Sea-Tow membership

[PT G]

Is my reaction to this year's Sea-Tow bill warranted? I opened the envelope and my eyes lit up!! What? $249.00!! I've had Sea-Tow since 2003 and love the comfort of knowing rescue is yes, just a phone call away. But the escalation....please!!

 

[seasick]

I think the basis service is $199 a year plus any upgrades. I suppose there is sale tax if your state has a sales tax.

 

[wspitler]

Recommend you look at their competitor towboat US. They are owned by Geico and Berkshire Hathaway.

 

[seasick]

I think my Boat US was $165 last year. It was for the basic package. I think it is up in August when we will see if it goes up.

 

[Hookup1]

I use BoatUS. My towing insurance includes free West Marine Advantage Gold membership with accumulates reward points at a faster rate. Top of the line unlimited Gold towing membership is $215 annually.

Buy Towing Today - BoatUS

www.boatus.com

 

[SkunkBoat]

I have BoatUS and West Marine Gold rewards also.
I started buying annual UNLIMITED tow in 1999 on my old Wellcraft. Been buying it ever since. On new boat it is currently included the Geico coverage.

So lets say $100/yr for 25 years. $2500. never been towed. Never called them.
Never was a day I couldn't have afforded paying for a tow if I really needed one.
I gambled against myself and they collected $2500.

So, I venture far off and in the dark ...and its wrapped up in my Insurance that also pays $900k for a fuel spill.....

but if you are a sandbar kind of boater, put $249 in a jar every spring. In a couple years you got some real money...

 

[Fishtales]

$215 boat US $249 Sea Tow. Seems excessive.

 

[B-Shell]

I have both sea tow and boat us. Some areas have better coverage than others. I’m fine with the $$ for the piece of mind.
How much have you paid in homeowners and car insurance over the years? Few actually come out ahead unless you have a major loss. But if you do it’s worth it.

 

[seasick]

Before deciding if you are better off paying your own way if you need a tow, you might want to research what a typical tow would cost without insurance. It is common for that number to be quite a surprise. The other potential gotcha pertains to groundings. Your policy should specify what coverage you have for soft groundings. Without that agreement, you are at the mercy of the tow operator who may claim salvage rights and that can be a nightmare.

 

[Sauza45]

Just a heads up I lost the steering in my old boat and had sea tow bring me back to the lift at my house about 6 miles. 800.00 not cheap and you needed to give a great card up front. I now have tow boat.

 

[Fishtales]

25 years with Sea Tow, never used it. Cha-Ching.

 

[B-Shell]

I would also add that the need for this may be felt differently, depending on where you boat. If you are mainly inshore or intercoastal may not be such a big deal. But if you were going offshore and some unfamiliar waters, it’s a good feeling to know you have options.