BoatUS On Water Boat Towing Service Grows on Inland Lakes

July 23, 2014

It’s your roadside assistance on the water, but most anglers know it’s more than that. “It saves you time and money,” affirms BoatUS Angler Brand Manager Steve Levi. Engine trouble. Dead batteries. Running out of gas or running aground. An “Unlimited” on water towing plan from BoatUS Towing Services handles it all. And with eight new inland locations on freshwater lakes this year, more inland anglers have access to the nation’s largest network of on water towing and assistance services with over 300 nationwide locations and 600 towing response vessels.

The growth follows the recreational boating association’s goal of increasing the availability of towing services for freshwater. The new inland BoatUS Towing Services for 2014 include the following TowBoatUS locations:

• Lewis Smith Lake, AL
• Lake Wheeler, AL
• Wilson Lake, AL
• Lake Oconee, GA
• Sault Ste. Marie, MI
• Mountain Island Lake, NC
• Lake Murray, SC
• Smith Mountain Lake, VA

“This is a lot of new territory for us,” added Levi. “Our on water towing services began in the 1980’s with locations primarily on the US coastline, Great Lakes and Gulf regions. Now, as we continue to grow inland, anglers’ responses have been positive. About 80% of all Bassmaster Elite anglers, and more than 70% of all Bassmaster Open anglers have now signed up for BoatUS Angler membership. We’re also a supporting sponsor of the Bassmaster Open Series and BASS Nation, offering members that compete in tournaments our contingency program, Weigh to Win, that pays the highest-placing BoatUS Angler member in over 300 B.A.S.S., FLW, PAA, LBAA, Collegiate Bass Fishing and regional team tournament sanctioned events.”

BoatUS Angler membership including a Freshwater Unlimited towing plan is just $67 annually. Unlimited towing plans offer 24/7 dispatch and provide for towing back to the launch ramp or dock, soft ungrounding services and battery jumps. A membership provides for any boat owned, rented, or borrowed. “You won’t have to worry about trying to reach someone to come get you safely off the lake, day or night,” said Levi. And with the average freshwater tow costing about $600, having an annual Unlimited towing plan means you won’t have to pull out your wallet when you’re handed the bill.”

Boaters can contact any TowBoatUS or Vessel Assist service by calling the BoatUS toll-free 24/7 Dispatch Service at 800-391-4869 or hailing locally on VHF channel 16. Assistance can also be summoned via smartphone with the free BoatUS Towing App, and BoatUS is also the only towing service that offers satellite messaging services with the SPOT and inReach satellite communications services. To find out if a location is near you, go to the map at www.BoatUS.com/map. Information on BoatUS Unlimited towing plans can be found at www.BoatUS.com/angler, or by calling 800-888-4869.

Capt. Jackson Dozier (R) of the new TowBoatUS Lewis Smith Lake with his business partner and wife, Capt. Nicki Dozier (L). Alabama’s Lewis Smith Lake is the eighth inland waterway to get 24-hour a day TowBoatUS coverage this year. Photo Credit: Smith Lake Living Magazine

About BoatUS Angler

Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is the nation's largest boating services and advocacy group. Its BoatUS Angler membership program offers on the water towing, roadside assistance for both boat trailers and tow vehicles, feature-rich fishing boat insurance, the "Weigh-to-Win" tournament cash program and money-saving benefits. It also provides government lobbying efforts to fight unfair regulation, taxes, and fees and offers consumer protection services. A non-profit sister organization, the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water, offers more than a dozen boating safety education and clean boating programs including an online boating safety course. Visit BoatUSAngler.com.