I'm trying to learn proper marine communication but this is confusing to me. Lets say I have a problem on the water like the engine won't start but there is no iminent danger, just stuck.

Before calling seatow of which I am a member, could/would/should I make a broadcast on channel 16 or 68 asking for assistance or just call seatow?

Sole reason is if the problem was something obvious and easily corrected but blindly overlooked, like a disconnected kill switch or loose battery cable, I would hate to waste seatows time if they were out to get me when someone else might have a bigger problem. Not asking for anyone to stop fishing and come over but a fellow boaters problem solving on the radio walkthrough is always good.

If this is ok, how would the communication go?

"this is whaler6123" - "request non emergency assistance" - or - "this is whaler6123" -" request mechcanical assistance" - or is it an informal "this is whaler6123" - "engine won't crank" - "


Say I call seatow first, it is on channel 16 and that is a mandatory monitered channel. If a nearby good samaritan hears my call, is close by and comes over, do I thank him but say seatow has been called, thanks for stopping by, here's a couple cold drinks for your help? Or call back seatow and say there is assistance here but not sure if problem is correctable, please advise? - varibles are possibly getting problem fixed now, wasting anothers boaters time when I have seatow membership or if a busy day on the water possibly waiting hours for seatow.

Sorry for the noob questions but better here than there. Thanks.

I can't answer all your questions but I can tell you about Seatow. I called in once on my cell phone and they were very helpful over the phone in trying to resolve the issue. That is they had me try some different things before sending a boat out.

As for calling them on VHF channel 16, I believe that you initially call them on 16 and then the dispatcher at Seatow will direct you to another channel to continue the conservation so as not to tie up channel 16. Most likely they will again try to resolve the issue before sending a boat out.

If someone is nice enough to stop and lend assistance then I would wait and see if the problem is resolved before contacting Seatow to cancel the boat they sent out.

I would just call SeaTow you paid them 140 or so and you hopefully wont be calling them that much anyway.You just get on Ch # 16 and say ,Seatow,Seatow,Seatow this is......... Come back ! wait 2 minutes and Hail them again. Once Seatow is contacted they will tell you to go to another channel so you dont hold up the 16 frequency. If you check everything you can think of first there is no shame in calling for help. It just sounds like you have over THUNK it,LOL.

Save their number in your cell, and call them first on 18 if you like. Sea Tow uses 18 but should respond to 18 or 16.

Bowedup,

I agree w/ Mega. You paid for the service. That's what it was meant for. Hail Sea-tow on 16 or 18. They will advise you to go to another channel, this will keep from tying up 16. At this time you can troubleshoot over your VHF or cell phone before they send someone out.

Dont make too much out of it!! its a service you PURCHASED.

Hope this Helps!! Tight Lines!!

Sinclair

I have had one problem in my boat before, and that was a dead battery on the 9' shoal at 2am. Hooked up my spare, but the weekend before I had given someone dead in the water my spare and took his dead battery (which I forgot to charge) and it was still dead. There were atleast a dozen boats within a couple miles that I could see and tried to hail anyone on the radio, with no response. I just didnt want to make seatow come all the way across to jump me. After an hour and a half I gave up and called seatow and then someone came up and offered to help. I got a jump and all was well, but afterwards I talked to seatow and they said thats what you pay us for, there is no need to wait if no one is responding.

So, I would try to get someone in the area and if not within a few minutes start calling Seatow.

Ryan

Of course everything depends on the situation and conditions, but you're first call should be to the folks that are going to come get you... Seatow, Towboat US, whoever you have a deal with. If you're far enough out, you may have to hail another vessel on the VHF to relay information. Hail them on 16, then switch to a working channel. No fire, not taking on water, weather isn't deteriorating rapidly, it's going to be light out for some time:

"Any vessel in the vacinity of... This is motor vessel "Broken" at (LAT/LONG). I am dead in the water, requesting assistance. Standing by on channel 16, over."

"Broken, this Mayflower on 16, go ahead."

"Mayflower, this Broken, my engine died and I need a tow, request you switch and answer on 10, over"

etc.

Don't be surprised or get excited if the CG or CG Auxiliary pipes up and asks you to put life jackets on and wants to be kept appraised of your situation. It's not uncommon for them to call Seatow or Towboat US for you. The reassuring part is there is someone else besides you that knows you're in a jam and won't stop working the problem until you're under tow and heading back in. Depending on the conditions, they may want to hear from you and/or the tow when you're safely moored.

As captain of a seagoing vessel, you should have a threshold of when a deteriorating situation could to or does turn into real life threatening trouble. In which case you shouldn't hesitate to let fly with a "May-day, may-day, may-day..."

I was out 35 miles off Wilmington. A fishing buddy I had given and engine to was out there and decided to race me with his 4 cyl volvo and blew it up.



SeaTow came and got him. We left to go in at the same time and they beat me to the dock.