Chain of Lakes Region Gets its First National On-the-Water Towing Service

TowBoatU.S., the nation’s largest on-the-water towing service for recreational boaters, has opened a new port located at Electric Harbor Marina in Columbia, IL on Fox Lake. The port is owned by Capt. Larry Phillips, a licensed USCG captain with 27 years of experience in the recreational boating industry. Capt. Phillips also owns Electric Harbor Marina, the second oldest marina on open water in the Chain of Lakes region.

TowBoatU.S. Fox Lake has three towing vessels and is able to assist boaters on the Chain of Lakes and Fox Lake north of Stratton Dam. Two vessels, a 24-foot Carolina Skiff for shallow waters, and a 32-foot recovery boat with crane are identifiable by their red color and “TowBoatU.S.” lettering along the side. The third vessel is a white, 29’ Fountain. The boats carry a full complement of towing and salvage equipment including extra fuel, pumps and battery “jump packs” to handle every breakdown from running out of fuel to running aground.

Capt. Phillips said boaters have a need for on-the-water assistance for variety of reasons. “Occasionally folks will raft up all day long and mistakenly run down batteries. Other times they’ll get too shallow and need a gentle pull, or have an engine breakdown and need a tow back to a marina or launch ramp,” said Phillips. “Sometimes a bad situation could have been prevented if they had taken a boating safety course,” he added.

Boaters in need of towing assistance can reach TowBoatU.S. Fox Lake 24-hours a day, seven days a week by VHF radio on channel 16; by calling the company directly at 847-338-9369; or through the BoatU.S. toll-free Dispatch Service at 800-391-4869.

Often referred to as the “boat owners auto club,” BoatU.S. Towing Service offers on-the-water assistance plans starting at $37 a year. Boaters can call 800-888-4869 or visit http://www.BoatUS.com/Towing for more information.

BoatU.S. – Boat Owners Association of The United States – is the nation’s leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 640,000 members with a wide array of consumer services including a group-rate marine insurance program that insures nearly a quarter million boats; the largest fleet of more than 500 towing assistance vessels; discounts on fuel, slips, and repairs at over 825 Cooperating Marinas; boat financing; and a subscription to BoatU.S. Magazine, the most widely read boating publication in the U.S. For membership information visit http://www.BoatUS.com or call 800-395-2628.