Full disclosure that Canada’s Towboat is a sponsor of ours but that does not mean that they do not provide top notch service and offer affordable yearly plans for your towing needs!
With Jobbie and the Raft Off coming up call them and get your plan. For less than the cost of a days alcohol you too can get your towing coverage for the whole year!
The Crew sat down with Glen Swinton of Canada’s Towboat and asked some questions for our readers on both sides of the borders.
What is Canada’s Towboat? Canada’s Towboat is the registered trademark of Canadian Coastal Services, a Windsor Ontario base marine assistance company that offers marine towing and salvage services
How much does it cost? We offer services to members and non-members alike. A membership costs $65 Canadian and is valid for a full 365 days provided there is no ice on the waterways. Non-members can call for services at an hourly rate that varies depending on the services needed and conditions at the time of the call.
What is covered? Our membership is designed to ensure that you never left floating with a disabled vessel, waiving your arms hoping for a passer by to stop. Your covered for UNLIMITED Return to Port Towing, soft un-groundings and Battery Boosting/Fuel Delivery Services while out on the water. The membership covers the primary member PLUS up to three additional family members that reside at the same address, on every vessel the primary member owns.
I’m American why should I buy Candian coverage? Because of the trade laws of both Canada and the U.S., commercial marine assistance becomes complicated when you cross the border. There are services that can and services that cannot be provided by a company from a foreign country on the opposite side of the border. We encourage anyone that regularly crosses the red line to consider Towing Insurance on both sides to ensure the have coverage no matter where the breakdown might occur.
Are you allowed to tow in American waters? We absolutely can tow in American waters provided that the tow originated in Canadian waters or if the tow is a return back to a Canadian port. If we perform any towing operations from a U.S. breakdown location into a U.S. port we must conduct the operations as a good samaritan. The individual being towed cannot be billed.
What areas do you cover? We currently provide free of charge coverage for our members throughout all of Lake St. Clair, The Detroit River and the Western Basin of Lake Erie. Recovery towing and Salvage services are available for additional charges as far away as the lower basin on Lake Huron and into Lake Erie near Long Point.
What if I do not have coverage, will you still come and get me? Boaters that are not active members can still call us at 1-800-288-4650 for service. The cost of a service call is calculated from the time we leave our dock until the time we return to our dock. Non-member tow bills can often range between $400-800 dollars or more.
Get your coverage before you leave the dock:
Call them at 1-800-288-4650
Hail them on Channel 16 VHF
