TowBoatUS San Diego goes 230 miles south to tow a stranded boater home from Mexico.

It’s that time of year again when the long range calls start ringing. 200 mile tows are common for Vessel Assist San Diego; in fact Vessel Assist San Diego often sends Rescue boats Deep into Mexico to assist stranded Boaters. With a fleet of eight Boats in San Diego that assisted over 3100 boats last year, Vessel Assist San Diego is the largest Commercial tower out of a single harbor on the West Coast and one of the largest in the country. But Vessel Assist San Diego takes pride in the fact that they are the only company on the West Coast who can actually assist four or even five vessels stranded over eighty miles out at the same time. “When the Albies start running boaters stretch their limits with boats and often call for tows in excess of 80 miles.” But this is cruiser time; When Vessels take the tough pounding from Cabo San Lucas Mexico to San Diego.  All kinds of bad can happen in the long 750 plus mile trip up the line. Sail Boats seem to have the tougher of it because they have a single smaller engine and with the wind on your nose almost all the way up it is a very tough sail home. Vessel Assist “Shelter Island” has ventured as far South as 420 miles to tow a stranded vessel home to Santa Barbra. 1100 miles round trip. But that’s not as far as Vessel Assist San Diego has gone. Tows from Cabo San Lucas and even the Mainland of Mexico were occasional occurrences before the Boat Yard in Cabo San Lucas was built. But towing is not the only thing Vessel Assist San Diego has done deep in the Baja. In 2004 VASD drove a salvage crew to remove a 53’ hatterras off an environmentally sensitive reef in Los Murtos Mexico, About 100 miles South of La Paz Mexico, and sent crew and equipment to LaPaz after the hurricanes wiped out several marinas and moored vessels.

But long range towing is What Vessel Assist San Diego does best. Captain Greg Rood and crew Departed Pearson Fuel Dock loaded to the hilt, on Vessel Assist “Boat San Diego” with fuel and supplies to navigate the 230 miles south, attach a Y bridle to the stranded Sail boat and tow her back to San Diego. With a drift of almost 1 full knot per hour the stranded vessel will drift another 15 or so miles farther away while the 450 hp rescue vessel steams towards her. Once on scene Captain Rood will attach the Y bridle to the vessel and tow her North without stopping back to San Diego.

Running along the barren coast line of Baja is very tough but not nearly as tough as running out to Guadalupe Island. VA “Boat San Diego” did just that last summer to tow back a stricken vessel. The only problem with the stranded vessel was bad fuel. It doesn’t take a lot of bad fuel running through you motor to wreak havoc on Filters, Injectors, and injector pumps. 235 miles straight out and no place to hide. In case of bad weather.

Bottom line to Boaters that travel long range is Get Your Vessel Assist Gold Card. You get free towing within 100 miles and a discount on you towing rates beyond 100 miles with the first $3000.00 Paid for with your Vessel Assist Gold Card. More importantly piece of mine that Vessel Assist has heavy duty boats capable of getting you no matter where you are in Mexico.