Much like a flat tire can deflate a pleasant drive in the mountains, everything from a dead battery to a boat run aground can darken a sunny day on the lake.
When your car is stranded, you can call an auto club for help. But did you know that when your boat is stranded, there is a similar service you can call for assistance?
Enter TowBoatUS, a nationwide network of 300 ports and 600 vessels that provides on-water towing and routine assistance services any time, day or night. In the Upstate, Capt. Seth Owens and wife Cayla own two affiliates: TowBoatUS Lake Hartwell, which they purchased in 2019, and TowBoatUS Lake Keowee, which they took over this past March. The two affiliates now form one company called Hartwell Lake Services/Keowee Lake Ventures.
“We’re kind of like AAA on the water,” said Capt. Owens, whose team includes four other boat captains in addition to himself and his wife. “Between the two lakes, we received more than 700 calls the past 12 months, but 99% of the time we still reached most of our customers in less than an hour.”
This is an impressive feat when you consider that Lake Hartwell is one of the largest lakes in the Southeast with approximately 56,000 surface acres and 962 miles of shoreline. Lake Keowee, though considerably smaller than its behemoth sidekick, still boasts about 17,700 surface acres and 388 miles of shoreline.
Between Hartwell and Keowee, the husband-and-wife team operates five vessels, all of which can run in less than 2 feet of water. They range in length from 18-22 feet but are powerful enough to tow 90-foot houseboats for long distances.
Yearly, unlimited freshwater TowBoatUS memberships costing $90 can be used on Hartwell, Keowee and most other freshwater lakes throughout the United States. For more information, contact Cayla Owens at (864) 313-0968 or (864) 542-4878.
Membership includes:
- 24/7, 365-day dispatch assistance on all boats you own, borrow or rent.
- On-the-water towing, battery jump starts, and fuel delivery.
- Towing grounded boats back to deeper water.
- 25 featured member benefits.
Services that can require additional fees include salvage and environmental remediation.
“We will tow anyone, regardless of whether they have a membership,” Capt. Owens said. “But without the membership, it can cost hundreds of dollars. One of the things I love most about this job is that people are always happy to see me, but they’re not always so happy to pay the bill. So, I tell people, ‘If you can afford a boat, you can afford $90.’ ”
Cayla Owens, who manages dispatch operations, marketing and business development, said that business has been booming despite the coronavirus pandemic. It is estimated that on a typical holiday such as Memorial Day or the Fourth of July, more than 5,000 boats are crammed onto the two lakes.
“It definitely has been getting busier and busier every year,” she said. “Last year was very busy, but this year it has been like a holiday weekend every weekend. More people are doing stay-at-home vacations and are coming to the lakes versus taking a week and going to the beach or somewhere else. Last year, we really started to see people doing that, and then this year has been crazy – which is a good thing. That’s what we’re here for.”
“Boat dealers are reporting record sales, and those boats are not just going to disappear once the pandemic goes away,” Capt. Owens concluded.
