ve read too many of your comments on the discord channel to think otherwise ???

Time to get over it and move on. Why not be content that you did a good deed, reward enough.
 

Zing

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Thou doth protest too much. I’ve read too many of your comments on the discord channel to think otherwise ???

Time to get over it and move on. Why not be content that you did a good deed, reward enough.
I see. You don’t like my views and politics there, so you take your chance to continue to disparage me here. It’s emblematic of what social media does to people and how it can be toxic. It supports why the owners of YBW made it politics free.
 

X49Sailor

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Fifteen years ago I chartered a 49’ Wauquiez yacht in Antigua. Beautiful boat. Sailed all arpround Antigua and Barbuda with no problems. Dropped anchor in St John for a quick stop. When we returned in the dinghy yacht was gone. Found the yacht being motored back in from the outer harbor. An Antiguan sailor from a nearby day charter catamaran had gone out to the boat, manually pulled up the anchor (quite a feat with all chain rode) and started back in. I pulled together all our cash into a wad of around $500. He refused anything. He said “We are both sailors. Sailors look out for each other.”
I have never felt so humbled and privileged to be part of the sailing community. I will always remember that sailor’s words, and I hope I can do the same for someone else one day.
 

AntarcticPilot

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We were towed in after a serious fuel blockage from the Needles Channel by a training boat called Maybe.
First thing I did when alongside was heave a case of beer to them.

First Mate and I recued a 40 foot yacht in the $h1T off of QAB Marina - sails flapping wildly, no donk and weak crew.
During the alongside tow we got a deep scratch. One on the crew was a pro valeter. He fixed it for us FOC at Saltash Sailing Club the next morning.
I too was towed through the bridge in Whitby harbour to the marine by an angling trip boat, after getting a lump of tree in my propeller. They refused any payment, so I left a crate of beer aboard once I'd had a chance to do some shopping!
 
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