(L to R) Capts. Jack Novak, Winslow Taylor and Chris Parker of TowBoatUS Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and TowBoatUS Lake Anna, Virginia.
Download hi-res photo

PITTSBURGH, May 7, 2025 – The 24/7 on-water towing and assistance service for recreational boaters with ties to nationwide fleet of more than 600 towboats has come to Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers. Captains Jack Novak, Winslow Taylor and Chris Parker have opened the TowBoatUS port just in time for boating season.

TowBoatUS Pittsburgh is the first TowBoatUS location on waters in Pennsylvania’s western inland regions. Capt. Novak said there’s an unmet need for 24/7 on-water towing, soft ungrounding, battery jump and fuel drop services.

“We’re glad to be here,” said Capt. Novak, who formerly managed three TowBoatUS ports on the Chesapeake Bay. “We know we have quite a few BoatUS members in these regions who need reliable, professional help for unexpected issues. We’re ready day or night, just a phone call away.”

The company has red response vessels fully rigged for towing and salvage, and offers a 25-mile service area that includes the Pittsburgh pool: Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers. Service is also available outside locks.

Novak, Taylor and Parker are also new owners of TowBoatUS Lake Anna in Virginia.

Last year, the nationwide on-water assistance service responded to more than 110,000 requests for routine assistance from boaters experiencing mechanical breakdown (e.g., engine, transmission, drives), the No. 1 cause of calls.

Much like an auto club for recreational boat owners, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) offers on-water Unlimited Towing Memberships for freshwater boaters and anglers for just $109 per year. Membership comes with more than 25 valuable BoatUS benefits, including discounts at local fuel docks and transient slips at marinas. Also included are a subscription to BoatUS Magazine, free DSC-VHF radio registration and more.

Separate from BoatUS on-water towing, the company also offers boat salvage, environmental remediation and dive services.

To request on-water assistance, boaters can call the BoatUS toll-free 24/7 Dispatch Center at 800-391-4869, call TowBoatUS Pittsburgh or TowBoatUS Lake Anna directly at 412-800-2628, or hail on VHF radio Ch. 16.

###

Suggested social media post:

Pennsylvania’s TowBoatUS Pittsburgh is ready to help boaters with professional 24/7 towing, soft ungrounding, battery jump and fuel drop services this boating season https://bit.ly/44eq6Hw #pittsburgh #pittsburghboating #paboating #lakeanna #lakeannava #towboatus #redisready #boattow #marinetowing #boattowing

About TowBoatUS:

Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is the nation's leading advocacy, services and safety group for recreational boaters. We are the Boat Owners Auto Club™ and provide our more than 725,000 members with a wide array of helpful services, including 24-hour on-water towing that gets you safely home when your boat won’t, jump-starts, fuel delivery, and soft ungroundings. The TowBoatUS towing fleet is North America’s largest network of towing ports with more than 300 locations and over 600 red towboats, responding to more than 110,000 requests for assistance each year. The BoatUS App makes it easy to summon water and road assistance 24/7 and can speed response times (BoatUS.com/App). For more information go to BoatUS.com/Towing.