"Believe it or not, vessels are not legally required to have an anchor onboard, but it just may be the most important piece of safety gear you can have. Recently, I was dispatched to assist a 42’ sailboat that had lost their engine going back to their slip in a nearby marina during very high winds. They were not able to figure out how to drop their anchor without power and when I arrived 45 minutes later they had been pushed into the rocky shore by the tides and were in a very dangerous situation. If you don’t have an anchor, get one and if you don’t know how to release the electric or pneumatic windlass on your vessel without power, figure it out now before it becomes an issue.” - Captain Chuck

“The best thing you can do to help us help you, is to know your location. We want to get to you as quickly as possible, so in addition to telling us where you are on the water, give the dispatcher your coordinates or an address if you’re near the shore. You can use your BoatU.S. app or smart phone GPS application like Google maps to share your location too! It will make your towing experience go more smoothly for everyone.” - Captain Dean

“Last year, I was sent to help a 28’ power boat that had run into a buoy with eight people on board. The vessel was badly damaged but luckily nobody was hurt. I found out from the owner that he was cruising directly west into the late day sun at 20 kph with no sunglasses. He said he never saw the buoy when he crashed into it because he was blinded by the sun. My tip is always wear the appropriate safety gear and slow down when your visibility is limited.” - Captain JW

“My tip is to, please, check the weather before you leave the dock. It sounds like common sense, but so many of our routine tows turn into dangerous situations when a forecasted summer storm or predicted high winds catch recreational boaters unaware. If the wind is blowing and NOAA has forecast a small craft advisory, think twice about leaving the dock. Check your weather app often while you are on the water and don’t hesitate to return to the dock before the storm hits for everyone’s safety.” - Captain Jon

“As your dispatcher, I receive requests from boaters who are in all kinds of situations. One thing that I recommend, even before calling for help, is to securely anchor your vessel so that you can maintain control while you wait for the TowBoatUS Captain to arrive. It also lets other boaters around you know you are not under power. Anchor first, then call us for help. Even better, use the BoatU.S. app, so we can find you easier and faster!” - Sharon

“Earlier this year, a boater went out to visit some spots on the scenic Eastern Shore with three crew members. When their vessel lost power in an area with no cell service, they had to anchor in that remote cove and without a VHF radio on board and waited almost six hours for a random boater to go by. After I towed them safely back to their marina, the dockmaster said if he had known where they were headed to and when to expect them back, he would have known something was wrong and called the Coast Guard to look for them. Always let SOMEONE know your Float plan before you leave the dock.” - Captain Tom