# bluewater rigs



## jman (Oct 5, 2007)

Hello all,

I have a 26 ft seaQuest and have been trying to decide if I want to be gutsy and go for it. It takes waves well and would obviously check weather but u never know. Does anyone have thoughts or advice on whether or not I should do it? Also, anyone want to point me to the GPS numbers for the rigs in blue water right now?

Thanks in advance,
Josh


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## cbarnes91 (Sep 7, 2010)

Go for it. I have a 26 Century and do not hesitate if the weather is good. You have twins right?


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## RollTider (Jun 30, 2011)

Read the thread before this titled, "Overnight trips" 

tripshttp://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f37/overnight-trips-213865/


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## jman (Oct 5, 2007)

I do not have twins. However I do keep seatow just in case.

Josh


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## c_stowers (Jan 10, 2012)

jman said:


> I do not have twins. However I do keep seatow just in case.
> 
> Josh


That's a long wait for sea tow if your motor goes out 100 miles out. I would probably go with a single engine in that sized boat, but I'd be nervous the whole time.


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

jman said:


> I do not have twins. However I do keep seatow just in case.
> 
> Josh


Buddy boat, just know your boat motor..... I have seen several single motor boats out there..... then...





 
I would HATE to have to try and come back 80 miles on a single engine..... That's a lot of trolling.....


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## cbarnes91 (Sep 7, 2010)

If you ever need a buddy boat give me a shout. I would be glad to run out with you.


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## jjam (Dec 9, 2007)

Last time we were out there, a dual motor vessel fishing near us became disabled, lost power, dead batteries etc.

We towed & secured vessel to a supply boat near the Beer Can Platform and the CG was notified. Disabled vessel said they had Sea Tow Membership and the CG made contact with ST providing vessel's membership info.

We returned fishing monitoring VHF when CG hailed the supply boat saying Sea Tow had refused to respond to the disabled vessel. 

Sea Tow membership is no help out there and dual motors may provide a false sense of security.

Safety in numbers!

Jimmy


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

jjam said:


> Last time we were out there, a dual motor vessel fishing near us became disabled, lost power, dead batteries etc.
> 
> We towed & secured vessel to a supply boat near the Beer Can Platform and the CG was notified. Disabled vessel said they had Sea Tow Membership and the CG made contact with ST providing vessel's membership info.
> 
> ...


Hey Jimmy, I forgot all about that! I got a second jump pack btw...


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## jjam (Dec 9, 2007)

Realtor said:


> Hey Jimmy, I forgot all about that! I got a second jump pack btw...


Good deal Jim, bout time for another run! Need Chum?

Jimmy


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## Fish River Fool (May 20, 2009)

I have a 26' century cc w/twins and have been out there a number times. Usually go with a buddy boat just for added comfort. Always need to go prepared though, one time i fouled out a plug on one engine and couldn't get it clean....didn't have a spare set....what was I thinking??!! Anyway, it was a 10 hour trip back on one engine although seas got so rough it would have been the same way if both were running. Now I always have two sets of spare plugs in a vacuum sealed bag and the trip out to the rigs is always worth it.


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## Scruggspc (Mar 20, 2013)

That fact is if you question yourself or your boat then your probably not ready. How much offshore experience do you have at 60+ miles in the gulf? It is not a matter of angler knowledge when your that far offshore, especially at night. As a captain you are fully responsible for everyone aboard your vessel. I suggest a buddy boat an absoulute. I am not expressing hateful or rude emotions from my post. Just honest opinions.


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## MillerTime (Jul 6, 2011)

jjam said:


> Good deal Jim, bout time for another run! Need Chum?
> 
> Jimmy


That was an interesting night for sure.


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## BlaineAtk (Jun 8, 2010)

Wirelessly posted

Is be pretty upset if seatow or boat us wouldn't come get me. One of them doesn't specify a distance that they will run. 

What's the point of having it if you make runs like that?

What do the big sportfish guys do when they lose power or have an issue where they can't run on eithe engine?

I know out here in the commercial world where I work on ships they will either make the part on board or fly it out if possible.


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## panhandlephinsphan (Aug 25, 2008)

If I am free I can be a buddy boat as well. Just send me a PM and we can swap contact info. 

That's a great reason to make an offshore run. I can hear the story now. "I could not let them go by themselves, I simply had no choice, I HAD to go. I'm saving lives...." 

Pan


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## cbarnes91 (Sep 7, 2010)

panhandlephinsphan said:


> If I am free I can be a buddy boat as well. Just send me a PM and we can swap contact info.
> 
> That's a great reason to make an offshore run. I can hear the story now. "I could not let them go by themselves, I simply had no choice, I HAD to go. I'm saving lives...."
> 
> Pan


I like the way you think


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## Liquid Fun (Aug 3, 2009)

I would definently go with a buddy boat if you are fishing a smaller single engine vessel. I have limped in before from out there a few times and as miserable as it was at least we had one good running engine. Never hurts to have friends out there, even in larger vessels.


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

We do edge runs on a single all the time. Once you are past 20 miles the game is the same really. Around rigs you have more chances for help. At least something to hang on to!


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

I think seatow is 40 miles out limit. For the annual price you pay. But I feel like they would come get you for an additional price. But I'm more than likely wrong.


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## [email protected] (Feb 11, 2009)

jjam said:


> Last time we were out there, a dual motor vessel fishing near us became disabled, lost power, dead batteries etc.
> 
> We towed & secured vessel to a supply boat near the Beer Can Platform and the CG was notified. Disabled vessel said they had Sea Tow Membership and the CG made contact with ST providing vessel's membership info.
> 
> ...



I would like some more information on this if you have it. I dont recall ever leaving a Seatow member out there stranded. We have a 36' Twin Vee and Seatow Mobile has a 41' ex USCG boat that are set up to make the trip to get our Seatow members. We usually will not go that far out for a non-member, it is too hard to secure payment.

Capt John Ward
Sea Tow Destin/Pensacola/Orange Beach
850-492-5070

www.seatow.com


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## BFP IV (Sep 21, 2013)

[email protected] said:


> I would like some more information on this if you have it. I dont recall ever leaving a Seatow member out there stranded. We have a 36' Twin Vee and Seatow Mobile has a 41' ex USCG boat that are set up to make the trip to get our Seatow members. We usually will not go that far out for a non-member, it is too hard to secure payment.
> 
> Capt John Ward
> Sea Tow Destin/Pensacola/Orange Beach
> ...


I am glade to hear this I was starting to get a little worried after reading the posts. I have been a seatow member for ten years and never had to use it thankfully.

I have always wondered how far they were willing to travel?


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## jjam (Dec 9, 2007)

[email protected] said:


> I would like some more information on this if you have it. I dont recall ever leaving a Seatow member out there stranded. We have a 36' Twin Vee and Seatow Mobile has a 41' ex USCG boat that are set up to make the trip to get our Seatow members. We usually will not go that far out for a non-member, it is too hard to secure payment.
> 
> Capt John Ward
> Sea Tow Destin/Pensacola/Orange Beach
> ...


Capt John, this event occurred on 5/09/2013 between the hours of 2:00a-0600a. I believe the CG replied on VHF around day light that Sea Tow had refused service.

The capt of stranded vessel informed us that he was ST member as we provided assistance around 2:00 a.m. Took him at his word...

It's great to hear that you will provide service at this distance, that's a long haul for sure.

By the way, I'm the guy with the 38' house boat that was hit by tornado in Bayou Chico a few years ago. You picked me up off the Bahia Mar fuel dock and gave chase to my hard top floating out to the bay. You were there to help that day at NO charge, at the time I was a Tow Boat Member but no matter, you didn't even ask.

Crazy morning for sure, you helped me get my floating debris then on your way to help others. Don't know if I even said thank you!

Can't thank you enough, was sure happy to see that yellow boat at the ready that morning!

Jimmy


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## [email protected] (Feb 11, 2009)

Jimmy,
Im glad we could help that day, as far as this incident goes, I will look into it tomorrow and reply on here. Thanks for the info. I'm guessing but I bet that customer that you speak of had an expired membership and we were unable to secure payment, therefor unable to provide assistance. 

As I said before if your going outside of cellphone coverage you need to be a member of Seatow, relying on your insurance company to reimburse you for a tow will just make a bad day worse.

Capt John Ward
Sea Tow Destin/Pensacola/Orange Beach
850-492-5070

www.seatow.com


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## [email protected] (Feb 11, 2009)

We did provide service that day to a 27' Polar that was 75 miles out. Jimmy, Is that the same boat you towed? Turns out all he needed was a battery. We gave him a battery out of our boat and we ran back together. He was a current Seatow member so the service was provided for FREE. Based on the fact that he was so far offshore and the communications were a third party relay through the Coast Guard I think initially we were unable to verify the membership, that could by why you had the perception that we would not go get the customer. We would not have done this job if the customer was not a current Seatow member. I hope this will give you the "Peace of Mind" needed to purchase or renew your Seatow membership. 

Capt John Ward 
Sea Tow Destin/Pensacola/Orange Beach
850-492-5070

www.seatow.com


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## MillerTime (Jul 6, 2011)

[email protected] said:


> We did provide service that day to a 27' Polar that was 75 miles out. Jimmy, Is that the same boat you towed? Turns out all he needed was a battery. We gave him a battery out of our boat and we ran back together. He was a current Seatow member so the service was provided for FREE. Based on the fact that he was so far offshore and the communications were a third party relay through the Coast Guard I think initially we were unable to verify the membership, that could by why you had the perception that we would not go get the customer. We would not have done this job if the customer was not a current Seatow member. I hope this will give you the "Peace of Mind" needed to purchase or renew your Seatow membership.
> 
> Capt John Ward
> Sea Tow Destin/Pensacola/Orange Beach
> ...


That sounds familiar. We couldn't reach the rig we were at but got in touch with one of the other rigs nearby. They contacted the coast guard for us so we were hearing information through a few different people. We ended up towing them to one of the crew ships out there who helped them out. We tried to give them our portable jump box but there wasn't enough juice left in it. I think the main issue was that he didn't have any of his membership info with him at the time.


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## jjam (Dec 9, 2007)

[email protected] said:


> We did provide service that day to a 27' Polar that was 75 miles out. Jimmy, Is that the same boat you towed? Turns out all he needed was a battery. We gave him a battery out of our boat and we ran back together. He was a current Seatow member so the service was provided for FREE. Based on the fact that he was so far offshore and the communications were a third party relay through the Coast Guard I think initially we were unable to verify the membership, that could by why you had the perception that we would not go get the customer. We would not have done this job if the customer was not a current Seatow member. I hope this will give you the "Peace of Mind" needed to purchase or renew your Seatow membership.
> 
> Capt John Ward
> Sea Tow Destin/Pensacola/Orange Beach
> ...


Capt John, 

Thanks for the follow up, this very well may have been the vessel we assisted / towed. 

I will definitely will renew my Sea Tow Membership with added "Peace Of Mind".

Thanks for your all you do for us boaters out there!

Jimmy


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