Who is best for a coastal cruiser? I am struggling to figure out who is the best deal/best services and asking them for help by email is an exercise in pulling teeth. Their lack of willingness to answer questions makes me nervous about both.
Boat US or Sea tow
- Thread starter Monty VM
- Start date
Both are franchised businesses varying in quality, coverage and responsiveness based on management of the individual franchise as well as local differences. Consequently, one shouldn't generalize about which is preferable.
If you feel the need to tie yourself to a specific tow operator, best to ask local boaters.
Alternatively, simply add tow insurance to your boat policy which precludes being dependent on one company. Such claims, unless frequent, won't result in increased premiums.
If you feel the need to tie yourself to a specific tow operator, best to ask local boaters.
Alternatively, simply add tow insurance to your boat policy which precludes being dependent on one company. Such claims, unless frequent, won't result in increased premiums.
Like Don indicates many are franchises and the quality of service varies by area. Ask around to a number of sailors in your area and choose the one that seem to offer the best service for your location.
also check to see who is servicing the area where you boat. some areas dont have options to choose from, unless you have a rider on your boat policy, in which case there may be independent operators you can call.... and even then. some areas have no services that cover them.
As others have said, if you're local pick the one that has the best service there. In a lot of places you don't have a choice and some areas there's no service of any kind. And I believe the full coverage from either company only applies to their own operators. If you have a claim from another service they will cover a portion, but not the whole bill. So if you're traveling it makes more sense to add towing to your regular insurance. Might not cost any more either.
pick you service by you location ....pull up the coverage areas for both on the net and see who has the most servers in the area you will be ....years ago i had a friend that need a tow in Fl ...at that time tow boats us didn't have much there but sea tow did and wouldn't you know it he had towboats us ...tow cost him 1300 dollars for a 2 mile tow......a full membership is only about 200 a year that is cheap.......
Just a question: How many of you have actually used towing services, and if so, where?
I've been sailing for 35 here, have run aground a few times and my exhaust riser disintegrated and I had to sail back to my slip (a 1 1/2 hour sail turned into a four hour trip against the current). I have never used tow services.
I've been sailing for 35 here, have run aground a few times and my exhaust riser disintegrated and I had to sail back to my slip (a 1 1/2 hour sail turned into a four hour trip against the current). I have never used tow services.
I have Boat US , and have used them twice in 2 years. Once for a tow when we ran some bad fuel through the Yanmar, and once for a jump start late one night after the Fort Lauderdale Holiday Winterfest boat parade where we ran too many electrics for too long with the battery selector on all. LOL Learned how bad our old battery bank was.
I'm always reluctant to use the 'never' word Stu.
My experience is that it depends on location, location, ...
Been aground in New England waters a few time (twice in the same day but that's another story) when we lived there but always managed to heel off, power off or get a friendly fisherman to pull.
Here in Florida out to the Bahamas and Exumas, the water can get pretty thin and running up on a sand bar or worse can be a frequent occurrence. Almost makes me want a cat but then reality sets in. Only once did we have to call for a commercial tow after being hit by lightning because we had no nav aides.
That was an historical never, Don. The past.I never (!) said I'd never use them in the future!
I actually worked for a TowBoat US operator here in Muskegon, Michigan for a while. Couldn't make a buck though, we have about as benign a boating environment as you're going to find anywhere and if you do get into trouble some passerby is likely to give you a hand. The calls we did get tended to be bad ones, boats grounded high and dry or bad sea conditions.
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cost depends somewhat on the location and the waters... I buy a yearly full service BoatUS membership thru west marine at $35 per year... but it only covers me within the river system, of which I am an docked at river mile 112 (from the ocean) on a river system that has approximately 500mi of navigable waterway (Ive only used about 90 miles of it, so far).
BoatUS and TowBoat have merged to offer better service and coverage for its members...
Surprisingly that covers the Great Lakes too. I think it's anywhere fresh water. Great deal cause the Lakes can get pretty mean.
as I understand the limitations of the package I buy, You are correct... it covers all fresh waters, as long as there is an operator servicing the area.
And I don't think the guy in Muskegon is working anymore. Called me last year asking if I wanted to buy him out. Yea, right.
In So FLA, towboats has more operators, in other areas sea tow has more. find out where they keep their boats and check it out.
-my war story is about a buddy that had a walk around open fish. we were bottom fishing and were taking on water (full fuel tanks, low transom, bad design, wellcraft 25). and the pump failed. called USCG and asked for assistance. they referred us to Boats us. they came out and wanted this to be a salvage. -and it would be a salvage is nothing was done for another hour. owner wouldn't sign the contract, and after about 30 min I call for USCG again, and they respond. finally they take us under tow, punch it, and we open the plug and drain the boat. -bottom line, Boats US was going to let the boat sink before taking us under tow, as a normal service call. -I was a unlimited member at the time, but since owner was aboard they wouldn't accept my card.
While salvage is a incentive to rescue in hazardous conditions, this was flat calm, 3 mile from the inlet on a holiday weekend. I felt they were just there to maximize their income, and would wait until it was sunk in order to make more money, at our expense.
-my war story is about a buddy that had a walk around open fish. we were bottom fishing and were taking on water (full fuel tanks, low transom, bad design, wellcraft 25). and the pump failed. called USCG and asked for assistance. they referred us to Boats us. they came out and wanted this to be a salvage. -and it would be a salvage is nothing was done for another hour. owner wouldn't sign the contract, and after about 30 min I call for USCG again, and they respond. finally they take us under tow, punch it, and we open the plug and drain the boat. -bottom line, Boats US was going to let the boat sink before taking us under tow, as a normal service call. -I was a unlimited member at the time, but since owner was aboard they wouldn't accept my card.
While salvage is a incentive to rescue in hazardous conditions, this was flat calm, 3 mile from the inlet on a holiday weekend. I felt they were just there to maximize their income, and would wait until it was sunk in order to make more money, at our expense.
you make a good point.... my membership is good for any boat that I own, borrow, lease, use or otherwise have responsibility of, that I am aboard.
im not advocating being anymore dishonest that the rescue boat operators you mention, but one should be aware that the membership holder needs to be the person FULLY in charge and responsible for the decision making on the distressed vessel, if a rescue boat is summoned, to prevent any questionable issues such as the one you describe.....
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Mr. Bill - that is a horrible story, I am sorry to hear that happened to you and your buddy.
What a crock, and shame on that Boat U.S. operator.
I hope someone reported that to Boat U.S. corporate, I am confident that they would be none too pleased to hear that story. It is their job to tow boats back ... I don't recall any fine print about their right to refuse coverage for a member simply because they are aboard another boat and that boat's owner is also aboard. EDIT: I could be wrong there, for sure!
BBB or Consumer Reports, that sounds like some good fodder for those folks ...
Personally I have Boat U.S. coverage and hope to never use it. Of course they wouldn't care about salvaging my 1983 vintage 25' sailboat, but they damn well better tow me if I ever need to call in their assistance.
What a crock, and shame on that Boat U.S. operator.
I hope someone reported that to Boat U.S. corporate, I am confident that they would be none too pleased to hear that story. It is their job to tow boats back ... I don't recall any fine print about their right to refuse coverage for a member simply because they are aboard another boat and that boat's owner is also aboard. EDIT: I could be wrong there, for sure!
BBB or Consumer Reports, that sounds like some good fodder for those folks ...
Personally I have Boat U.S. coverage and hope to never use it. Of course they wouldn't care about salvaging my 1983 vintage 25' sailboat, but they damn well better tow me if I ever need to call in their assistance.