BEAUFORT, NC, August 12, 2010 – TowBoatUS Beaufort, NC, the on-the-water towing company that helps boaters get safely home after a breakdown or grounding, has a new owner.  Capt. Lee Sykes, a former captain with the company for four years, recently purchased the business from Capt. Rod Hoell.

 

Recreational boaters and anglers can call the towing company day or night at 252-728-5088 to get assistance and tows up to 75 miles offshore back to a launch ramp, home dock or marina.  They may also hail the company on VHF radio on channel 16; or call the BoatUS toll-free Dispatch Service at 800-391-4869. 

 

The US Coast Guard-licensed Sykes is a native of Mount Olive, NC. A former EMT and charter fishing business owner, it was his love of fishing that brought him to the Beaufort area. Says Sykes, “It’s a real mix of people here. There are liveaboards transiting the ICW, fishermen going offshore as well as weekenders who ski, raft-up and swim. Consequently we see a real mixed bag of reasons why boaters or anglers call us for assistance: dead batteries due to playing the radio all day, soft ungroundings on the ICW and, of course, the usual engine failures.”

 

TowBoatUS Beaufort is located in Knasty Harbor behind Pivars Island and adjacent to the Beaufort drawbridge. To see the location on a map, visit the BoatUS Member Services Locator at BoatUS.com.

 

The business has five response vessels: a 33-foot Zodiac with twin diesel jet drives, a 24-foot Lindsay, a 24-foot Carolina Skiff and two Zodiacs. All are ready to go at a moment's notice and fully rigged for marine towing and salvage work, including extra fuel, engine fluids, pumps, dive gear and battery "jump packs" to handle dead batteries. The towboats can be identified by their distinctive red hulls, white bow stripes and "TowBoatUS" lettering along their sides.

 

BoatUS offers "Unlimited" on-the-water towing plans for coastal salt and brackish waters for just $149 a year, which includes BoatUS membership. Without a towing plan, boaters face costs that nationally average about $600 per incident. Visit http://www.BoatUS.com/towing for more information.

 

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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 over half a million 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 and Canadian towing ports with over 290 locations and over 600 towing assistance vessels — more than double that of any other service provider.