Please select your home edition
Edition
Zhik 2024 December

TowBoatUS comes to Northern Michigan's Inland Waterway

by Scott Croft 25 Jun 2021 07:08 BST
TowBoatUS is ready to serve boaters on Northern Michigan's Inland Waterway 24 hours a day © Scott Croft

On Northern Michigan's Inland Waterway, professional 24/7 on-water assistance for recreational boaters is now available with the opening of TowBoatUS Indian River. The company provides towing and soft ungrounding help as well as battery jumps and fuel drop-offs, covering the entire waterway from Crooked and Pickerel lakes to Cheboygan.

It is the 13th TowBoatUS location for Rich Lendarson who operates TowBoatUS locations from Dolton, Indiana to Cheboygan. These include nearby TowBoatUS Mackinaw City, TowBoatUS Traverse Bay and TowBoatUS Torch Lake. All are part of a nationwide fleet of more than 600 towboats and 300 TowBoatUS locations. Also with the company are Lendarson's wife, Jessica, and son David who handle business operations, and son Hunter, who assists with salvage work.

Lendarson has stationed one red TowBoatUS response vessel, which is fully rigged for towing and salvage, at Indian River Marina located between Burt and Mullet lakes. In an effort to speed response times on the 40-mile stretch of interconnected lakes and rivers, a second response vessel is kept on a trailer ready to go at a moment's notice. "Our U.S. Coast Guard-licensed captains travel over the road and launch at the nearest boat ramp," said Lendarson. "It improves our mobility and significantly reduces response times," he added.

BoatUS offers on-water Unlimited Towing Memberships for freshwater boaters and anglers for just $90 per year. Boaters without BoatUS towing services face costs averaging $750 per towing incident, with some paying more. Included with Unlimited Towing Membership are more than 25 Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) benefits and discounts, a subscription to BoatUS Magazine, free DSC-VHF radio registration, and more.

For roadside boat trailer breakdowns, adding $15 to a BoatUS membership provides Trailer Assist service, which will tow both a tow vehicle and a disabled boat trailer up to 100 miles to the nearest repair facility or safe area. The service includes launch ramp winching service, flat tire assistance, battery jumps, fuel delivery and lock out service.

Separate from BoatUS towing services, the company offers boat salvage, and dive and environmental remediation services.

The fastest way to summon assistance from TowBoatUS Indian River is to download the free BoatUS App, which connects boaters to the closest local towing captain in less than a minute. Additionally, the company can be reached at 269-605-9036, 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 864-313-0968.

Related Articles

Yachting World Dayboats at Bosham
Racers discover a part of the harbour the home fleet rarely visit The fourteen-boat fleet that gathered for this year's Bosham SC Yachting World Dayboat Open meeting over the weekend of the 17th and 18th May enjoyed champagne sailing conditions. Four visiting boats joined the home fleet. Posted today at 6:26 pm
CIC Normandy Channel Race day 3
Another 6 retirements after the entire day in meaty conditions The 16th CIC Normandy Channel Race fleet has spent the entire day navigating meaty conditions. The 25-30 knots of SW'ly wind and heavy seas in the area have made it a real slog to gain access to the Wolf Rock mark. Posted today at 5:26 pm
A Fresh Take on Doublehanded Dinghy Sailing
The Melges 15 delivers high-performance sailing with unmatched accessibility The Melges 15 is redefining what sailors can expect from a modern, doublehanded dinghy. Since its launch, the boat has gained momentum across America and Europe for one simple reason — it delivers high-performance sailing with unmatched accessibility. Posted today at 4:00 pm
Chelmarsh SC visits Dovey SC
Annual weekend away to Aberdyfi Chelmarsh Sailing Club held its annual sailing weekend at Aberdyfi, hosted by Dovey Yacht Club. An event in its 27th year which has become a cherished tradition, offering both racing and camaraderie against the stunning backdrop of the Dyfi estuary. Posted today at 3:03 pm
505s at Hayling
Frankly the top reach required more rugby skills than sailing Ten intrepid teams gazed across Chichester Harbour, under the board-stiff flags flying off the Hayling clubhouse — the wind gods offering early hints of what was in store for the weekend: West-South-Westerly winds at 20-24 knots and a big, steep swell. Posted today at 2:39 pm
RORC Myth of Malham concludes
French mastery and family firepower light up the podium First held in 1958, the Myth of Malham Race has built a rich legacy for more than six decades of offshore racing. The 2025 edition proudly joins the ranks of its most memorable chapters. Posted today at 1:05 pm
Ruffian 23 Ulster Championships
Carrickfergus hosts inaugural event after local fleet resurgence The weekend of 24th - 25th May saw the Inaugural Ruffian 23 Ulster Championships hosted by Carrickfergus Sailing Club. Saturday morning started an overcast day with the wind 15 kts gusting into the late teens/early twenties. Posted today at 12:18 pm
Osprey Scottish and Northern Championship
Hosted by Coniston SC as part of the Toplex / PHG Open Regatta The Osprey Scottish & Northern Champions was hosted by Coniston SC as part of the 2025 Toplex / PHG Coniston Sailing Club Open Regatta on 24th & 25th May 2025. The Ospreys were part of the Fast Handicap fleet of 18 boats. Posted today at 12:07 pm
International sponsor 2025 WLYC 24 Hour Race
The event will take place on 13th-14th September 2025 at Southport Marine Lake West Lancashire Yacht Club (WLYC) is thrilled to announce International yacht paint as the headline sponsor for the 2025 WLYC 24 Hour Race, the UK's premier dinghy sailing endurance event. Posted today at 11:37 am
RYA Scotland's Club Chat update
Dates for the diary and ideas for funding options With lots of sailing and boating activity ramping back up for the warmer months ahead - there's lots to look forward to, including a range of opportunities to keep in mind at your club or organisation. Posted today at 11:00 am