TowBoatU.S. Lake Pontchartrain, La., opens
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – TowBoatU.S. has returned to Louisiana following hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the service’s ownership, Boat Owners Associations of The United States, said in a press release yesterday.
Captain Mark Tupper has opened TowBoatU.S. Lake Pontchartrain on the lake’s north shore at Mariners Village Marina in Mandeville, La. It makes sense to open the port now because “boating activity on the lake has shifted to the northern end, and there has been a flood of insurance money since Katrina,” Tupper said. “Boat sales are way up and every marina on the north shore has a waiting list.”
Retired from 28 years in the oilfield service industry, Tupper is a U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain who has done yacht deliveries and is currently the assistant manager at the West Marine store in Mandeville. He has equipped TowBoatU.S. Lake Pontchartrain with a 23-foot Aquasport, which is red with white bow stripe and “TowBoatU.S.” lettering along its side. Onboard the boat is towing and salvage equipment including extra fuel, pumps, airbags and battery jump packs to handle breakdowns from running out of fuel to running aground. Both Tupper and a hired captain respond to calls for assistance throughout the Pontchartrain Basin.
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