TowBoatUS Ventura & Channel Islands

34’ Catalina grounded at Smugglers Cove, Santa Cruz Island. The vessel was being impacted by an incoming tide and began taking on water from the keel. As soon as the vessel was removed, Park Service Rangers on their Patrol Boat removed the two sailors while we transferred pumps and damage control. The vessel was towed across the channel for an emergency haul out in Ventura where the vessel was deemed a constructive total loss by the insurance company.

Coast Guard, good Samaritan rescue man overboard near Channel Islands, Calif. > United States Coast Guard News > Press Releases

Coast Guard, good Samaritan rescue man overboard near Channel Islands, Calif. PHOTO AVAILABLE: The Coast Guard and a good Samaritan rescued a man overboard approximately six miles northeast of Santa Cruz Island, California, Saturday.

Captains responded to a report of a fuel spill in Channel Islands Harbor. Upon arrival, it appeared as if diesel fuel was disposed of into the soil above the retaining wall and slowly was leaking into the harbor. Boom was deployed to contain and absorb the fuel until remediation work could occur.

Captains responded to this 50’ vessel taking on water in Ventura. Arriving quickly, several feet of water were pumped out and a leak was found from a screw hole where a trim tab was missing. The vessel was towed for a haul out to begin preventative work quickly.

While responding to a member at Santa Rosa Island, a Good Samaritan tried to help and get our member in tow across the channel to shorten the eta. Unfortunately, the good Sam’s engine overheated and went out on him requiring both boats to then get towed back into Santa Barbara. While there are times that good sams will have to help to protect life and property, it’s best to leave the towing for the pros.

A recovery of a Parker after it broke away from its mooring and ended up aground in Avila Beach. When we asked the owner where the boat was aground at, he replied ‘I don’t know yet, I’m driving around trying to find it’

After 15 minutes of pumping by hand, this owner was surely glad to see us with pumps to speed up the process of pumping out water from his boat. Fortunately, the engine stayed above water and he could safely drive the boat to his trailer to figure out what caused this.

June Gloom is not stopping people from enjoying their boats.

Responded with for a 29’ vessel sinking. Ultimately, we hauled it out and it awaits disposal through a State grant program for end-of-life vessels.

Did you know that offers an Unlimited Trailer Assist coverage option on your membership for $15 extra a year? This coverage includes to have
your tow vehicle and/or boat trailer serviced on the road or towed to the nearest repair facility or safe location up to 100 miles from the breakdown location. Another great deal and peace of mind.

This jetski began taking on water at the entrance of Ventura Harbor. Can you spot why a hose might have popped off the engine?

A fire onboard this 65’ Californian rendered this vessel a constructive total loss and uneconomical to repair.

The power of a simple hello: Last year, while walking through a boat storage parking lot, I said hello to a new tenant that I had never met before which sparked a conversation. Turns out, he was a part of a 4 person team that had moved their training base to Ventura to row a 30’ ocean rowboat to Hawaii. While I’ve heard of this before, I’ve always thought these people were crazy. He explained that whenever they would be in town training, they had to rent a truck to tow the boat to and from the launch ramp just for that 20 minutes of use. Knowing that they were raising money for a good cause, the for Parkinson’s Research, I offered our time to use our truck to do that and save them the rental expense. Well, that turned into picking them up in Santa Barbara at night when the weather didn’t cooperate, having team meals with them, having supplies and materials shipped to my house and their sleeping cushions cut on our dining room table, helping coordinate a short film production in Ventura, and most recently towing the rowboat up to the Bay Area for the start of their race. To say the least, these four men became friends. With their partnership with the Michael J. Fox Foundation, they have already raised $7.3 million to go towards Parkinson’s research, a cause close to them with one of the teammates having the disease.

Next week, they depart from Monterey for the 2,800 mile trek out to Hawaii as part of The World’s Toughest Row. We wish them a safe and speedy crossing and will be tracking them along the way. .toughest.row

Captain Randy inverted towing this boat to a repair facility. Are you a member?

Capt. Brian coming in with a 38’ sailboat previously taking on water at Santa Cruz Island

19’ ski boat in Channel Islands went up quickly when the owner was working on the boat. Minor injuries reported but no damage to any other boats or docks.

24/7, our Captains remain ready to respond to emergencies on the water. Today’s emergency was for 10 year old Koda. His 5th grade school class was heading out to the for an elementary school graduation field trip. Well, Koda missed the school bus in Los Angeles. His mom drove as fast as possible through Los Angeles morning traffic to try to catch him up with the class at the ferry in Ventura but they missed the boat’s departure by a few minutes. Hearing the disappointment and sadness in his and his mom’s voice, we sprung into action, getting him onto one of our fast boats and out to the Island so he could enjoy the field trip with his classmates. 🚩Red is Ready

A fire onboard this boat was quickly knocked out thanks to a handy fire extinguisher. Just another required safety device, which can make a big difference.

Stuck in a hard place? We’ll get you home safely

Anchors are an important safety tool when you break down near shore. These mariners were also prepared with a for a free tow back in!

Thank you for having us speak about what we do Santa Barbara Yacht Club!
We will be at the Ventura West Marina Clubhouse this Sunday at 9am speaking again for their Boater Education Series. Coffee and donuts will be provided by Ventura West Marina.

Our mornings tend to get busy with dock to docks, towing boats to boatyards for repairs. No out of pocket expense for Unlimited Gold members.

Heading offshore with no GPS or VHF radio, this boat got a little lost once outside of cell service. A family member on land was able to contact the Coast Guard on their behalf. We located the vessel and offered to assist the Coast Guard by having the lost boat follow us back into the harbor where they were given a lesson on the importance of not relying on cell phones.

Another car recovered with our friends at This time, the car drifted out and sank.

An old picture, but did you see the snow on the mountains this week? Was that our last winter rainstorm for the year?

Recovery, transport, and disposal. Your solution for when things go wrong.

Whale season ❤️

Quick recovery of a 26’ powerboat in Santa Barbara. I can not stress enough to know and understand how your insurance company may or may not help you in a situation like this. You may be responsible for paying all recovery costs upfront, then have to seek reimbursement later.

We all need someone to lean on (or land on). Lean on us for your peace of mind. Unlimited Gold memberships for just $215 a year. Now that’s a deal we can all land on.

Free self-serve car wash!