AGAINST THE SHORE - - -

This Dock Company pontoon boat with 2 man crew were pushing a partially built section of dock to be installed at a dock in 6 Mile Cove, when the engine failed, forcing them against the shore - -.  Pulled them away from the beach and secured a bridle to the forward part of the dock section and towed them to their job site destination about 1 mile away - -

ROUGH WATER WOES - -

WANT A LAKESIDE POOL WITH GREAT VIEW - - -

1. MOOR YOUR BAYLINER DECK BOAT WITH STERN TO IN-COMING WAKES & WAVES - - -

2.  WAIT FOR HEAVY BOATING TRAFFIC WEEKEND -

3.  WALLLAAHHH!  LAKE SIDE HOT TUB - - COMPLETE WITH 90 degree LAKE WATER,  MODERATE AMOUNT FLOATING DEBRIS, A FEW POOL TOYS - - GOOD TO GO!

OPEN THE CANOPY AND WE HAVE SHADE!!!

40 FT, 2001 FORMULA CATCHES FIRE

OSAGE BEACH FIRE PERSONNEL CHECK OUT THE BURNED OUT ENGINE SPACE ON THIS 40 FT FORMULA THAT CAUGHT FIRE THIS AFTERNOON NEAR MOUTH OF GLAIZE.  TOWBOAT 4702,  CAPT DAVE ANDERSON IS TOWING IT AND THE FIRE BOAT IN TO CALMER WATER. 

ALL PASSENGERS AND CREW BAILED OFF THE VESSEL AND WERE PICKED UP BY NEAR-BY BOATS AND WATER PATROL.  THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED.  THE VESSEL ON BOARD AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM WAS ABLE TO CONTAIN THE FIRE TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.  FIREFIGHTERS STATED, HAD THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BEEN OPENED TO SOON, THE FIRE WOULD HAVE RE-IGNITED.  THE ENGINES AND COMPARTMENT SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE.

SEE

LAKE EXPO.COM ARTICLE

HERE

WITH MORE PHOTO'S

20 ft Bass Boat versus Dock, Main Channel, 12 mm,

AND THE WINNER IS - - - - -  THE DOCK!!!

June 3, 2012, sometime shortly before 1:00a.m., A 1999, 20 ft NITRO Bass Boat hit dock near 12 mile mark, Majestic Condo's.  A near-by fisherman reported hearing a crash near the condo docks, which resulted in 4 Missouri State Highway Patrol boats, Sunrise Beach Fireboat and EMS along with TOWBOATU.S. responding to search the area.  Initial quick search of docks and area around 12 mile mark came up with nothing except chunks of fiberglass on dock.  

Just as search was about to be suspended, (some 20- 30 minutes later), MSHP located boat (with all lights off) just off Ozark BBQ.  They determined this vessel with 2 POB to be one that struck dock.  The driver was reported to have been ejected from the vessel after striking dock and picked up by the other occupant, who was able to pilot the boat back and retrieve him from the water,  they then left the scene.  Both POB were arrested.  The occupants appeared to have only very minor or no injuries, and refused treatment by EMS after being checked out by on-scene SUNRISE BEACH 1st Responders on SUNRISE BEACH FIREBOAT #1239.

OUCH!

VESSEL WAS IMPOUNDED FOR ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION & HOLDING

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND - STARTS EARLY

THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND SEEMS TO HAVE BEGAN EARLY -

EARLY THIS FRIDAY WE HAD A 34FT RINKER SUNK AT THE DOCK AND LATER  A TWO BOAT COLLISION WHICH SEVERELY INJURED A FEMALE PASSENGER ON THE PONTOON BOAT THAT COLLIDED WITH A 28 FT SEA RAY JUST BEFORE 10:00 P.M., NEAR ATLANTIS ISLAND.  THE INJURED WOMAN WAS FLOWN TO COLUMBIA, MO.

34 FT RINKER SUNK AT DOCK IN OSAGE BEACH

FIRE/RESCUE & WATER PATROL BOATS SURROUND THE DAMAGED PONTOON BOAT  JUST OFF ATLANTIS ISLAND AROUND 10:30 P.M.

DAMAGED PONTOON, 1 SEVERE INJURY

BLINDED BY THE LIGHT - -!!!

A similar bolt struck near to fisherman heading for home and temporarily
stunned and blinded him,  causing him to run up on dock

A late morning thunderstorm sent this fisherman scurrying for home - just inside the Big Niangua @ 31 mm as he entered his cove, trying to beat the storm and lightning - - a nearby strike - momentarily stunned and blinded him, sending him and his 2003, 20ft Pro-Craft boat up on to a neighbors dock, wedging it solidly between dock stanchions - - LUCKIEST MAN, he was NOT injured, but boat sustained major damage and is likely totaled -  Using comelalongs, air bags and TowBoat, and to avoid additional damage to the dock - - it took about 5 hours to extricate from it's "tight" temporary mooring - - it was towed to near-by ramp and trailered.

NOT a Drive up window - -!

AND NOW IT'S ON THE BIG SCREEN!!

"BLINDED BY THE LIGHT" in 1976 - OH YEAH!!

GOING - - "A-MUD" - (Low Water Curse)

Some 450 ft of Towline trails off the back of Towboat (in 8ft of water) to the
grounded pontoon boat in less than 1 foot of water - - 

"Ahhh yes, early spring, warm weather, lets get the boat out and enjoy some time on the water with last years leftover cheaper gas!" - - That has been the mood here over the last month, as warm days and sunshine brings out the "early boating birds".  There is one small drawback - - many of our "summer" boaters are not keenly aware of the Lake's "Winter Draw down" - - meaning the lake level can be 4 to 5 feet down during the early months of the year - - this requires paying a bit more attention to where you boat - - large areas of water 6 to 10 ft deep in the summer, can now be only 1 to 2 foot deep - -!  Such is the case with our adventure seeking group yesterday - - .  Our boater decided to take the 5 or 6 "kids" on a early afternoon boat ride - - leaving the 3 mile mark of the "Big" Niangua and ventured up the "Little" Niangua (Note: the "Little" Niangua arm is not noted for having a great deal of water past the 6 mile mark anytime, let alone at a 655.67 level)  - - as our "explorer's" neared the 6 mile mark cruising along at a fine pace, in what appeared to be a large body of water - - - they suddenly found themselves smartly A-MUD! - - - after several attempts by the passengers to "push" the 28ft Pontoon off the mud bank and several "good sam" fisherman trying to pull them off  - - alas - no success!  A phone call was placed to us - - and we headed out from our port in the Big Niangua and arrived on scene - - with the help of fisherman in a Jon boat, a little wading in "knee-deep" mud and nearly 500 foot of towline - - we quickly put an end to this groups "3"-hour plus stay on a mud bank - - the sun was going down and things were cooling off quickly - - once ungrounded, as suspected, the motor had ingested to much mud and could not cool the motor, so we towed them safely home - -
NOTE - - WINTER OR SUMMER - - "WATCH WHERE THY BOAT" - - If you see logs sticking up out of the water or ducks "standing up" - - you might want to check your water depth - -

2011 & BOATU.S. - Customer Feedback tells the story

IN 2011, TOWBOATU.S. LAKE of the OZARKS, responded to over 310 calls for on the water TOWING and ASSISTANCE. Of those calls, 73 were to BOATU.S. Members which accounted for just under 24% of our Assistance Calls for 2011.  The VAST MAJORITY (65) of those BOATUS Member Calls had taken advantage of the GREAT LOW INLAND UNLIMITED MEMBERSHIP RATE OF $58 AND PAID NOTHING OUT OF POCKET FOR THE SERVICE!  - - BOATU.S. members who have received on the water service from BOATU.S. TOWING SERVICES are sent a letter asking for feedback on how they felt about the service provided to them.  In 2011, BOATU.S. TOWING SERVICES in ALEXANDRIA, VA received at least 8 responses about the service provided to them by TOWBOATU.S. Lake of the Ozarks.  (Nearly 11% of Members served on Lake of the Ozarks provided feedback)  All of the responses we received were 100% positive and we have included one of the responses received regarding a case we responded to last June.

The other 7 responses were similar to this one.  TOWBOATU.S. Lake of the Ozarks strives to provide quick, professional service to ANY boater that requires assistance. 

CALL US TODAY 
 573 216-4701
LEARN HOW YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF

"TOWING YOU CAN TRUST"

SOMETIMES, You Just Can't Win -

As always, "Mother Nature" is hard to reckon with -  I have run some recent posts concerning "Drift Aways" that are often not secured on their lifts.  We have had some pretty windy weather over the past few weeks,. high winds along with temperature changes often cause boat lifts to leak down and if "YOU DON'T TIE OFF THY BOAT", IT'S GONNA LEAVE.  - - However; In this case, our customer had followed that advice and tied off each of his two PWC's with substantial line to solid cleats on the "Drive on" style floating lift. - -  - Soo - THIS TIME, THE WHOLE LIFT WITH BOTH PWC'S ABOARD - BREAKS LOOSE AND HEADS OUT ON A ONE AND A QUARTER MILE TOUR TO THE NORTH SHORE - -

Two 2002 Yama PWC's on lift taking a sunny morning cruise

BUSTED!!

YOU LOSE 'UM - WE FIND 'UM !!

DON'T forget to stop by and see us in OVERLAND PARK THIS WEEKEND!!   BOOTH 15

GATHERING UP THE FLOCK - -

The last day of the year was closed out with 2 "DRIFT AWAY" cases.  We had a Sunny & Warm New Year's Eve, with temperatures in the mid 60's but winds were running WSW @ 15-20 with gusts to 40 mph.  The combination of "warm" / "cold" weather contrasts along with high winds usually results in a fair number of "DRIFT AWAY'S", where Boat Lifts leak down and the vessel is not secured to the dock - - so it decides to leave home - -  ONCE AGAIN AS BEFORE -

"TIE OFF THY BOAT"

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

THIS YAMA PWC DRIFTED ABOUT 1/4
MILE FROM HOME AFTER LIFT LEAK
DOWN -  AGAINST SHORE AND DOCK
CABLES - - MINOR DAMAGE

THIS REGAL DRIFTED OFF AFTER LIFT
LEAKED DOWN - - DRIFTED OVER A MILE
ACROSS THE LAKE FROM THE SUNRISE
BEACH SIDE TO HORSESHOE BEND AND CAME
TO REST AGAINST BREAKWATER

WINTER WORK - -

Today this 24ft Cobalt was adrift on the lake near the 4 mile marker and the Water Patrol asked us to pick it up and locate the owners and give them the good news - - Once again - - if you"Keep'eth thy Boat on a lift"??

Lifts leak down - -  boat goes away - - -  TIE OFF THY BOAT ! - - 

LABOR DAY WEEKEND ROUND-UP

A combination of weather change, some dark nights, wind and a little to much to drink kept us pretty busy over the labor day weekend.  Friday was very quiet, but Saturday, Saturday night in to Sunday the pace picked up.  We had numerous routine tows which included three (3) BUI tows on Saturday evening and early Sunday morning.  Our featured jobs were:


1.  A 1988, 33 ft CRUISERS, sunk at the dock when the un-used Generator cooling line parted, flooding the vessel.

Our main feature recovery was eerily similar to a larger one from Fall of 2009 (See HERE)

A 36 ft DORAL Cruiser ran aground (actually ARock over a seawall) at the 38 mile mark.  This mishap occurred late Saturday night.  We were dispatched to the scene @ 2315 hours.  Captain Delton Jones arrived on scene shortly after mid-night, evaluated the situation, secured the vessel and we made plans to re-float it on Sunday morning.  There were some moderate injuries involved.  (See MSHP Report HERE).  At 1100 hrs on Sunday morning we arrived back on scene with 2 Towboats and a shore party. Captain Jones had spent the morning patching and plugging the large hole in the bow and preparing the vessel for removal.  Captain Tim McNitt of Atlantis Dive, secured air bags on the stern to lift the running gear off the rocks below and to help to re-float her.  Pumps were loaded aboard (just in case) and around 1300 hours TowBoat #1, Captain Meyer and TowBoat #2, Captain Anderson commenced a tandem heavy pull.  AT 1315 hours, (after a rather scary FULL POWER pull by the towboats - - - She was re-floated to the cheers of a very large spectator gallery - -.  Captain Jones's patches held FIRM and she did not take on any water forward and only a minor amount from the rudder seals in the engine compartment which barely triggered the bilge pump.  She was quickly towed to Silver Sands about 1.5 miles away and loaded on trailer and hauled to holding lot in Camdenton. In all a very successful recovery.

"SKATIN" on THIN ICE - RACE IS OVER 'FORE IT STARTS -

This 3000 H.P., 32 ft SKATER won't make it to the SHOOTOUT race - - 

On Firiday afternoon on the Poker Run near Captian Ron's, Owner Jim Denooyer from Albany, NY had torn open a large hole in the hull of his "SKATER" he had hoped to enter in the "Shootout" races on Saturday and Sunday.

Discovering the vessel was rapidly taking on water, he beached it in front of Captain Ron's and called TOWBOATU.S. for assistance. We responded with a TOWBOAT, pumps and crew.  Tim McNitt of Atlantis Dive brought in air bags and with the help of Fire Department volunteers, TOWBOATU.S. pumps and lift bags she was kept afloat and towed about a mile to the Hurricane Deck launch ramp where she was hauled on the owner's trailer. - (PHOTO'S BY CAPTAIN'S DWAYNE JOHNSON and DELTON JONES - TOWBOATU.S.)

The "New York" guys will have to sit this one out - -

Diver Tim McNitt checks the Lift Bags in
preparation for the tow to ramp.

Hull damage and de-lamination

TRAPPED!

Last Sunday August 21, we had a rather unusual recovery operation near the 26 mile marker at a dock on the main channel.  The storms from the two days before had wreaked havoc with the dock which had a 44 ft Sea Ray and a 24 ft Formula on lifts.  The lift holding the FORMULA had come apart and the forward lift arms had broke loose causing the front of the very heavy lift to sink, one of the lift bunks somehow managed to get wedged into the out drive of the FORMULA and pulled the stern of the vessel down.  When we arrived on scene, the FORMULA was taking on water continuously and the stern was still hung on the lift, plus the partially submerged lift was trapping the FORMULA in the slip - - - -.  The channel was very rough and we were constantly being plagued by large cruiser wake waves, which made working conditions rather dangerous. - -  We attempted all sorts of maneuvers to free the FORMULA from the lift without success and the rear lift arms were coming loose with all the pounding.  We were afraid if the lift came completely loose before we freed the FORMULA it would sink, taking the boat with it - - -.  Some 5 hours later, we brought in our diver Tim McNitt (Atlantis Dive)  with dive gear, lift bags and a SawsAll - Tim cut the lift up enough to free it from the FORMULA and then we would sink the lift and remove the boat - - well that would have worked, but the rear of the lift hung on the underwater dock cross brace and would not sink all the way clear.  Tim went down and put a 2000 lb lift bag on the front of the lift to try to lift it so it would slide forward and clear the brace - - the bag could not quite lift the front, but did take some weight off - - finally we were able to get enough clearance to remove the FORMULA, and tow it to ramp for haul-out - - 

Once again,  Don't let appearances fool you - - what might look like a simple recovery upon arrival can quickly turn in to a NIGHTMARE!

TIM FINALLY GETS TO GO FOR A BOAT RIDE!

STORMY WEEKEND and It got a little Drunk out -

This weekend produced a couple of quick early morning storms on Friday and Saturday with strong wind gusts, heavy rain and damaging some docks in the Lake Ozark area.  Saturday evening into early Sunday morning produced quite a number of BUI arrests for the State Water Patrol Troopers, with the last one being taken on a free ride in a Patrol Boat @ 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning - - - -

Large Dock @ Monarch Cove (2mm) had broken loose early Saturday morning.

The gangway to the above pictured dock was ripped away.

HEAT IS ON!

THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS ON THE "MID-WEST COAST" HAVE BEEN HOT AND MUGGY, WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE 100'S.  WE HAVE ASSISTED NUMEROUS BOATERS DURING THIS HEAT WAVE AND BELOW IS JUST ONE OF OUR BOATU.S. MEMBERS WHO WAS VERY, VERY GLAD TO SEE US ON A 103 DEGREE AUGUST DAY.

CALL US ANYTIME!

JULY 2011 - ROUND-UP

FIRST ASSISTANCE CALL FOR 2011 (Jan 2, 2011) Sunk at Dock

JULY is usually our busiest month, last year (2010) we ran 85 assistance calls during the month.  FOR JULY 2011 we had a 7% increase in calls for a total of 91 cases.

On a different note: JULY is also the month in which we have the most BUI tows.  In JULY of 2010 we had a total of 13 BUI related tows, and by the end of JULY of 2010 we had accumulated a total of 30 BUI tows for the 2010 season.


JULY 2011 showed a dramatic DECREASE in both the monthly BUI tows, and the "year to date" total at the end of JULY.  We had only 5 BUI related tows this July, resulting in a whopping 60% drop over JULY 2010.  Also our "year to date" BUI total of 20 so far this year, results in a 1/3 decrease over the same time last year.


Based on our 2011 results so far, I would believe the total number of BUI arrests by the Missouri State Highway Patrol (Water Patrol Division) will also show a similar decrease - - - -

"JUMPER - - -??" OR NOT - -

State Trooper #1285 meets with Lake Ozark FireBoat to review side scan sonar image

This Tuesday afternoon around 2:00 p.m. a possible "Jumper" was reported on the Lake of the Ozarks Toll Bridge near the Porta-Cima side - -.  A motorist reported seeing a male subject jump off the bridge on the down stream (west) side close to Porta Cima.  They did not however; see if the "jumper" surfaced, made it to shore or was picked up by a boat - - ?  The "jump" part was fairly reliable, but afterwards was not - - a surface search by LAKE OZARK FD, Lake Ozark FireBoat#21, TOWBOATU.S. Point Young and TWO WATER PATROL OFFICERS turned up nothing.  Water Patrol commenced dragging operations in the area where the jumper may have landed, but the search was suspended pending further developments around 4:00 p.m. - -


ARTICLE IN LAKE NEWS ONLINE - HERE
"LAKE EXPO" article HERE

Water Patrol prepares to commence dragging operations