ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 28, 2009 – Rental boat clubs are known for their hassle-free appeal.  But when a member of a rental club accidentally runs aground, runs out of gas or has a breakdown, they need reliable on-the-water help.  BoatUS Towing Services has stepped in to answer the need with a new on-the-water towing and assistance program tailored for rental boat clubs .“We are giving rental clubs a better way to protect their investment and ensure their member’s experience remains positive,” said BoatUS Towing Marketing Supervisor Ann Sooby.

To date, seven clubs representing 53 select locations have signed up, including Freedom Boat Club, SailTime, Carefree Boat Club, Olympic Circle Sailing Club, Chesapeake Boating Club and Club Nautique.

The exclusive program offers towing services by BoatU.S.’ TowBoatUS and Vessel Assist fleets and is only available to rental boat clubs that operate as a club requiring membership.  Boats in a club’s fleet are enrolled in a BoatUS Towing Plan, which start at $135 depending on location.  Towing Plan membership cards are issued in the name of the vessel and kept onboard for easy access.

The club’s members receive the same reliable service as BoatUS members.  When trouble occurs, the club member simply hails the local TowBoatUS or Vessel Assist responder via VHF channel 16, or can call the responder directly or dial the BoatUS 24-hour toll-free dispatch at 800-391-4869.

After the job is done and the towing invoice is presented, the rental boat club member simply signs the bill and walks away — BoatUS picks up the tab at no cost to the club member or any further cost to the club.  There is no time-consuming reimbursement process or other paperwork, which makes the program very easy to manage for club operators.  Without a towing plan, boaters face costs that nationally average about $600 per incident.

“This program gets a disabled vessel and the family aboard safely back to the club dock, and gives the club member great peace of mind,” said Sooby.

Hourly or daily rental boat businesses that do not require membership are not included in the program.  For more information, contact Ann Sooby at 800-888-4869, ext. 3826 or RSooby@BoatUS.com .

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About BoatUS Towing Services:

Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is the nation's leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 600,000 members with a wide array of consumer services, including on-the-water towing assistance provided by TowBoatUS and Vessel Assist Pacific. Combined, these two towing fleets offer North American boaters the largest network of US, Canadian and Bahamian towing ports with over 290 locations and over 600 towing assistance vessels — three times that of any other service provider.