NJ Saltwater Fisherman Forums

Boating => Boating General Discussions => Topic started by: Axehandle on March 13, 2010, 06:53:42 AM

Title: Marine Towing
Post by: Axehandle on March 13, 2010, 06:53:42 AM
Which tow service is best to have for lower Jersey Coast?  We are in Barnegat
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: Bucktail on March 13, 2010, 07:17:35 AM
Which tow service is best to have for lower Jersey Coast?  We are in Barnegat

Tow Boat US t^
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: Hotrod on March 13, 2010, 07:23:28 AM
 whs
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: Still Running on March 13, 2010, 07:57:11 AM
 whs
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: wb on March 13, 2010, 12:35:07 PM
Cheaper than c-toe too  t^  t^
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: Capt. Mike on March 13, 2010, 12:41:29 PM
Which tow service is best to have for lower Jersey Coast?  We are in Barnegat
Hey Axe, I would go with Seatow! You plan on doing some off the offshore trips, this is better. Faster services and more on the water. I use them. What is the savings? Take a look at the coverage for both, and make a decision based on that. Cheaper is not better...
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: Fishin Dude on March 13, 2010, 08:56:31 PM
I use Sea Tow, as Capt. Mike states, look at what you get for your money. Now with that said, you also need to consider where you will do most of your boating, the rivers, the bay, and outside and how far out. You will want a service that has tow boats docked/dispatched as close to your boating location as possiable to cut down on response time. Keep in mind that during busy times,summer season weekends, the time will greatly increase, be prepared to wait. I know someone who ,on a weekday, on a late fall day, with not many boats on the water, had to wait over an hour for Seatow to respond just outside Manasquan Inlet, due to the fact that the tow boat was docked in Barnegate Bay and had to travel through the canal, down the river and out of the inlet.This was the only call the tow operator had that day. Imagine how long that would take on a summer weekend, when multiple calls come in to the tow service. <'((((><
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: Hunter 2 on March 14, 2010, 07:25:15 AM
 whs   I would choose by the services location and amount of towboats they have.
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: Maritime Matt on March 14, 2010, 09:09:53 AM
Good point by Hunter. I have TowBoat/US. Always did. However down here on Great Bay, it seems SeaTow has more boats. Only had to use them once up in the Raritan after having it all these years. Exceptional service.
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: IrishAyes on March 14, 2010, 10:33:46 AM
I have TowBoatUS. Have had them for as long as I have owned the Irish Ayes (1994).

From what I have seen both services cost about the same. I also believe both services offer the same towing packages as far as distances, etc. You can get several levels of coverage from TowBoatUS. I don't know that Sea Tow offers a lower option of service. My tow service covers a distance of up to 75 miles off shore.

As others have said, check the availability for your boating area and make your decision from that as they are both top quality services.
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: Axehandle on March 15, 2010, 11:26:30 AM
Thanks Guys - I figured this group would have some experience - we had BOAT US last year and thankfully we didn't have to use them - but wanted to check local experience. Thanks again slt
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: Stray Cat on March 15, 2010, 08:21:17 PM



Here's another good thing about TowBoat/US

I have TowBoat/US and they let you add another family member to your policy,I have my brother and I on the same policy with us only paying 1 membership. It works out great since we are not always together on the boat.
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: double3fd on March 16, 2010, 10:18:06 AM
what about if im fishing out of the atlantic highlands, who do you guys recamend for towing in sandy hook area???
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: Still Running on March 20, 2010, 08:19:39 AM
I stopped by the TowBoatUS booth at the show yesterday to renew my membership. (save 10%)  I was told that TowBoatUS is paid for every tow they do. In other words if you call them out to tow you in, they send in a bill to Boat US and get paid for that tow at no charge to you. The other companies get paid when you sign up and that’s it. So if you are waiting to get towed in and the other company is going out to get you and a cash paying job comes in, you wait.
How true this is I don’t know, it’s just what I was told.
If one is paid by the job and the other is paid by the contract; it make sense.

I also found out that if you get towed back to your dock and lets say next week you want to be towed to the ramp to pull the boat out. You have to pay for half of the tow from your dock to the ramp.
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: Luna Sea 5 on March 20, 2010, 10:21:35 AM
boat us
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: IrishAyes on March 20, 2010, 11:12:17 AM
Rick, with TowBoatUS you will pay for half the tow from your dock to a repair facility, ramp etc. If you buy the Gold package it will cover that.

Sea Tow includes this in their package.

Here are applications to both. I posted these so it would be possible to see what both cover and the price of each. For about the same money you will get pretty much the same service.

https://secure.seatow.com/membership/JoinNow.asp

https://www.boatus.com/join/?we200w
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: Stray Cat on March 20, 2010, 08:06:52 PM
Rick, with TowBoatUS you will pay for half the tow from your dock to a repair facility, ramp etc. If you buy the Gold package it will cover that.

Sea Tow includes this in their package.

Here are applications to both. I posted these so it would be possible to see what both cover and the price of each. For about the same money you will get pretty much the same service.

https://secure.seatow.com/membership/JoinNow.asp

https://www.boatus.com/join/?we200w

Yes the gold package, its only about $30 more.
I was going to get it but I figure I got twin engines and hopefully if one has a problem I could limp over on the other to the repair shop.
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: IrishAyes on March 20, 2010, 08:24:44 PM
Twins are good but...with the reliability of the engines now a days if you do have a break down it will usually be an electical (battery) failure or a fuel failure. If you do not have a dedicated fuel and battery to each motor you might as well have a single outboard.

Just something to keep in mind. ;D
Title: Re: Marine Towing
Post by: Stray Cat on March 21, 2010, 12:11:38 AM
Twins are good but...with the reliability of the engines now a days if you do have a break down it will usually be an electical (battery) failure or a fuel failure. If you do not have a dedicated fuel and battery to each motor you might as well have a single outboard.

Just something to keep in mind. ;D

Your exactly right. On my boat each engine draws from its own fuel  & electrical supply.