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Thousands Of Boaters Nationwide Will Have Fuel Related Problems Memorial Day Weekend
Alexandria, VA -(thefishingwire.com)- This holiday weekend, BoatU.S. Towing Services is projecting that 3,400 recreational boaters and anglers nationwide will need some type of on-the-water assistance. The biggest reason why boaters will need a tow back to a marina or launch ramp is likely the result of incomplete spring commissioning, as well as fuel that has gone bad over the long winter storage period. Battery jump starts, fuel drop offs, and ungrounding services are other common reasons why boaters may call for a helping hand.

“We expect the switchboards at our 24-hour Atlantic and Pacific call centers will start to light up on Thursday the 21st and stay busy through the holiday weekend,” said BoatU.S. Towing Services Vice President Jerry Cardarelli. The towing service, which includes the TowBoatU.S. and Vessel Assist branded fleets, has over 290 locations on coastal waters as well as freshwater lakes and rivers throughout the U.S.

The Memorial Day weekend marks the traditional start of the recreational boating season in which many boats hit the water for the first time. Some boaters rush spring commissioning items, only to have problems later on the water. A free Spring Safety Pre-launch Checklist is available online at BoatUS.com/freebies/springlist.htm . Others may have not followed recommendations on how to store E-10 fuel over the winter, leading to bad gas in the spring.

Since the beginning of the year, favorable weather patterns in many parts of the country have caused an uptick in the volume of calls for assistance. “Year to date, we are up 5% in the number of towing incidents in Florida, California, Texas, Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia and Maryland, largely because of good weather,” Cardarelli added.

Cardarelli also believes that the nation’s economic troubles are a having an impact on the increasing volume of calls. “Recreational boating is largely middle class, and right now many household budgets are tight, leaving less money for maintenance and repair on the family boat. The leads to more breakdowns,” said Cardarelli.

Another factor has been fuel prices. “Lower fuel prices bring more people out on the water, which also correlates to increased use of towing services,” he said.

Like an auto club, BoatU.S. offers freshwater “Unlimited” on-the-water assistance plans starting at $53 a year and saltwater plans at $135. Without a towing plan, boaters face costs that nationally average about $600 per incident. For more information on BoatU.S. Towing Services call 800-888-4869 or visit http://www.BoatUS.com/towing .

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About BoatU.S. Towing Services:
Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatU.S.) is the nation’s leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 600,000 members with a wide array of consumer services, including on-the-water towing assistance provided by TowBoatU.S. 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 290 locations and over 600 towing assistance vessels — three times that of any other service provider.

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West Marine Open’s Its Largest Store In The Northeast In Brick, NJ.
West Marine, the nation’s favorite specialty retailer of boating supplies and accessories, recently had a Grand Opening celebration for its Brick Flagship Super Store

Brick, NJ -(FishNLand.com)- West Marine, the nation’s favorite specialty retailer of boating supplies and accessories, recently had a Grand Opening celebration for its Brick Flagship Super Store at 51 Chambersbridge Road on Friday, April 17. This is the biggest West Marine in the Northeast, featuring a 300 square foot flybridge and tower, modeled after a luxury yacht, and decked out with state-of-the-art electronics, coupled with a stereo room that boasts a Sony surround sound and other advanced sound systems.

With one of the largest marine electronic displays in North America, customers can test over 150 live marine network displays, fishfinders and VHF radios from Garmin, Raymarine, ICOM, Lowrance, Hummingbird, Northstar, Standard Horizon, Uniden and more.

A six-foot marlin sits atop the indoor fishing hut which features hundreds of rods, reels and combos for serious saltwater fishing.  With thousands of lures and terminal tackle, a fantastic selection of bait and custom spooling stations, this is the place in Brick for anglers.

At more than 25,500 square feet, the Brick store will feature eco-friendly elements, including Site Controls energy management systems, European VCT tiles which do not need sealing or waxing and the disposition of used fishing line for recycling. West Marine’s goal is to provide boaters with the biggest and broadest selection of fishing, boating and marine equipment, from accessories to apparel, so that enthusiasts can get everything they need in a one-stop-shop.

Stephen C. Acropolis, Mayor of Brick, proclaimed April 17-19, 2009 as “West Marine Weekend.” There was a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, April 17 with both the Mayor’s office and New Jersey Senator Andy Ciesla in attendance.

Fun Facts On West Marine’s Newest Flagship Store In Brick, NJ

We’ve Hooked a Big One. West Marine’s new Brick location encompasses more than 25,500 square feet of space, four times larger than most West Marine stores.

• They Keep the Boat Afloat. This West Marine store employs more than 40 Associates. West Marine has 13 stores in the State of New Jersey and employs over 150 Associates.

• It’s Rigged For Adventure. The store stocks over 15,000 products to provide the broadest and best selection of boating products and accessories in the Northeast.

• They’re in it For the Long Haul. The store staff has a combined cruising distance of over 80,000 nautical miles.

• It’s an Expert Crew. West Marine’s store staff collectively earned over 400 years of boating experience.

Unique Store Features

Along with interactive resources and informative displays, the West Marine Flagship Store offers an expansive selection of fishing rods and reels, a core boating section that is larger than most West Marine stores and the biggest and broadest selection of marine electronics, accessories and technical gear to meet the needs of every boater, sailor, angler and water sport’s enthusiast. The Brick store also features eco-friendly elements, including Site Controls energy management systems and European VCT tiles which do not need sealing or waxing

• 300 Square Foot Flybridge: The flybridge and tower, modeled after a 42- foot sport fishing boat, is decked out with state-of-the-art electronics, coupled with a stereo room that boasts a Sony surround sound and other advanced sound systems.

• One of the Largest Marine Electronics Displays in North America: Over 150 live marine network displays, fishfinders and VHF radios from Garmin, Raymarine, ICOM, Lowrance, Hummingbird, Norcross, Standard Horizon, Uniden and more.

• Brick’s Fishing Hut: A six-foot marlin sits atop the indoor fishing hut which is features hundreds of rods, reels and combos for serious saltwater fishing. With thousands of lures and terminal tackle, a fantastic selection of bait and custom spooling stations, this is THE place in Brick for anglers.

• Oversized LCD Displays: Located throughout the store, these screens offer exclusive advice from West Marine Advisors

All-Star Team

The Brick store staff share their customers’ love of the water and the all-star team of West Marine Associates have real-world experience to match their leisure passion. Here’s a sample of store Associates:

• Odette Intili: General Manager of the Brick Flagship store has worked for West Marine for 14 years. She managed the Bricktown and Tom’s River stores, and received her MBA from Georgian Court University in 2007. Intili and her husband, own a 20′ and 26′ SeaRay and they enjoy cruising Barnegat Bay.

• Susan Fry: Brick’s Operations Manager began her career at West Marine as a cashier in Somers Point nine years ago. A water sports fanatic, Fry loves kayaking and fishing in her spare time.

• Captain Ty McGowan: The perfect Fishing Specialist for the Brick location, McGowan is a licensed captain who in a previous life spent many years as crew and captain on a variety of vessels. His fishing ranges from bottom fishing to offshore fishing in New Jersey

• Shannon O’Neill: Started with West Marine in 1996, but left in 2002 to become the Visual Merchandising Manager for the Gap. West Marine wooed O’Neill back to become the Apparel Specialist at our Brick Flagship Store. O’Neill loves all outdoor water sports including surfing, wakeboarding, and offshore fishing.

• Bruce Sinclair: Our Engine Parts Specialist grew up working in his family’s marina. He been involved with several marine related companies doing everything from parts to machinist to dock master. Sinclair owns two boats, a 27′ Wellcat and a 340 SeaRay Dancer.

• Bill Sullivan: As Inventory Manager, Sullivan owns a 20- foot Grady and a 32-foot Century. In addition to boating and sailing he is a fisherman who enjoys tubing when the fish aren’t biting.

• Jenna Bocchino: Brick’s Port Supply Hub Manager started as a cashier at the Bricktown location six years ago. Bocchino is an avid power boater who is keen to learn how to wakeboard this summer at the shore.

About West Marine
West Marine, the country’s largest specialty retailer of boating supplies and accessories, has more than 340 stores located in 38 states, Puerto Rico, Canada and a franchised store located in Turkey. Our catalog and Internet channels offer customers approximately 52,000 products and the convenience of exchanging catalog and Internet purchases at our store locations. Our Port Supply division is one of the country’s largest wholesale distributors of marine equipment serving boat manufacturers, marine services, commercial vessel operators and government agencies. For more information on West Marine’s products and store locations, or to start shopping, visit westmarine.com or call 1-800-BOATING (1-800-262-8464).

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