Towing Services

Use the BoatUS App to easily send your phone’s GPS Latitude and Longitude with a Google map link.

Even use it to notify friends on shore when and where you begin and end your float plan!

BoatUS also knows boats break down, go aground and trailer tires blow out when least expected. Who wants to fork out over $600 for a tow? That’s why this App also has similar features to a vehicles automatic locator.

Press the "Call for a Tow" option on the home screen and a 24/7 crew mate of BoatUS will answer, knowing who you are, what boat you’re on and where you are. A key feature, since tens of thousands of the boaters who call for a tow unfortunately don’t know exactly where they are located.

Even though this app doesn’t replace good seamanship and navigation skills, it is a nice addition to add to your boats tool bag.

And it’s free.

The BoatUS App not only displays the phones latest nautical Latitude and Longitude right in front of you, it’s GPS function should still work even when out of cell phone range.

What a perk if you need to relay it over VHF radio in times of need!

BoatUS Members who choose to buy Unlimited Towing are also prepared when the unexpected engine breakdown, non emergency tow, soft ungrounding, battery jump, fuel delivery and or trailer roadside assistance is needed.

BoatUS can pay the bill on the spot so you don’t have to!

BoatUS is the biggest, the best and the most trusted boat towing program available providing:

• Representation for recreational boaters on Capitol Hill
• Top Rated Boat Insurance policies for sail, power & fishing
• 24 Hour Insurance Claims Service
• Marina repair and fuel discounts at 900 locations nationwide
• Rewards at West Marine boating equipment stores
• Magazines- BoatUS, Seaworthy, Trailering & Angler
• Over 26 key services for boaters needs

Download the free BoatUS App and try it out today.

At Sea. On the Bay. On a Lake. On the River. On the Road.

Also, call 800-888-4869 now to join BoatUS and buy Unlimited On-Water and Trailer Assist for less than you probably spend for your auto club. They don’t cover boats and usually don’t pay for tows of boat trailers!

The iPhone is set up to allow or disallow specific app from accessing the GPS according to permissions you set. The very first time you start the BoatUS app after downloading, your iPhone asks if you want to give the app permission to use your GPS. You must click yes in this dialog box in order for the app to show and share your location.

If you have given access to the BoatUS app, but it still will not show your location, make sure you have turned on the GPS.

To turn on the GPS: From your homescreen, go to Settings > Location Services and move the toggle to "On."

To grant the app access to your GPS: In the same menu (Settings > Location Services) find BoatUS and turn it to "On." Your locaiton information is never tracked by BoatUS, and only sent to our dispatch services when you hit the "Call for a Tow" button.

See Apple's documentation for more in-depth information.

GPS and location services have come a long way in the past few years, but the more you understand how it works, the more reliable and accurate the location features will be.

If you click your Settings icon, then scroll to Location & security, you’ll see a page that looks something like this (to your right).

E911 - 911 emergency services. These can’t be turned off.

VZW location services - Verizon’s location system, which relies on cellular towers.

Standalone GPS services - GPS satellites. Enabling this will give BoatUS App the most accurate location.

Google location services - Uses a database of wifi signals to find your position.

Before you even turn on your BoatUS App, make sure your standalone GPS services are enabled.

If your cellphone can’t get a good GPS signal, it will try to find your location using cellphone towers, which isn’t as accurate as GPS, and can be miles off from your actual position.

The phone can’t tell you which method it’s using, so the best thing to do is check the accuracy yourself.

To do this, make sure Standalone GPS Services are enabled, and open the BoatUS App. Wait until the Lat/Long numbers are displayed at the top of the screen.

The easiest way to check the accuracy of the position is to click on Show Location On Map at the top of the screen on the right side. Once the map is displayed, zoom in and verify your location. We recommend trying this several times at different locations.

Most of the time, the position should be accurate, but there are times when it’s off. There are a lot of possible reasons for this:

1. 1) The phone is using cellular triangulation instead of GPS
2. 2) Low signal strength from your cellphone carrier’s cellular towers
3. 3) GPS satellite signal is blocked or reflected off objects like buildings or large rocks
4. 4) The movement of the boat prevented a good satellite connection
5. 5) Poor weather
6. 6) Poor cellphone connection
7. 7) Weak or dead cellphone batteries

What to do to improve accuracy? Make sure your GPS is turned on and that you have a good view of the sky. Move around and retest it. Plug your cellphone into a good power source in case your battery is drained. Get to know the weaknesses. And keep checking/verifying your location on the charts.

Dear BoatUS,

The Sailing for Hope Regatta held on July 16, 2011 at Lighthouse Landing Marina in Grand rivers, KY, raised over $11,000 for St Jude Children's Research Hospital. The bags, membership and blankets BoatUS donated for the silent auction helped us exceed our fund raising goal.

On an interesting note --- the power boat carrying the photographers for the event stalled directly off the second mark and started to drift into the shipping lane. The owners of the 27' cruiser, Crew Zen (my husband and myself) are long-time members of BoatUS ---so, no worries! He used the new BoatUS App on his smart phone which gave his GPS location directly to the TowBoatUS dispatcher.

In no time Gordon, stationed at Green Turtle Bay Marina, came to the rescue --- gave him a jump start and assisted in finding a new battery. My husband and the photographers were back on course in plenty of time to catch the downwind portion of the race and capture my crossing the finish line in our Hunter 27, Sea Zen.

Please accept my sincere thanks on behalf of the children that I care for here tonight and for all those who will follow.

Elizabeth Owens, MT, Pathology
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, TN

Over 36,000 Boaters Have Downloaded to Date

OCEAN CITY, NJ, June 13, 2011 – It was every boater’s bad ending to the weekend. On a late Sunday afternoon two weeks ago, a 21-foot bowrider with two persons aboard broke down on a foggy bay off the New Jersey coast. Unfortunately, the small vessel did not have a VHF radio or a chart plotter showing their precise location. But the captain and mate did have a cell phone with them, so they called the BoatUS Towing Services 24-hour dispatch center for assistance (800-391-4869).

The two boaters were tired and wanted to get home, but, unfortunately, gave the BoatUS dispatcher a poor description of the surroundings where they thought they were located. Upon hearing this information, local TowBoatUS captains in Beach Haven, Ocean City and Barnegat Light quickly deduced that it didn’t add up.

So how did BoatUS find the bowrider?

TowBoatUS Ocean City’s Capt. Patti Kearney says, "We solved the problem by advising the boaters to download the BoatUS Smart Phone App." Once the couple completed this easy task, the BoatUS dispatcher was automatically provided the vessel’s precise latitude and longitude information, and Capt. Kearney was able to quickly locate the boat and bring it back home safely.

The App reduces towboat response times by using the accuracy of the GPS latitude and longitude technology built into smart phones, and also adds helpful location and tracking features. Since its launch in February, over 36,000 boaters, sailors and anglers have downloaded it.

The BoatUS Towing App can also work well with your float plan, allowing you to easily text or email loved ones ashore, allowing them to "track" your trip on the BoatUS online Member Service Locator map. The App also gives smart phone users the option of seeing their own location on Google maps (when their cell phone’s Internet connection is operable).

BoatUS reminds boaters that a VHF marine radio should be the first choice for emergency communications and they should always contact the US Coast Guard or local law enforcement in an emergency situation. However, having the App is a great backup for routine breakdowns and it can be easily downloaded by going to www.BoatUS.com/app. It’s available for both Android and Apple iPhones.

BoatUS offers on-the-water towing service plans – much like a roadside assistance club for boaters - for freshwaters for $58 a year and saltwaters for $149 which includes BoatUS or BoatUS Angler membership. Go to www.BoatUS.com/towing or call 800-395-2628 for more information.

Source: BoatUS