Capt. George Strader new owner of TowBoatUS Port Isabel, Texas
by Scott Croft 10 Jun 2021 07:50 PDT
Capt. George Strader, new owner of TowBoatUS Port Isabel © Scott Croft
With more than three decades of experience working on local waters, local fishing guide, banana boat towing captain and water transportation contractor Capt. George Strader has announced his latest business venture as the new owner of TowBoatUS Port Isabel, Texas.
The 24/7 on-water towing and assistance service is part of a nationwide network of more than 300 TowBoatUS locations and 600 towing response vessels across North America that responded to more than 80,000 requests for nonemergency assistance last year.
Capt. Strader says he is excited for his new business opportunity. "I was born and raised here and worked on these waters my whole life," he said. "I know them well, and I'm really excited to help boaters when they may need it the most." Strader's wife, Louann, is handling the company's marketing and business development.
On the Laguna Madre, shallows can snag unsuspecting anglers chasing the bite in water depths measured in inches. Other common requests from boaters for on-water assistance include engine failure or overheating, running aground, dead batteries, and running out of fuel.
Strader's company is homeported at Pirates Landing and serve boaters north to Aroyo City and Port Mansfield. The company's two red 24-hour response vessels are rigged for towing, jump-starts, fuel delivery and soft ungroundings, and all of company's towing captains are U.S. Coast Guard-licensed. Separate from BoatUS towing services, the company offers boat salvage and dive services.
BoatUS offers on-water Unlimited Towing Memberships for saltwater boaters and anglers for just $165 per year. Boaters without BoatUS towing services face costs averaging $750 per towing incident, with some paying more. Included with Unlimited Towing membership are more than 25 Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) benefits and discounts, a subscription to BoatUS Magazine, free DSC-VHF radio registration, and more.
The fastest way to summon assistance from TowBoatUS Port Isabel is to download the free BoatUS App, which connects boaters to the closest local towing captain in less than a minute. Additionally, the company can be reached at 956-900-1221, by hailing on VHF channel 16, or by phoning the BoatUS toll-free 24/7 Dispatch Center at 800-391-4869.