LINN CREEK, MO, June 18, 2008 -- In a move that will help shorten response times for on-the-water assistance, Capt. Charlie Meyer has opened a third towing port on the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri at mile marker 28.5 at Miller’s Landing Marina. TowBoatUS Linn Creek is a new seasonal towing port that provides tows back to a marina or launch ramp, fuel deliveries, battery jump-starts, or ungrounding services for recreational boaters. The USCG licensed Meyer also owns TowBoatUS Lake of the Ozarks located near mile marker 11 and TowBoatUS Osage Beach at Dave Mungenast Marina at mile marker 1 of the Grand Glaize Arm.

Meyer says he opened the Linn Creek location because, “The area is growing due to its more affordable housing, and more boaters are finding this part of the lake offers quieter water.”

Capt. Meyer has stationed at the port a 20-foot Boston Whaler response boat that can be identified by its distinctive red hull, white bow stripes and “TowBoatU.S.” lettering along its side. Onboard is a full complement of towing and salvage equipment including extra fuel, engine fluids, pumps, and a battery “jump pack” to handle dead batteries.

Meyer, who grew up on a farm near St. Louis, joined the US Coast Guard at age 21, serving for 21 years, including a tour in Vietnam. After retiring in 1986 he started towing boaters on the lake in 2004 and opened TowBoatUS Lake of the Ozarks, his first BoatUS affiliated towing port.

Meyer is a member of USCG Flotilla 30-2 as well as the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and the Lake Area Water Safety Council. In the past he has donated his company’s services for charitable events such as the Lake Area Rescue Shoot Out and volunteered two towboats and crews for the first annual Offshore Super Series races held on the lake last fall.

The lake’s choppy waters can cause trouble for small boats, leading to swampings, says Meyer. “Near the Party Cove area there are a lot of big wakes and some smaller vessels don’t have a lot of freeboard. A succession of waves comes over the side and before you know it, it’s too late,” he adds. Meyer also frequently responds to boaters who have run out of fuel or had a breakdown related to maintenance issues, such as dead batteries. BoatUS 24-hour Dispatch Centers received over 60,000 calls for assistance nationwide from boaters last year.

BoatUS offers “Unlimited” on-the-water towing plans for freshwater boaters at 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 Linn Creek as well as Meyer’s other two locations by calling the company directly at 573-216-4701; 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 Pacific. 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.