Issue: November 2010
 
TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale
Upgrades Radio Communications to Radio over IP
TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale has embarked on a project that is on the cutting edge of communications technology. With the ultimate goal of providing customers with extraordinary service, the company is updating their VHF radio system to ensure crystal clear, reliable communications throughout South Florida and beyond. TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale radio and IT specialist Brian Warrick explains "By converting our existing leased phone line connections to each of our radio towers over to RoIP (Radio over Internet Protocol) we have the benefit of added reliability, redundancy, flexibility, and interoperability."
One of the biggest benefits of this new RoIP system is the added redundancy to the radio infrastructure. The company now has multiple mediums of connectivity at their 750' tall high site, 350' tall high site and each of their dispatch office locations. Every site has at least one high speed broadband internet connection and a microwave link which serve as the primary means of connectivity. A microwave link is a communications system that uses a beam of radio waves in the microwave frequency range to create a high speed connection between two fixed locations on the land. Warrick adds "Our private microwave link infrastructure allows us to have a 99.999% uptime even through bad weather and natural disasters while conventional phone lines and cable TV suffer outages. With such an extensive radio network, you can have the assurance and peace of mind that when you are 40 miles offshore in rough seas and your boat is disabled, TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale will be there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer your radio call for assistance!"
Throughout South Florida and the western Bahamas, hail TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale on channel 16 for fast, professional and reliable service.
Introducing Limited Edition
TowBoatU.S. New River Tug Shillelagh T-Shirts
The Tug Shillelagh has become synonymous with yacht towing in Ft Lauderdale Florida. She is a 26 foot Model Bow steel tug powered by twin John Deere 6068 engines and 3:1 reduction gears. Her power, diminutive size and substantial weight make her the perfect tug to handle the rigors of towing large motor yachts within the tight confines of Ft Lauderdale's marinas, yards, and waterways. TowBoatU.S. New River has just received a shipment of limited edition Tug Shillelagh T-Shirts. To get yours, feel free to flag down Captain Mike Knecht the next time you see him passing by on the Shillelagh. Mike is the supervisor of the company's yacht towing division and a wealth of information regarding the local waters of South Florida. If you are among the first five people to send an email to barney@towboatusftlauderdale.com with your name and address, we will send you a shirt right away.
Thanks to all of our current friends and customers that have helped to make our yacht towing division successful. We look forward to working with you for many years to come!
 
Tug Shillelagh Undergoes Yard Period
In early October, TowBoatU.S. New River's Tug Shillelagh was on the hard for her annual yard period. Jeff Hamilton, TowBoatU.S. New River's Fleet Maintenance Supervisor headed up the effort. The company adheres to strict maintenance schedules and has a policy of repairing or replacing key components long before they might cause a catastrophic failure. Director of operations, Kevin Collins explains "We are keenly aware of the importance of staying on top of repairs and maintenance on our tugs. Anything we can do to help reduce the possibility of a failure while in tow with a motor yacht is on top of the list of priorities for our Fleet maintenance Department. We are proud to report that the boat came out of the yard looking and running as good as new!" Highlights are as follows:
- New Turbochargers
- New Shaft Packing Glands
- New Rudder Bearings
- Rebuilt Injectors
- Rebuilt Injector Pumps
- New Shafts
- Reconditioned Props
- Paint
- Topside
- Bottom
- Deck
- Engine Room
Check out the photo gallery of our yard period by clicking here to see the company's flagship yacht towing tug like you have never seen it before.
Fair winds and following seas!
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Photo Courtesy of The Triton
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2010 Marks Another Successful
Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show
The Marine Industry of South Florida and Show Management planned, staged and executed the 2010 Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show once again with the professionalism and calm confidence that we have all come to expect. By all accounts, the show was a complete success; initial reports indicate that boat sales and charter bookings enjoyed a marked increase. Dealers, distributors and boatyards marked a spike in refit projects and a renewed interest in general upgrades to existing yachts. The Business Development Representative for TowBoatU.S. New River, John Smith spoke to hundreds of captains and industry leaders during the days leading up to the show right through the closing hour when the Air horns aboard the most magnificent yachts in the world sounded to mark the end of the 2010 show. Near the close of the show, Frank Marciano president of Dometic Marine commented to him: "I leave Ft Lauderdale International Boat Show feeling optimistic about the year ahead. We have heard reports of large yachts being sold which is great news for our OEM sales. The show also provided an excellent opportunity for us to present many of our innovative and new products to the US consumer market for the first time. Generally, this year's Ft Lauderdale show has been very upbeat and positive, more so than the previous two years, which suggests the market could be stabilizing."
All the while, TowBoatU.S. New River's fleet of tugs was working behind the scenes to help insure the success of the show. Each year their skilled captains go to work a week before opening day to help insure yacht captains get the assistance needed to get safely moored in their assigned slips. Once the show is complete, they go back to work to assist in the controlled chaos of show breakdown. By now, floating docks are broken down and the last of the temporary pilings are being removed but the crew at TowBoatU.S. New River is busy assisting yacht captains throughout Ft Lauderdale as they make their way to and from the boatyards and marinas; whether preparing for the winter season in the Caribbean or a long yard period.
TowBoatU.S. New River was founded in 1989 and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for all of your yacht towing and assistance needs. Please contact the company for an estimate, local knowledge or to learn more about the benefits of TowBoatU.S. membership.
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