Beneath the Surface

When the Going Gets Tough Boat sales are booming during the pandemic — but how has COVID-19 affected towing and service?

We had less than five minutes between the “low brake fluid” warning and the complete loss of our ability to stop. Our Ford F-150’s master brake cylinder failed, and suddenly our quick trip for ice turned into getting marooned at a rural-crossroads convenience store on a very hot summer afternoon.

It could’ve been worse. A day earlier, and we would’ve lost our brakes while towing on a major interstate highway.

Upon discovering that this failure actually was a recall issue, we searched for a nearby Ford dealership that could make the necessary repairs. Perhaps they could provide a temporary tow vehicle, or at least a rental car to get us to the nearest truck rental outfit.

No such luck. All the dealerships within an hour’s drive apologetically informed us that they were booked for weeks. After many phone calls (and skyrocketing stress levels), one service manager took pity on us and said he’d do his best to squeeze us in “sometime this week.” They didn’t have any car rentals left, though, and we were utterly stranded five hours from home.

We called AAA and bid bon voyage to our truck, which exited stage right on a flatbed. A local gentleman insisted that we climb into his pickup, and he took us back to our camper and dog. And, fortunately, I located a sole proprietor with a single taxi who drove 40 minutes to collect my husband and another hour to get him to the nearest Enterprise Truck Rental.

On the way home in our rented truck, I ruminated on the entire misadventure. In the recreational boating community, we’ve been so busy trumpeting the good news about booming boat sales, we haven’t asked one really important

question: How has the novel coronavirus pandemic affected emergency towing and service — for boats as well as tow vehicles — and what does that mean for boaters?

An ounce of prevention, plus a towing service According to Captain Pat Beckman with Traverse City TowBoatUS, COVID-19 had a discernible impact this season. His region experienced significantly heavier boat traffic — and more new boaters.

“We’re seeing a definite uptick in towing and calls,” reports Beckman, who covers Lake Michigan from Manistee to Charlevoix, as well as popular inland waterways like Torch Lake. “We’re seeing a lot more non-BoatUS member calls too, at least five or six per day.

“Our most common calls come from people who are out of gas,” he continues. “We are also seeing more people hitting stuff in shallow water; they’ve dinged their prop or ruined their lower unit. My impression is that these are new or very inexperienced boaters.”

Normally, Traverse City TowBoatUS sees six to eight such calls per season. At press time in mid-August, Beckman said they had already reached the mid-teens.

While it’s always a bummer to have a mishap on the water, it’s more challenging than usual this year. One ruined day can become weeks.

“Everyone’s busy,” Beckman says. “Boats I towed weeks ago still aren’t back in their slips. I need to get my boat in for an oil change, and they’re at least a week out.”

If you’re new to boating, or if you’ve recently returned to the lifestyle, remember the old idiom, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Steps you take right now might mean you won’t have to make that call for a tow later.

For starters, put together a boat checklist; having enough anchor line will rocket right to the top of the most-important list if you break down, start drifting, and cannot set the anchor. Next, don’t skip regularly scheduled maintenance.

“This is just my opinion, but I think a lot of people overlooked preventative maintenance on things like pumps and impellers earlier this year,”

Beckman says. “But if your water pump goes out, you’re going to overheat.”

And finally, consider a membership with BoatUS. Murphy’s Law certainly can strike despite the best-laid plans, and its towing and “soft ungrounding” services just might come in handy one day.

Maintenance & emergencies — one step at a time Alex Dorsch, service manager for Dorsch Ford Lincoln Kia in Green Bay, Wisconsin, says his automotive business has seen a recent uptick in tows for service as well. Most are engine- or transmission-related.

Due to the dealership’s proximity to Door County and the North Woods, and the large numbers of cabin owners and vacationers traveling back and forth, summer always is a busy time. Dorsch notes that other frequent repairs involve trucks that aren’t reading their trailers’ brake controllers or are having other electrical issues.

“There are generally two reasons for these kinds of electrical concerns,” he says. “First, the connecting components on the truck can corrode due to moisture and salt during the winter. This is a simple fix that requires just a little bit of cleaning from the repair facility. Second, the wiring from the trailer might have gone bad and needs replacing.”

He also agrees that many people pushed off routine maintenance this spring. Those skipped appointments, unfortunately, can mean problems down the road. Oil and other fluids, for example, deteriorate over time.

“If your vehicle is sitting for too long or is not being driven enough, it can actually cause more damage than the typical wear and tear of driving,” Dorsch explains.

Not only will regular oil changes make a

difference in the life of your tow vehicle, technicians will also check all other fluid levels and look over the rest of the vehicle for potential concerns. Today’s trucks may have more horsepower and torque, but they still have their limitations, and Dorsch urges owners to have lesser-known fluids — such as front and rear differential, transfer case, transmission and coolant — changed at the recommended mileage.

If you do break down or face an unforeseen recall situation as we did, take a deep breath and tackle the problem step by step. Call roadside assistance to arrange your tow, find a dealership to do the work, and try not to worry too much. You will find a dealer who understands the stress of breaking down far from home, and who is willing and ready to provide assistance.

“We’re constantly monitoring our performance capacity,” Dorsch says. “We never want to book up 100% of our day, in case of emergencies or any other extra work. Our goal is always to fill up 60% of our total capacity. This allows us to help people.” ★

HEATHER STEINBERGER is an award-winning writer/ editor who has specialized in boating, travel and outdoor adventure for more than 20 years. Visit her website at

WRITEONLLC.COM.