TowBoatUS Arroyo City, Texas, opens to assist Laguna Madre boaters, anglers
by BoatUS 12 Mar 2024 12:07 PDT
TowBoatUS Arroyo City's airboat response vessel © BoatUS
In a move that significantly shortens response times to boaters requesting routine on-water towing and assistance on Laguna Madre, Capt. George Strader of TowBoatUS Port Isabel has now opened his second location, TowBoatUS Arroyo City. The new port, located on the Colorado River (Texas) at the Del Rey boat ramp in Arroyo City, is the eighth on the Texas coast and one of more than 300 TowBoatUS locations across North America.
"Until now, we've been running our response towboats out of Port Isabel," said Capt. Strader. "Opening TowBoatUS Arroyo City helps us greatly shorten our response times upriver as well as for those boating or fishing Port Mansfield waters," he added. "We appreciate helping our members and enjoy helping them have a better day. A significant part of our work for boaters and anglers is providing soft ungrounding service. With water depths measured in inches, it's easy to make a mistake and run aground here. We have the right type of professional equipment, including our 22-foot airboat, which can get into the thinnest waters and carries an extra-long towline."
Helping to grow the small business is Strader's wife, Lou Ann, who handles the company's marketing and business development. All of the port's captains are U.S. Coast Guard-licensed. The Arroyo location is also a BoatUS Foundation Life Jacket Loaner site, which allows boaters to borrow a right-sized kid's life jacket for the day or weekend at no cost.
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 saltwater boaters and anglers for just $215 per year, and offers on-water towing, soft ungrounding, battery jump and fuel drop-off services 24/7.
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 routine BoatUS on-water towing services, the company offers boat salvage and environmental remediation services.
The fastest way to request assistance from TowBoatUS Arroyo City or Port Isabel is to download the free BoatUS App, which connects boaters to the closest local towing captain. Additionally, the company can be reached at 865-304-0569, or by phoning the BoatUS toll-free 24/7 Dispatch Center at 800-391-4869.
For more, go to BoatUS.com/Towing or call 800-888-4869.