JACKSONVILLE, Fl., July 8, 2010 –- The economic tide for recreational boating may have fallen, but for Capt. Scott Stebleton and Shonda Stebleton of Palm Coast, FL, the recreational boat towing business has been good.

The husband and wife team, owners of four TowBoatUS towing ports in Daytona Beach, St. Augustine, Titusville and Palm Coast, have just added three more: TowBoatUS Jacksonville, TowBoatUS Julington Creek and TowBoatUS Jacksonville Beach. Recreational boaters and anglers can call the on-the-water towing company day or night to get reliable assistance and tows back to a launch ramp or marina. Battery jump-starts, fuel drop-offs, and ungrounding services are some common requests for help.

The three new locations were purchased from retiring Capt. Randi Olsen. TowBoatUS Jacksonville is located at Sadler Point Marina on the mouth of the Ortega River. TowBoatUS Julington Creek is located at Mandarin Holiday Marina near channel marker #12 and adjacent to the SR 13 bridge. TowBoatUS Jacksonville Beach is located at Beach Marine, just northeast of the new McCormick Bridge at day marker #34. All of Stebleton’s ports offer extended service areas of up to 75 miles. Boaters and anglers can go to www.BoatUS.com/servicelocator for more information on locations and service areas.

All locations have response vessels ready to go at a moment’s notice and are fully rigged for marine towing and salvage work, including extra fuel, engine fluids, pumps, dive gear and battery “jump packs” to handle dead batteries. Also aboard are HAZMAT and spill response equipment. The towboats range in size up to 25-feet and can be identified by their distinctive red hulls, white bow stripes and “TowBoatUS” lettering along their sides.

For the Stebletons, the boat towing business has been a family affair. Shonda handles the office side. Stepson Derrick Dolph, who along with Scott is a US Coast Guard-licensed captain, is one of the company’s regional operations managers, leaving Scott to handle the service side and focus on growing the business. The company frequently sponsors local fishing tournaments and other events that focus on raising funds for missing children and drug prevention efforts. The company’s boats also participate in many area boat parades, ready to lend a hand should an issue arise.  All of the locations also offer the BoatUS Foundation’s free Kid’s Life Jacket Loaner program which allows parents to borrow a right-sized life jacket for the day or weekend.

The Stebelton’s ports are part of the country’s largest boat towing program with over 600 towboats servicing hundreds of ports and waterways coast to coast. The towing program is just one service offered by BoatUS – Boat Owners Association of The United States – the nation’s leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its half-million members with government representation, consumer programs and money-saving services.

Like an auto club, BoatUS offers "Unlimited" on-the-water towing plans for Florida boaters and anglers for just $149 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 any of these ports by calling the company directly at 904-223-7541; by VHF radio on channel 16; or through the BoatUS toll-free Dispatch Service at 800-391-4869.

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About BoatUS:

BoatUS – Boat Owners Association of The United States – is the nation’s leading advocate for recreational boaters providing over half a million members with government representation, programs and money saving services.  For membership information visit www.BoatUS.com or call 800-395-2628.