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Colorado River Now Has 247 Coverage

44-Mile Stretch Of Wild, Remote Colorado River Now Has 24/7 Coverage

Series: Boating Safety | Story 28

TowBoatUS Fisher's Landing, Ariz., helps boaters and anglers get home after running aground.

It's a shallow, sandy-bottomed, blue ribbon of Colorado River that stretches 44 miles across the low desert of the remote Arizona Southwest. Now, recreational boaters and anglers navigating here from the Interstate 10 bridge down steam to the Imperial Dam have professional, 24/7 on-water towing and assistance available with the opening of TowBoatUS Fisher's Landing, Arizona. The company, located at Fisher's Landing Resort, is part of a nationwide network of more than 600 red TowBoatUS towing response vessels, offers soft ungrounding, on-water towing, battery jump and fuel drop off services.

Capt. Kayla Fulcer, with extensive knowledge of the river and its backwaters, is lead captain at the newest TowBoatUS port. General Manager Charles Stankovich says, "I've been on the river 12 years, and we understand how boaters can have unexpected trouble. Getting fuel can be a challenge, but what snags boats the most are the shallows. There are few markers and fluctuating water levels greatly affect navigability, even for smaller vessels," he adds. "We provide routine assistance to boaters, and help make their day get much better after a breakdown or running aground."

Stankovich offers that the resort's two tour boats and the 23- foot, red TowBoatUS response vessel are the only commercial vessels that ply these waters, which are a prime bass fishery. He highly recommends that boaters in this rugged and hot Arizona desert have a VHF radio aboard. "Cell coverage can be spotty, and a VHF radio is important for safety as well as to request routine on-water assistance."

Much like an auto club for recreational boat owners, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) offers annual on-water Unlimited Towing Memberships for freshwater boaters and anglers for just $109 per year. Towing, soft ungrounding, battery jumps and fuel drop-offs are all included along with more than 25 BoatUS benefits. Also offered with membership is a subscription to BoatUS Magazine, free DSC-VHF radio registration and more.

Like Fulcer, all of the company's captains are U.S. Coast Guard-licensed. Separate from BoatUS on-water towing services, the company offers vessel salvage and environmental remediation services.

This is the fifth and most southern TowBoatUS port on the lower Colorado River, which stretch north to Lake Mead, Nevada.

TowBoatUS Fisher's Landing monitors VHF radio Ch. 16 24/7 for routine on-water requests for assistance. Additionally, where cellular coverage permits the company can be reached at 928-920-692o, or by using the BoatUS App. The BoatUS toll-free 24/7 Dispatch Center is at 800-391-4869.

For more, go to BoatUS.com/Towing or call 800-888-4869.

 

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