If there are any positive outcomes of the Covid-19 pandemic, one of them is certainly the influx of new boaters drawn to the socially distanced nature of the sport. While these new boaters are playing an important role in supporting the overall industry, especially in such uncertain economic times, they have encountered some trouble on the waterways as they learn the ropes, posing threats to both other boaters and themselves.
According to Sea Tow Services, there has been a 34 percent spike in requests for on-water assistance between Memorial Day and Labor Day this year compared to the same period last year, with captains helping more than 60,000 people this summer.
Towing accounted for 58 percent of these requests, and groundings accounted for 9 percent. Jumpstarts, fuel deliveries, and dock-to-dock towing made up 8 percent each. You can read more in this article from our sister publication, Soundings Trade Only.
