Know Your Rights: Towing vs. Salvage

My boat went aground recently after losing power near the entrance to our marina. The boat was not badly damaged, and she was refloated the next day with the help of a towing company and several local residents. During the course of the project, the ’helpers’ took several pieces of equipment off the boat to lighten the load and make her easier to refloat. They are now refusing to return the property, claiming that they are entitled to keep it since they helped to save the boat. Is this legal? Also, I have not received a bill from the towing company, but I was advised by a friend that the company is entitled to be compensated for salvage, in an amount equal to the value of the boat. Is that true? What are my rights? Salvage is an area of maritime law that is frequently misunderstood by the yachting community. The short answers to your questions are (1) the people who took the equipment have committed theft and may be criminally prosecuted; and (2) the compensation owed to the towing company will be much less than the value of the boat. ’Salvage’ is often confused with ’towing,’ since both services are...