TowBoatUS Gwynn's Island and Upper Rappahannock, Virginia, under new ownership
by BoatUS 26 Jul 2024 10:40 PDT
(L to R) Katie Parker and Capt. Chris Parker, new owners of TowBoatUS Gwynn's Island and Upper Rappahannock © BoatUS
For more than a dozen years, Capt. Chris Parker has managed several TowBoatUS on-water towing and assistance locations or "ports," around the bay. Now Parker and his wife, Katie, are new owners of TowBoatUS Gwynn’s Island and TowBoatUS Upper Rappahannock, bringing the total number of their red boat ports in Maryland and Virginia to four. The companies, part of a nationwide network of more than 300 ports, offer on-water towing, soft ungrounding, battery jump and fuel drop-off services.
"We've worked hard to help our BoatUS members and boaters every way we can," said Parker, who first began as an employee of TowBoatUS as a towing captain in 2012. "As we've grown, we've continued to do that. We're proud of our track record of trust and getting the job done safely. What Katie and I really enjoy is helping an unexpected bad day out on the water get a whole lot better."
The Parkers' TowBoatUS port roster includes Crisfield, Maryland, and Reedville, Upper Rappahannock, and Gwynn's Island, Virginia. Additional partnerships operate in Southport, Holden Beach and Ocean Isle, North Carolina.
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 saltwater boaters and anglers for just $175 per year. In addition to towing, soft ungrounding, battery jumps and fuel drop-offs, Members receive more than 25 BoatUS benefits including discounts at local fuel docks and transient slips at marinas. Also offered is a subscription to BoatUS Magazine, free DSC-VHF radio registration and more.
All of the company's captains are U.S. Coast Guard-licensed. Separate from BoatUS on-water towing, the company offers boat salvage, spill cleanup and vessel disposal services.
The fastest way to request assistance from TowBoatUS Gwynn's Island and Upper Rappahannock is to download the BoatUS App, which connects boaters to the closest local towing captain. Additionally, the Gwynn's Island port can be reached at 804-724-4633 and Upper Rappahanock at 804-724-0833 or by phoning the BoatUS toll-free 24/7 Dispatch Center at 800-391-4869.
For more, go to www.BoatUS.com/Towing or call 800-888-4869.