Anchor Away
July 23, 2013I wrote last month about the two happiest days in a boater’s life, but for me, last Saturday was not one of those happy days. A beautiful day boating on the Chesapeake Bay took a turn for the worse when I had the duty of pulling up the anchor after a nice day of hanging out at our favorite swimming spot. As I tugged on the rope, the anchor snapped free! Anchors are expensive to replace, plus we had now added to the pollution of the bay.
If only we had done a basic maintenance check beforehand, we probably would have noticed the rope becoming frayed and avoided this predicament. Whether it’s your boat, car, or any other vehicle, routine maintenance can save you money and avoid headaches by potentially catching a problem before it becomes severe. Your owner’s guide should provide you with a calendar of recommended scheduled maintenance so don’t overlook it.
Our day got worse when we ran out of gas just a few miles from the marina. Unlike John Stossel’s experience on 20/20 when he decided to see how far he could go in his vehicle even after the gas tank hit E, our boat’s gas gauge REALLY meant empty when it hit E. With our anchor resting on the sandy bottom back at the swimming hole, we drifted down river until we were saved by a BoatUS tow boat that brought us 10 gallons of gas.
The silver lining to this disastrous day is that we have a membership with BoatUS that provides free dispatch of the tow boat for fuel delivery, a battery jump, and even running aground in soft sand. Normally, this would have set us back $350 to have on-the-water service, but instead, our $24 yearly membership fee covered all but the cost of the fuel itself, which only came to $40 (even less per gallon than our own marina’s fuel dock cost). As a boater, this is a great safety net.
AAA offers similar protection for car mishaps under their automobile membership plan. For just $48 a year, AAA offers drivers free roadside assistance if you need a tow or a battery jump, run out of gas, get a flat tire, or somehow lock yourself out of your car. If you own a GM brand, you can also consider OnStar’s “Safe & Sound” option, which offers similar roadside assistance, but it is a bit more expensive at $199 a year. Either plan can save you hundreds of dollars compared to having to pay for a tow truck to come to your rescue on the road. Whether it’s keeping up with routine maintenance or purchasing one of these plans, a little foresight can go a long way.