Captain Jim and Rebecca McCall Help Boaters Get Safely Home

Captain Jim McCall and his wife, Rebecca, owners of TowBoatUS Palatka, FL, have expanded their on-the-water towing business with the opening of new, second location on Crescent Lake. Located at Leonards Landing Marina in Crescent City, TowBoatUS Crescent Lake is part of the nation’s largest on-the-water towing service for recreational boaters, TowBoatUS.

Capt. McCall is a 24-year veteran of the US Coast Guard and also spent 14 years in law enforcement. Both he and his wife, who go by the nickname “Beci,” are native Floridians and have lived in the Palatka area for six years. The couple’s passion for boating safety has frequently brought them to area schools, giving instruction on how to stay safe on the water. They are also fixtures at local parades and festivals in Putnam county.

TowBoatUS Crescent Lake is equipped with a 17-foot Carolina Skiff response vessel, which can be identified by its distinctive red hull with white bow stripes and “TowBoatU.S.” lettering along its side. Onboard is a full complement of towing and salvage equipment including extra fuel, dewatering pump, and battery “jump pack” to handle every breakdown from running out of fuel to running aground.

The McCalls opened TowBoatUS Palatka just two short years ago, and in doing so, have doubled the number of annual towing plans sold to recreational boaters. “Were a fixed presence on the St. John’s River and now on Crescent Lake, so boaters know they can get reliable help when they need it,” said Capt. McCall. Most of the problems boaters have on the lake, says Beci, “Are related to mechanical breakdowns, running out of gas, or groundings.”

Similar to a roadside auto club, BoatUS offers on-the-water assistance plans starting at around $37 a year. Without a towing plan, boaters face costs that nationally average about $600 per incident. Boaters in need of towing assistance can reach TowBoatUS Crescent Lake by calling the company directly at 386-546-8696; by VHF radio on channel 16; or through the BoatUS toll-free Dispatch Service at 800-391-4869 or visit http://www.BoatUS.com/Towing for more information.

Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is the nation's leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 650,000 members with a wide array of consumer services, including on-the-water towing assistance provided by TowBoatUS and Vessel Assist. Combined, these two towing fleets offer North American boaters the largest network of US, Canadian and Bahamian towing ports with over 280 locations and nearly 500 towing assistance vessels - twice that of any other service provider.