I have not ever had a problem with MP but i do agree that often I have seen unsafe situations on the lake...and the old adage...where are they when you need them?? comes to mind. That said, however, it could happen on the highways, also..They can't be everywhere at once.
I have one experience to share. My husband and I were coming out of Wolfeboro harbor one fairly windy day and got ready to set sail. Of course we LOVE wind
. I was at the helm and he went up on deck to raise the mainsail. He had his life jacket on. We spotted an MP in the distance and he started to motor towards us. He idled down and just sat..keeping watch. He motored away after my hubby was safe in the cockpit. I felt good about that. With a sailboat there is always a risk of going over board when on deck raising sails, especially if there is a sudden gust of wind or a mechanical problem.
As far as running out of gas, towboatus is a worthwhile membership and an oar or 2 can come in real handy. Been there,done that
.