Capt. John “Steve” Little Moves Into the Owner’s Chair

CHARLESTON, SC, May 5, 2008 – Capt. John “Steve” Little, and wife, Marisa, have purchased TowBoatUS Charleston, an on-the-water towing service that provides assistance to local boaters and anglers, including tows back to a marina or launch ramp, battery jump starts, fuel drop-offs or ungrounding services. Capt. Little, who goes by his middle name, Steve, purchased the port from his former employers, Capt. Joe and Cora Beasenburg, who have retired from the business.

TowBoatUS Charleston is equipped with five response vessels from 15 to 28 feet, and all can be identified by their distinctive red hulls, white bow stripes and “TowBoatU.S.” lettering along their sides. Onboard each is a full complement of towing equipment including extra fuel, engine fluids, and a battery “jump pack” to handle dead batteries.

Steve said fuel drop-offs, battery jumps and engine breakdowns were some common requests for assistance from boaters, but the area’s abundant shoals, bars and rock jetties also cause problems. “We get a lot of boaters who run aground,” said Steve, who grew up on the waters of Shem Creek and is an avid surfer.

Steve previously held various positions in the local marine industry including working for Isle of Palms Marina, Tidal Wave Water Sports and Boat Works. He holds a US Coast Guard 100-Ton Master license. Local boaters may recognize Steve for his participation in the Christmas Parade of Boats, when he’s towed Santa and reindeer behind a TowBoatUS Charleston towboat. He’s also well known among local boating clubs such as Sail Time, Freedom, and the Charleston Cruising Club.

Similar to a roadside auto club, BoatUS offers on-the-water assistance plans for saltwater boaters starting at just $37 a year. Without a towing plan, boaters face costs that nationally average about $600 per incident. Boaters in need of towing assistance can reach TowBoatUS Charleston by calling the company directly at 843-745-5977; by VHF radio on channel 16; or through the BoatUS toll-free Dispatch Service at 800-391-4869 or visit http://www.BoatUS.com/Towing for more information.

Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is the nation's leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 650,000 members with a wide array of consumer services, including on-the-water towing assistance provided by TowBoatUS and Vessel Assist Pacific. Combined, these two towing fleets offer North American boaters the largest network of U.S., Canadian and Bahamian towing ports with over 280 locations and nearly 500 towing assistance vessels - twice that of any other service provider.