Coastal Towing To The Rescue

Some heroes drive life size Tonka toys

I was all over the beaches this weekend seeing friends, chasing fish, and tides. Aired up and down a dozen times. Night fishing was fun, just walking and casting. Glad this didn’t happen on the beach at 3 AM the other night.
The transmission went up one night months ago on Faithful Steward, but we managed to drive her off around midnight. It was an easy tow and drive off that time, not yesterday. Usually I can drive the beaches in two wheel drive, not in deep wet loose sand, backwards. Pointed in the wrong direction.

Yesterday, the CV joint blew on the half axle and the four wheel drive is now kaput. This was expected, just not this soon, beach beaters take a beating. The new half axle was already arriving this week to be replaced anyway.
Luis at JL Auto is just going to just shake his head and fix it. Seems dumb to people to fix up beach beaters, until you own one. New vehicles, no way I would use one on a beach. Unless I had money to burn.
Beat the beater to death and keep it fixed. It is cheaper in the long run. seventy grand and destroy it early, compared to a few grand and yearly upkeep. You do the math.
JL Auto has already changed the transfer case, and the transmission, both of which also happened on the beach. It is a old Tahoe and to be expected. The transfer case was the infamous hole of death Chevrolet knows about but won’t fix. Which is why the owner got rid of it. Use the aftermarket pump plate to fix that issue. Find a good mechanic, (JL Auto) the dealerships will kill your wallet.

coastal towing, stuck on the beach, delaware surf fishing

Even if you air down, eventually everybody gets stuck on the beach. It will happen and ninety-nine percent of the time you can just get a quick snatch out and be gone. Not yesterday, this was an equipment malfunction, truck is broken. She isn’t going anywhere without a lot of help. Been here before let’s see how this time works out.
I’ve even driven off in two wheel drive before one time when the four wheel went out. But the ramps get dicey and you need that little pull for help.

My four wheel drive went up as soon as I pulled onto the beach. POP! I think well that didn’t sound good and familiar. I got it engaged again and continued, to turn around. POP! Out again. I’m stuck. Right behind Josh’s truck.
“Imma need a pull”
Then I get out and look at the sand and the ruts. I’ve been here before with friends’ big vehicles. This will not just pull off of the beach. The sand is loose and fast, but we have to try.

The great dune has been eroding onto the beach, may as well be driving in the desert on a sand fan. Josh tries and to no avail. I know what we need now. Huge thanks for the try buddy.

coastal towing, stuck on the beach, delaware surf fishing, kabuto


“It’s going to take a bobcat”. I don’t bother calling anyone I know with a bigger vehicle. I’ve dug a Hummer out before, it took four hours and three people. Pulling with a large vehicle.

I’m not sitting here for three to four hours and I don’t need that exercise. I like digging in the garden, not the beach. Well unless it is for sand fleas. No one likes digging out a vehicle.
I’m not to the frame, but in this loose sand, we can’t pull the truck up onto the beach, just through the sand. Burying the truck even more. Josh is about to get stuck trying. I stop him. We don’t need to get another truck stuck or ruin his vehicle.
I posted a pic of the stuck truck on my Facebook page, my friends are having a field day.
I get a message from Jimmy at Dan’s Tackle “Hey man you want me to bring down the skid steer?”
“No, I think parks will freak if you drive that into cape then onto the beach. I mean, I’m down for that but let’s not freak everyone out. I’ll make the call.”

Andrew “Did you try turning it off and back on again.”

Sadly, friends and I have all the equipment we need to pull this out. I have a bobcat at the house. But you can’t just do that in a Delaware State park. It is a buddy’s truck, or make the call … Coastal Towing to the rescue.
I make the call. They can drive the bobcat on and I tell them that to save time … Bring the kitty.

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coastal towing, stuck on the beach, delaware surf fishing
My entertainment for the wait, These two dune walkers. Parks has problem spots. Cameras maybe?

A half an hour later this little Kabuto bobcat rolls out onto the beach. I know it can pull this Tahoe out, but it just looks funny in comparison. Those things are tanks. The driver just looks at me, the truck, and back at me. I’m just standing there smiling.
“You know the drill . If I hit the horn hit the brakes, let the power steering do the work. Did you try to snatch it out?
Yeah we tried a steady pull. I didn’t want to wear out my buddy’s truck and I outweigh him. He will get buried, or wear out his transmission. Not worth it so I called you boys.”
Also the fact we are trying to pull it backwards is not helping. There is no way to turn it around. I mean, we could have gone forward across the walk on beach, but I already know that reaction from parks.
One buddy of mine and his truck with the snatch rope would work, but he is two hours away till he can help. Nope, not waiting. I could surf fish until then but I want the truck off the beach.

He hooks up to the trailer hitch and pops my truck out and up onto the sand in one small steady pull, off we go.

coastal towing, stuck on the beach, delaware surf fishing
Getting towed off by the Kabuto from Coastal Towing

I’ve never ridden backwards in neutral, down a beach in my truck. It was a cool ride. A few hundred bucks later and I am off the beach.
Keep Coastal Towing (Lewes) in your phone (302) 645-6300. You never know when you will need that equipment. We pull vehicles out all of the time, but sometimes you just have to make the call. In summer it takes them longer to get to you due to traffic. Yesterday was a half an hour. If it happens, I highly recommend getting stuck in the off season.

dog poop bag pollution, litter, delaware state parks, Delaware surf fishing,
Perfect description of a somewhat imperfectly perfect day. Lady you forgot your poo bag. Cameras in parks … maybe?

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