There are written and unwritten laws of the sea but when it comes to stranded boaters in need of assistance the rule is simple, help if you can. Modern boats are far more reliable than they were in decades past, and it’s rare to see someone actually stranded on the lake, but failures do happen. Not so rare are the few times captains simply over ”guess-timate” just how much gas is left in the old tank, and 24 hour gas services are not common on the water. Sometimes that midnight boat ride goes a bit farther than we expect and the return trip ends in paddling to shore. Regardless of the reasons there are times when boaters find themselves stranded in need of help and the Lake of the Ozarks is no place to be in a floundering vessel, day or night.
There was a time when most boaters could expect help from the next boat coming down the lake, but time changes everything. Our litigious society has made examples of those simply trying to help others only to discover the law has held them accountable for any further damages incurred during the act of towing. If you elect to tow someone else's boat, you should be keenly aware that you will be responsible for two vessels and all souls aboard, not just your own, and if something should happen to the towed vessel or passengers, for just about any reason, it can end up costing you for the damages. There is no “Good Samaritan” law to protect those just trying to help when it comes to boats. No good deed goes unpunished, as Oscar Wilde said.
Towing a boat is hard on a vessel, just as towing another car is hard on an automobile, it can be dangerous and costly. Towing puts incredible strain on lines (rope) and can easily snap and injure someone. Towing three to ten tons of mass through the water is easy enough to start, but stopping is another matter entirely. When it comes to towing, the act itself can actually create bigger problems.
“My boat broke down and all these boaters just kept driving by”, I heard someone say once. On the open sea it is actually illegal to not provide assistance to distressed vessels, but we're talking about lakes. Visiting boaters, not familiar with the Lake of the Ozarks and more accustomed to smaller lakes with less resources, or playing on small rivers, may find other boaters driving by in their time of need shocking. Boaters tend to drive past boats not underway because it’s hard to tell if someone is having trouble or just stopping for a quick dip in the lake, but secondly they know there are services available and assume everyone else knows as well. Of course waving someone down if you’re in trouble is always an option, and any boater with a phone will be happy to make a call for you, but it is unlikely they'll offer to tow you into the nearest marina or dock, unless circumstances make it unavoidable. Don’t ask to be towed either, again short of life and death it is considered unnecessary, and a bit rude to be honest. That $300K boat with the twin turbocharged V-8s wasn’t designed to tow other boats and most insurance companies will not cover incidental damages to their boat or yours should something happen. While it's unlikely someone will offer to tow you in, most boaters will at least stay with you until help comes, especially at night. Towing a boat is something best left to professionals bonded for the purpose and operating boats purpose built for the task. Check your policy, but most boat insurance does cover towing expenses and there are several towing services available that can be on scene in relatively short order.
Emergency Service Number 573-216-1600
This family business has been going since the early 70’s and provide other services besides towing, as their name implies. Their towing service is capable and available 24/7.
Emergency Number 573-216-4701
I have to give the nod here to Charles Meyer as a fellow U.S. Coast Guard veteran. Mr. Meyer is a retired Coast Guard warrant officer, affiliated with Boat U.S., a national boating association.
There are a few others, easily found, but these are the two primary providers I see on the lake.
