Who do boaters on Lake Anna call for help when their boat breaks down, runs out of gas, or has a fouled prop? Today, the red boats of TowBoatUS Lake Anna respond 24/7 to requests for towing assistance on all of Lake Anna, both the public and the private waste heat treatment facility sides of the lake. However, it wasn’t always this way.

When Captain Gary Jacobs started the business in 2004, things were quite different. “Only the public side of the lake was open to my towing service,” he said. “Not a lot of folks knew what we did or understood the value of professional on-water assistance for routine troubles like fuel issues, running gear, and towing.”

Three years later, Jacobs’ operation became an official TowBoatUS “port,” one of more than 300 nationwide locations with over 600 red response vessels. Today, TowBoatUS Lake Anna responds to dozens of calls for on-water towing and assistance each week, depending on conditions such as the weather, vacation plans, and holidays.

On a waterway popular with water sports enthusiasts, Jacobs’ calls for help are varied. “We respond to quite a few towline prop entanglements, with fuel issues coming in at the number two reason to request water assistance,” he explained.

Much like an auto club for recreational boat owners, BoatUS offers an on-water “Unlimited Towing Membership” for freshwater boaters and anglers for just $99 per year. Included are more than 25 benefits and discounts, a subscription to BoatUS Magazine, free DSC-VHF radio registration, and more.

All of Jacobs’ response vessel captains are licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard, and many come from the boating safety, marine, or emergency services workforces. “They also complete annual safety training, including fire and hazard mitigation such as fuel spillage,” Jacobs added. Separate from TowBoatUS services, the company provides environmental remediation, salvage, and dive services on the lake as well.

While TowBoatUS Lake Anna is not an emergency service like a police or fire department, Jacobs does step in to act as a Good Samaritan to help when needed. He pointed out that any boater’s emergency calls should go to 911 or VHF channel 16 first.

A former firefighter, Jacobs is proud of his efforts over the years to work with local agencies to provide on-the-water support and coordinate responses when needed. He helped create the Lake Anna Response Group (LARG), a consortium of individuals from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Louisa and Spotsylvania sheriff departments, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Louisa and Spostylvania fire and rescue departments, local power companies, and more.

LARG hosts training by stimulating various emergencies from man overboard to boating accidents. “We start right with the first 911 call and run through the emergency to completion, with each agency helping us fine tune the next response on the lake,” he explained.

Jacobs’ company is also helping to educate Lake Anna boaters through boating safety programs and classes offered by the nonprofit BoatUS Foundation.

The fastest way to summon assistance from TowBoatUS Lake Anna is to call the company at 540-659-5397, or download the free BoatUS app that connects boaters to the closest local towing captain. More information about the company is available at their website, www.towboatuslakeanna.com.