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NORTH SHORE and ILLINOIS WATERWAY, Ill. – BoatU.S., an on-the-water towing service for recreational boaters, has expanded its TowBoatU.S. operations on the southern end of Lake Michigan and on the Illinois Waterway, it reported in a statement yesterday.
Capt. Jack Manley of Chicago Marine Towing, owner of three TowBoatU.S. ports in the area, has opened two additional ports: TowBoatU.S. North Shore, IL, and TowBoatU.S. Illinois Waterway, IL.
TowBoatU.S. North Shore is located at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center near Waukegan and has a 25-foot Boston Whaler on station to provide assistance from Willamette, Ill. to the Wisconsin border.
TowBoatU.S. Illinois Waterway is located at the junction of the Cal-Sag Waterway and the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal, and has a 26-foot Monarch aluminum response vessel. It will cover the Cal-Sag Waterway, the Calumet River, the South branch of the Chicago River and the Illinois Waterway to Lockport, Ill.
"Prevailing winds often dictate which side of Lake Michigan is best for boating,” said Manley. “With these new ports we'll be better able to shift our fleet to be closer to those in need of help. Most of the problems we see on the lake are running out of gas, groundings or electrical problems.”
All vessels have a white bow stripe and "TowBoatU.S." lettering along the side, and carry a full complement of towing and salvage equipment, including extra fuel and battery "jump packs" to handle every breakdown from running aground to running out of fuel, according to BoatU.S.
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