By expecting the unexpected, prudent skippers can be prepared for engine breakdowns, accidental groundings or even running out of gas, all of which might require towing assistance. TowBoatU.S., the nation's largest fleet of towing assistance vessels, offers these tips:
- Carry the correct size and type of anchor with enough line to keep you safely in one spot while you try to correct the problem or wait until help arrives.
- A VHF marine radio is the best way to call for help. While a cellular phone is a good back-up-especially if your towing assistance program has a 24-hour dispatch service-other vessels won't hear your call for help and you may be out of range anyway. Hail your towing service over VHF channel 16 or ask the U.S. Coast Guard to help you contact a towing firm.
- Give the tower or Coast Guard your position by chart, GPS or LORAN coordinates, nearby navigation aids or local landfalls. Describe your situation clearly, giving the nature of the problem, your boat name, size, distinguishing features, number of people on board and other useful information.
- When the towing vessel gets underway, the captain will contact you. Once you request assistance, you're committed to a verbal contract. If you get going again on your own, advise the tow captain immediately or you may have to pay for the tow.
- Most towers charge by the hour - $125 per hour is the national average - and the meter usually runs from the time the tow boat leaves its dock until it returns.
Last year, the average towing bill was $300, and because of fuel price increases, it may be higher this year, said Jerry Cardarelli, who heads the BoatU.S. Towing Assistance program. "These bills are a good reason for boaters to sign up with a marine towing assistance plan like ours, much as drivers join roadside assistance clubs," he said. Most towing services offer several levels of service to fit the type of boating you do and the area where you boat. At TowBoatU.S., annual plans run from as low as $14 (for $50 per incident service included in BoatU.S.. membership) to $40 for $350 worth of service per incident to $99 for Unlimited Towing by TowBoatU.S.
The 400-plus vessels in the TowBoatU.S. fleet are affiliated with BoatU.S., which, with more than 530,000 members, is the nation's largest organization of recreational boaters. For more information about towing services, visit the BoatU.S. Web site at www.BoatUS.com or call 800-888-4869.
Posted: 6-28-2001
