DECATUR, Ala., June 4, 2009 – Local business owner Capt. Jim Helms has opened TowBoatUS Decatur, AL, an on-the-water towing company that recreational boaters and anglers can call to get reliable assistance and tows back to a launch ramp or marina day or night.  Battery jump starts, fuel drop offs, and ungrounding services are some common requests for help, but Helms also says engine breakdowns caused by aquatic weeds being ingested into motorboat cooling systems is a problem unique to the area.

TowBoatUS Decatur, located at mile marker 305 at the Riverwalk Marina in Decatur, is the second port for Helms, who opened TowBoatUS Scottsboro, AL in 2004.  Stationed at TowBoatUS Decatur is a 25-foot Munson Pilothouse response vessel fully rigged for marine towing and salvage work, including extra fuel, engine fluids, pumps, dive gear and a battery “jump pack” to handle dead batteries. It can be identified by its distinctive red hull, white bow stripes and “TowBoatU.S.” lettering along its side.

The port’s service area includes Lake Guntersville to the Joe Wilson Dam. Helms says he sometimes trailers the response vessel to avoid going through locks, providing a quicker response to boaters in need of assistance.

Five local US Coast Guard-licensed captains operate the vessel.  Helms, who has a commercial license, also has extensive HAZMAT experience with fuel spills and his company has worked with the Alabama Marine Police for several years.  He is also owner of Precision Auto and Truck Collision Repair in nearby Scottsboro which offers roadside towing and vehicle repair services and has been in business since the early 1980s.

This is the fifth TowBoatUS port on the Tennessee River, joining a nationwide fleet of over 600 towboats which are part of BoatUS – Boat Owners Association of The United States – the nation’s leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 600,000 members with government representation, programs and money saving services.

BoatUS offers "Unlimited" on-the-water towing plans for fresh water 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 Decatur by calling the company directly at 256-259-5814; 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.