Matthew and Tami Kronen, owners of the recently opened TowBoatUS Lay Lake and TowBoatUS Logan Martin Lake
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SHELBY, Ala., August 28, 2025 – Professional, 24/7 on-water towing, soft ungrounding, battery jump and fuel drop-off assistance for recreational boaters and anglers has come Lay Lake. Capt. Matthew Kronen, owner of the nearby TowBoatUS Logan Martin Lake, has opened TowBoatUS Lay Lake, part of a nationwide network of more than 300 TowBoatUS ports and more than 600 red response vessels.

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.

However, on Lay Lake, a 12,000 acre hydroelectric reservoir on the Coosa River uniquely known for its flooded timber and earning the nickname “stumpfest” from local boaters, striking submerged objects shares the top reason for requesting on-water assistance. “We have vast fields of underwater timber that snag unsuspecting boaters,” said Kronen.

That also means lots of great fishing, making the lake popular with anglers. Kronen says he decided to open TowBoatUS Lay Lake based on the volume of requests for assistance he was receiving. “There is a strong need on the lake for on-water help with the unexpected,” he adds. Assistance calls were previously responded to by trailering from Logan Martin. A red, 20-foot response vessel is now homeported at La Coosa Marina.

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

Separate from BoatUS on-water towing, the company offers boat salvage and spill cleanup services.

To request on-water assistance, boaters can call the BoatUS toll-free 24/7 Dispatch Center at 800-391-4869, call the ports directly at 205-362-9895, or hail on VHF radio Ch. 16.

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TowBoatUS expands to Lay Lake, Alabama. Capt. Matthew Kronen, owner of TowBoatUS Logan Martin Lake, opens second on-water towing location for assisting boaters  https://bit.ly/4muJOF3  #laylake #alabamafishing #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.