Dave...I've been a member of Sea Tow for a number of years.....During this time I have had to call for their service once and can personally vouch for their professionalism, competence, and sense of urgency....Capt. Christain and Hot Rod are in a class of their own when it comes to assisting stranded boaters...As a member of Sea Tow, you'll never feel alone on the water again...Hopefully you'll never need their service but, if you do, you have the best team in the area 'at your back'....mel
All the responses on here are are 100% correct.
I am not sure the areas I fish from Golden meadow to Grandisle are covered by Seatow etc. I have seen one of their boats once at Sand Dollar Marina in Grandisle ( Tarpon Rodeo)about two years ago.
A couple of years ago we broke down out in Timbalier. I contacted the Port Fourchon Harbor Police. They responded quickly and towed us into Fourchon then gave me a ride to my truck in Leeville. The great part was not only getting help quickly but there was no charge. They are tax supported. If I fished any other areas I would definitly have a membership with Seatow or one of the others available. Its basically an insurance policy that you hope you never need but sure feels good to have when you do.
Another good thing to have are phone numbers to the diffrent agencies in the area like USCG, LDWLF, Harbor Police, Lafourche, Terrebone &
Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. If you contact any of these they are not going to leave you hanging out there. They will get the help needed to you.
SeaTow is great when you're a member and they serve your area, same with TowBoat US. But you can't count on law enforecment, coast guard, or any other public agency giving you a free tow unless it is life threatening conditions. It isn't fair to private companies to have to compete with tax supported agencies. Most pubic agencies are aware of this and have strick guidelines.
CCWoody - Its not like your stuck on the side of the road with help passing by you every 10 seconds. If you are out in the middle of a Bay, Lake etc. during summer months when thunder storms pop up before you can blink an eye then it is a serious situation. When we broke down I was ready to have to pay for the tow. They were not called because we knew it was free because we didn't know. it was something that was explained to us by them once we made it to the landing. After calling the Lafourche Parish Water Patrol and them having a 45 minute to 1 hour before even getting in the water they transferred me to harbor police. Capt. Bob also called for us with our location. They were to us within 25 minutes of the phone call.
You are right about the guide lines that the public agencies use when someone is in distress. It is totally diffrent between on road and on water. If you call for assistance on the water they will not tell you that its too bad your having a bad day and hang up on you. They are someone capable will respond.
I do agree we should not call them if Seatow or any of the others service the area you are in. In fact if they do and you call a public agency they would probably transfer you to Seatow. Why does'nt Seatow service the entire gulf coast?
I was a little bit skeptical about getting a tow service, since I'm from Slidell and have plenty of friends on the water that would tow me. Once I found out the price it was a no brainier, why bother a friend. Sea Tow was the name that people kept giving me, so I chose them.
Am I glad I did. I recently cought an overheating alarm. One small problem.My truck was in the shop and my trailer was in the driveway since I left from my dock. Cap'n Christian understood my delima. If he towed me to my house I have an engine that doesn't need to be ran. He decided it would be better to get my address and pick my trailer up and bring it to Rigolets marina. Then he got in the Sea Tow boat and towed me there. This was way above and beyond what I expected.
I'm a SEA TOW member for ever now.
Squid, don't get me wrong, if you can get a free tow then go for it. I'm just warning you that many (most?) public agencies will decline to do so unless there is an imminent threat so be careful about depending on it.
I, too, was a SeaTow member for several years (in LA and FL). I rarely needed them but it gave me peace of mind to know they would come when needed, and they always did a great job.
Sea Tow is proud to announce that Capt. Robert Buck is the new owner of Sea Tow Westbank. His franchise will cover from Lafitte to Venice to Grand Isle. Sea Tow New Orleans will continue to cover the east side of the MS River while Sea Tow Westbank covers the west side. We are also running our 14 month special right now (14 months for $169) Call today and get your 2 free months. As always, new and existing members can take advantage of the special as the time will be added to your current membership. If you boat on the west side primarily, call Sea Tow Westbank and Sea tow New Orleans if you boat on the east side. Sea Tow New Orleans (504) 301-4545 Sea Tow Westbank (504)433-4869
I've been a member for years, only needed their service once in Lake P. Called and Capt Rod came in the Twin Vee , We got hooked up in no time and he put my Formula (heavy boat) on a full plane back to Bonnabel. Got to the launch and Capt Rod and his buddy put my boat on the trailer. Terrific service, didn't cost me a dime.
Thank you to our friends and patrons for all of your kind words..... We are running our 14 month special right now (14 months for $169) Call today and get your 2 free months. As always, new and existing members can take advantage of the special as the time will be added to your current membership. If you boat on the west side of the MS River primarily, call Sea Tow Westbank and Sea tow New Orleans if you boat on the east side. Sea Tow New Orleans (504) 301-4545 Sea Tow Westbank (504)433-4869
I tell everyone I know that Sea Tow gives me great peace of mind. I have used them once and the response was quick. With winter fishing not too far away I would greatly recommend signing up. I have hit low spots, in the winter, that I have run many times before with no problems. Nice to know Sea Tow will always be there. For less than $200 a year, you cannot beat it. It is expensive if you get stuck without a membership if any company comes for you. Tight lines,
CF
I have my boat insurance with Boat U.S. and also a member of Towboat U.S., too cheap to not have. I have never used them but, signed up after I saw them in action.
Capt E
CATCHDAT.com