Canadian Boating May 2024 - 46

FEATURE
C-Tow
Marine
assistance
Marine
Assistance
A 40-YEAR HISTORY
OF HELPING
CANADIAN BOATERS
By | Peter A. Robson
F
rom its humble beginnings 40 years
ago, C-Tow Marine Assistance Ltd.
has grown into the largest private
marine assistance company in Canada
with more than 10,000 members. C-Tow
is proudly Canadian-owned and operated
with a fleet of 40 vessels working in
four Canadian provinces. In the summer,
C-Tow receives about 700 service calls
per month. In BC, C-Tow performs 90
percent of all recreational service calls
and in Ontario almost 100 percent. Since
1984, C-Tow has responded to over 50,000
requests for service across Canada.
IN THE BEGINNING
It all started back in 1984 when the
Canadian Coast Guard announced that
they would no longer tow non-distressed
vessels; and that they would respond
only to emergency, life-threatening situations.
Non-emergencies would now be
dealt with by commercial operators. This
opened a whole new world of opportunities
for entrepreneurs.
Jim MacDonald had worked as a
bouncer at a Vancouver Island pub.
C-Tow founder Jim McDonald pictured in August 1984 driving his C-Tow 1 Zodiac off Point
Atkinson, BC. Credit: Sea Snaps.
Among a group of regulars was Steve
Ackles and his wife Sherri. According to
Sherri, the local Coast Guard guys would
come into the pub and have a few drinks.
Jim got talking to them and they suggested
there was money to be made from
offering marine assistance. Both Jim and
Steve were experienced boaters and the
46 CANADIAN BOATING | MAY 2024
two thought, " Wow! This could work. "
Their idea was to become the " Auto
Club of the Sea, " offering annual memberships
that would include towing broken
down vessels, providing gas, assisting
grounded vessels, small mechanical
repairs, helping lost mariners and that sort
of thing.
C-Tow assisting a dangerously grounded cruiser off Squirrel Cove on BC's Cortez Island.

Canadian Boating May 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Canadian Boating May 2024

AT THE HELM: We Are Lucky to be Boaters
FEATURE EDITORIAL: Boating & the Environment - Shifting Toward Sustainability
DESTINATION FEATURE: Cruising Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands
CRUISING: Crossing the Ocean in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC)
TECH FEATURE: Tricking out a New Lagoon 42 with Solar Power
THE PORT HOLE: May 2024
FEATURE: C-TOW Marine Assistance - 40 Years of Marine Rescues
POWER REVIEW: Sylvan G3 CLZ DC
CROSSING THE LINE: Timely Alternate Approaches to Antifouling
Canadian Boating May 2024 - Intro
Canadian Boating May 2024 - Cover1
Canadian Boating May 2024 - Cover2
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 3
Canadian Boating May 2024 - AT THE HELM: We Are Lucky to be Boaters
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 5
Canadian Boating May 2024 - FEATURE EDITORIAL: Boating & the Environment - Shifting Toward Sustainability
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 7
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 8
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 9
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 10
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 11
Canadian Boating May 2024 - DESTINATION FEATURE: Cruising Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 13
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 14
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 15
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 16
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 17
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 18
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 19
Canadian Boating May 2024 - CRUISING: Crossing the Ocean in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC)
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 21
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 22
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 23
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 24
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 25
Canadian Boating May 2024 - TECH FEATURE: Tricking out a New Lagoon 42 with Solar Power
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 27
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 28
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 29
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 30
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 31
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 32
Canadian Boating May 2024 - THE PORT HOLE: May 2024
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 34
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 35
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 36
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 37
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 38
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 39
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 40
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 41
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 42
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 43
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 44
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 45
Canadian Boating May 2024 - FEATURE: C-TOW Marine Assistance - 40 Years of Marine Rescues
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 47
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 48
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 49
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 50
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 51
Canadian Boating May 2024 - POWER REVIEW: Sylvan G3 CLZ DC
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 53
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 54
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 55
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 56
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 57
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 58
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 59
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 60
Canadian Boating May 2024 - 61
Canadian Boating May 2024 - CROSSING THE LINE: Timely Alternate Approaches to Antifouling
Canadian Boating May 2024 - Cover3
Canadian Boating May 2024 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/kerrwil/canadianyachting/canadian-boating-january-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/kerrwil/canadianyachting/canadian-boating-december-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/kerrwil/canadianyachting/canadian-boating-october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/kerrwil/canadianyachting/canadian-boating-june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/kerrwil/canadianyachting/canadian-boating-may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/kerrwil/canadianyachting/canadian-boating-april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/kerrwil/canadianyachting/canadian-boating-february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/kerrwil/canadianyachting/canadian-boating-december-2023
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com