Never Mind The Fish—

When Your Boat Needs A Hook, Sea Tow Is There

A local couple, who are franchisees of the Sea Tow marine assistance firm, are working to aid boaters in distress on two local lakes.

Karl and Cathy Sieling of Sandy Hook operate the area’s Sea Tow franchise to help boaters who become  stranded while on Lake Zoar and Candlewood Lake. The Sea Tow boats are in service from May through October.

Sea Tow aids boaters with towing, propeller disentanglement, jump starts, fuel drop-offs, and boat salvage work, among other tasks.

Mr Sieling is a member of Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue (NUSAR), a former boat handler for the Lake Zoar Authority, and a past chief of the Lake Housatonic Marine patrol. Mr Sieling also is a former Newtown police officer.

“Nobody wants to be inconvenienced. It’s nice to have boat towing coverage for unsuspected problems that arise when no one else on the water is available to help,” according to Mr Sieling.

During a recent incident, Mr Sieling piloted his Sea Tow boat to aid NUSAR personnel who were searching for a potential problem along the Lower Paugussett State Forest shoreline of Lake Zoar.

Mr Sieling said he volunteers the use of his Sea Tow boats to aid public emergency services units, when needed.

At Eichler’s Cove, Mr Sieling recently displayed the bright yellow, rugged plastic Sea Tow Boat that he uses on Lake Zoar. Sea Tow uses a larger boat on Candlewood Lake.

Sea Tow boats are instantly recognizable due to their distinctive yellow color, Mr Sieling said.

The marine assistance firm is a national service franchise that offers water craft owners annual memberships providing full coverage on any boat that a member owns, rents, charters, leases or borrows, according to Sea Tow.

Members pay an annual $119 fee for lake-only coverage, or an annual $149 fee for global coverage under the Sea Tow program. Various programs are offered.

Sea Tow boats are equipped with a variety of sophisticated electronics, including communications, locational, directional, and depth-sounding equipment.

The organization’s guiding phrase is “Peace of Mind on the Water” for boat owners and their passengers. And towing is far from the only service the company is offering.

Sea Tow offers an insurance program known as “Sea Insure,” which provides comprehensive coverage that can be tailored to an individual’s needs, according to the company.

Other offerings under the company banner include “Sea Loans,” a boat financing program, and “Sea Smart” providing members with advanced electronic communications via VHF radio links.

Sea Tow Services International, Inc, was founded in 1983, and today serves more than 160,000 members in 114 locations in the United States, Australia, the Bahamas, Europe, and Puerto Rico.

Details on Sea Tow and its programs are available on the Internet at: www.seatow.com.