Sea Tow sees dramatic increase in boating activity
SOUTHOLD, N.Y. – The number of Fourth of July weekend marine assistance calls to Sea Tow Services International Inc. increased by 25 percent over 2008 as more boaters celebrated on the water, the company reported in a release today.
The increase follows two consecutive years in which Fourth of July-related assistance calls to Sea Tow’s nearly 100 U.S. franchise locations remained flat, suggesting that despite the economic recession, boaters spent more time on the water this Fourth of July weekend.
“With fuel prices at the dock down by more than 30 percent in some locations this summer vs. last, it’s clear that many boaters decided to celebrate the nation’s 233rd birthday doing what they most enjoy – recreating on the water,” said Capt. Joseph Frohnhoefer III, Sea Tow’s Chief Operations Officer. “This naturally led to an increase in boating assistance calls to Sea Tow operators around the U.S.”
Calls to Sea Tow’s 24-hour National Dispatch Center increased by 37 percent over the 2008 Fourth of July holiday, while requests for vessel assistance from Sea Tow were up by 25 percent overall. Overnight calls for the July 4-5 period, when boaters typically head out to enjoy fireworks displays from the water, increased by 34 percent.
More than 1,300 service calls were reported by over 80 percent of Sea Tow’s 98 operators nationwide, who were surveyed for the annual Fourth of July report. Of that total they responded to:
Sea Tow Central and North Texas, Sea Tow Atlantic City, N.J., and Sea Tow Freeport in Baldwin, N.Y., reported the highest activity levels in the network. Sea Tow captains also were involved in at least a half-dozen life-saving incidents across the country, the company reported.
- Can’t get enough boating news? Subscribe to our blog’s RSS feed, follow us on Twitter or look for “Boating Industry” on Facebook and LinkedIn.
- For more of the latest news, click here.