New owner for local recreational boat towing company, TowBoatUS St. Charles
by BoatUS 7 Apr 2023 02:11 AEST
Drew Nord, new owner of TowBoatUS St. Charles, Missouri © BoatUS
The on-water recreational boat towing and assistance company, TowBoatUS St. Charles, is under new ownership with the recent purchase by Drew Nord, owner of Port Charles Harbor Marina. Nord says local boaters will continue to see all of the same friendly faces at the helm of the company's three red TowBoatUS response. Former owner Paul Hopkins as well as the U.S. Coast Guard-licensed towboat captains all remain with the company, which is part of nationwide network of more than 300 locations.
Emblazoned with "TowBoatUS" in white letters on their bright red hulls, the response vessels homeport at the marina located at Upper Mississippi River mile 221.5 on the north end of the Alton Pool. It's a slow-moving stretch of flat water popular with boaters between the locks and dams at Winfield, Missouri, and Alton, Illinois, close to downtown St. Louis.
The company provides 24/7 professional on-water towing, battery jumps, fuel drop-offs and soft ungrounding services. Last year, more than 90,000 boaters nationwide made requests for routine on-water assistance. Nord says, on the Alton Pool, boaters call him most for running aground on rocks, striking wing dams, or running out of fuel. "We can help day or night," said Nord.
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 $99 per year. Also included are more than 25 BoatUS benefits including discounts on transient slips and fuel, exclusive savings from national partners, a subscription to BoatUS Magazine, free DSC-VHF radio registration and more.
Separate from BoatUS on-water towing services, TowBoatUS St. Charles also offers boat salvage, dive, repair and transport services.
The fastest way to request assistance from TowBoatUS St. Charles is to download the free BoatUS App, which connects boaters to the closest local towing captain. Additionally, the company can be reached at 636-250-2628, by hailing on VHF channel 16, or by phoning the BoatUS toll-free 24/7 Dispatch Center at 800-391-4869.
More information can be found at BoatUS.com/Towing or by calling 800-888-4869.