Boat USA?

[parishht]

I keep getting information in the mail about joining Boat USA,
Is it worth the money?
There are two price levels, the second one includes towboat service. :-/

[Pipe_Dream]

Do you mean BoatUS? I have been a member since 1994. Dues $19, basic towing ($150 per incident) $18. $150 won't get you very far if you do have to be towed, so you can get unlimited towing for $120. Receive a small glossy magazine every month, sometimes with good tips and reports. I also insure my boat through them -- they're competitive, and they offer stated-value policies. Other benefits (that I use) include fuel discounts at member marinas, and they partner with West Marine so every time I buy anything there I show them my BoatUS card, and eventually I get coupons redeemable for purchases there. When I was doing my refit and going to West Marine every week, they added up and I got some significant coupons.

For me it's been a good deal. 8)

[macojoe]

if you ever have to be towed in you will wish you had it!!

A single tow can be $500+

I have had it for years, except this year, but in will be getting it soon.

[sfprovyn]

Yes....I also have my boat's insured with them and they are great to work with..I've been a member since 82...If you loose power way off shore they will come and get ya. Its money well spent believe me I found out the hard way...Frank

[Stinky_Hooker]

Tow boat US when compared to SeaTow SUCKS!

I have researched both and bought Seatow. BoatTow looks like a good deal, but read the fine print! They say they tow up 50 miles out, but this is FROM their point of port...NOT 50 miles offshore. It is also 25 miles on EITHER side of their port, not 50 miles one way. From down here the Boat US port is well up into Mobile bay so if you are say 20-25 miles offshore you arent covered within thier 50 miles. Oh they will come get you, but you will recieve a bill at the dock. *:o

Also, BoatTow US doesnt even have their own boats depending on where you go. Down here they contract it out through other marine companies and if you are broke down and in need they get to you when they can. When researching the two I called the BoatTow US "towing service" and it was a local maritime tug service. I was asking about the towing service and this secretary didnt even really know what I was talking about. After some confusion and wading through a bunch of crap she finally put me on the phone with some jerk that acted like I was bothering him. He told me "uh yeah, we work for BoatTow " I asked how long it took them to respond to a call and he said "it depends on how and where my boats are tied up at" I said ok, BUDDY, whatever! *::)

I then called The SeaTow captain out of DI. He had already came to one of our club meetings and seemed like a really nice guy. He is a fisherman that started working for the Franchise and knows our area well. I called and got him ON his cell phone. I explained the 50 miles thing to him and he said "yeah, alot of people dont look into it that deep." He said "our policy states 50 miles OFFSHORE, but if fuel and conditions allow me to get to you and you are a member...I WILL come get you." He runs three VERY nice boats and lives ON the Island. He also tows up to a 65 footer! :o SeaTow also tows you back to your point of launch.

I could launch in Bama, run up to see MJ and break down on the East Coast. (Assuming I ran a big boat, of course) They would come get me and *tow me BACK to Bama...not the nearest port. ;)

They will also jump you off for free, unground you and bring you gas if you run out (you pay for gas costs)


One story to prove my point:

Our fishing club has a couple teams that have been fishing the Redfish Tour. These two teams were running the marshes over in Venice LA a couple months back during a tourney. One team had Seatow, and the other had Boat tow US. They both ran onto mud flats and got stuck. They called their respective towing companies for an ungrounding. The SeaTow policy holder was pleased as he got pulled off free, as stated in the contract. The Towboat member was told on his cell phone (while stuck and being a current policy holder) "we arent familiar with that area and cant come get you. We might get OUR boat stuck trying to find you" *:P *He had to pay SeaTow to pull him free. LMAO!!


SeaTow is also UNLIMITED, non of that per incident BS.

Have I made my point clear enough?


Again, I dont know how things are up there with Boat tow US, but *cant imagine it being that good with all the problems I have seen down here. My boat doesnt leave the dock without Seatow!! Its the best 120.00 a year for piece of mind you could spend! Just a 5-10 mile tow for a non-member depending on conditions could run you a grand! You dont even want to THINK about a trip from 20-30 miles offshore.


Sorry for the long rant, I have just researched the hell out of it and from the horror stories from around here I have heard I would hate for someone to end up throwing their money away.

[parishht]

Thank you to all that have answered.

I will takke all the comments into consideration.

[msbhammer]

I purchased Boat U.S. unlimited. They are the boats I see here in Delaware. I dont believe there is a Tow Boat new us. Boat U.S. boats are docked north and south of me. Bowers beach and at Indian River inlet.

[sfprovyn]

We have both down here but Sea Tow is in court a lot and in the news charging salvage fees for soft groundings etc and lots of bad press. The carolina sportsman had a series of articles last fall about consumer complaints regarding SEA TOW practices. I know guys who work for both of them so I dont have an axe to grind one way or the other and to me its not an emotional issue worth getting excited over. People can do what they want . With either one the unlimited tow is the way to go..Frank

[steelheader13]

I have had BoatUS unlimited for 3 years or so, used them once. (knock on wood) No problems. Fast response and we were on our way (jumped my battery for me) They keep a boat close to my inlet.

I am sure there are areas as stated above that it may be better to use SeaTow. Check your local listings.

I have unlimited also, you can add a second name to your BoatUS card, I have my brother listed and that covers him also, he gets a card also, same price.

[garagenc]

hooker is right u have to read the fine print for boat, they don't go to the ocean and tow, i had a buddy who went out in the ocean from VA beach and broke down, called boat US to tow him in since he was a member and they politely informed him they didn't go in the ocean if he could drift in to the chesapeake bay or get towed there then they would go get him and bring him in as long as it was 50 total miles rd trip. I'm only repeating what he told me. He dropped them and became SEATOW member like me.

[sfprovyn]

I see both sea tow and Tow Boat US way out in the big blue three or four days a week ..Saturday about noon a Tow Boat US 26 foot inflatable with twin e-tech's flew by us at the big rock which is 34 miles out and over the years I've called in maydays and towing assist requests for idiots without radios a number of times and they ALWAYS come out and if they dont they lose their CG rating even though they might end up in court to get paid ...They both stage several sized boats in the marsh behind the beaufort turning basin to BS and wait for calls and I know captains from both companies... How much either one charges depends on what coverage you have or whether or not its a salvage or a soft grounding etc etc etc, a mayday or Coast Guard or Marine Patrol call. The virginia chesapeake bay is for sure a different critter as I used to run a charter boat there in the mid 80's and its different regarding towing insurance coverage as opposed to he ocean. All the tow boat guys in the bay in those days had to have a 6 pack then they changed it to a 100 ton Coast Guard inland masters licence but it stopped at the ocean . Coastal ocean tow captains also must have a 100 ton coastal with intracoastal water way riders and a towing endorsement which now means going to south carolina for two days to get it added..A lot of what you hear about tow companies is urban legend but to be sure there are some sharks in the business and its always best to read the fine print..Frank

[Kajun]

BoatUS DOES go out in the ocean but they do have a limit...i believe it is something like 30 or 50miles,..but how often do you go out 50miles?

boatus is also cheaper than seatow....i currently have seatow but i will be switching to boatus due to the actions of a local VA beach seatow operator.

best thing to do is call boatus and ask for clarification on their mile limits on the ocean.

but to answer your main question...YES is is worth it to get an unlimited package from either one of these companys....the seatow vs boatus debate is mostly apples and oranges, and its more of a local operator thing..$120 to 150 per year will pay for itself when your stuck out in the middle of nowhere with a storm approaching.

[parishht]

I did join BoutUS and it was last Father's Day.
West Marine was running a special, buy anything on Fathers Day and get free membership.
I will just have to pay the dues from now on.

[racerx]

sea tow gives new members a free hat! thats all i know about that. every time i have broke i just dropped anchor and fished till someone came along. never had a prob getting a tow. i do belong to sea tow though. just in case. didnt realy like the hat. gave it to a freind.

[LESTERUS]

JUST FOR YOU TO KNOW TOWING IN MIAMI NORMALLY COSTS $150.00/HOUR FROM PORT TO PORT.

LESTERUS