LAKE WYLIE, N.C., May 26, 2009 – Just three years after opening TowBoatUS Lake Norman, local entrepreneurs Steve Branum and Jeremy Thompson have opened a second location, TowBoatUS Lake Wylie.  The on-the-water towing and assistance company gives recreational boaters and anglers a reliable way to summon on-the-water assistance day or night.  Battery jump starts, fuel drop offs, ungrounding services and tows back to a launch ramp are some common requests. 

Branum says the new home construction ringing the lake is bringing more boaters, many who enjoy watersports such as wakeboarding or tubing.  “We want to be here to help them get back home safely. With no channel markers and frequent fog, it’s easy to get into trouble if you are not familiar,” said Branum.

Capt. Kevin Scott, a USCG licensed captain, is the new port’s manager of operations.  Located at Pier 49 Marina on the North Carolina side of the Buster Boyd Bridge, the new port joins a nationwide BoatUS towing fleet of over 600 towing assistance vessels.

Stationed at the port is 22-foot center console response boat loaded with a full complement of towing and salvage equipment including extra fuel, engine fluids, pumps, dive gear and a battery “jump pack” to handle dead batteries. The vessel can be identified by its distinctive red hull, white bow stripes and “TowBoatU.S.” lettering along its sides.

BoatUS offers an "Unlimited" on-the-water towing plan for freshwater boaters for just $53 a year, which includes BoatUS membership.  Without a towing plan, boaters face costs that nationally average about $600 per incident.  Boaters in need of towing assistance can reach TowBoatUS Lake Wylie by calling the company directly at 704-588-5464; by VHF radio on channel 16; or through the BoatUS toll-free Dispatch Service at 800-391-4869.

Visit 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 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.