Emergency & on-water assistance
This page lists emergency and on-water assistance contacts for boaters in Broward and Palm Beach counties: the U.S. Coast Guard stations that answer distress calls, and the Sea Tow and TowBoatUS towing franchises that handle breakdowns. Call 911 or hail VHF Channel 16 first in a true emergency. Everything here is informational and is not affiliated with any listed service.
In an emergency, call 911 or hail the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16 first
Marine distress calls are free and monitored 24/7. Towing and assistance networks charge per incident unless you have a membership with them; prices vary and are never listed on this site. This page is informational and not affiliated with any listed service.
Broward County
Fort Lauderdale area assistance
One official Coast Guard station and two towing franchises cover Broward County waters. Call or hail the Coast Guard first for a real emergency; call a towing franchise for breakdowns, fuel, and non-emergency assistance.
U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Lauderdale
Official U.S. Coast Guard station
7000 N Ocean Dr, Dania, FL 33004
An official station in the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami district. It provides search and rescue and distress response for the Fort Lauderdale area and monitors VHF Channel 16 around the clock.
VHF Channel 16
Sea Tow Fort Lauderdale
Sea Tow local franchise
3001 W State Rd 84, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
A 24/7 local franchise of the national Sea Tow network. Handles on-water towing, fuel delivery, jump starts, and soft ungroundings. Members get priority dispatch; non-members are billed per incident.
National dispatch: 800-4-SEATOW (800-473-2869)
seatow.com/ft-lauderdaleTowBoatUS Fort Lauderdale
BoatUS Towing franchise
Pompano Beach, FL
A 24/7 franchise of the BoatUS Towing network, serving Broward County since 1989. Hails on VHF Channel 16 using the VHF phone (954) 525-5577 and handles on-water towing and assistance calls.
Hails on VHF Channel 16; VHF phone (954) 525-5577
National dispatch: 800-391-4869
boatus.com/towboatus/fort-lauderdalePalm Beach County
Palm Beach area assistance
North of the county line, one official Coast Guard station and two towing franchises cover Palm Beach County waters from Delray Beach to Hobe Sound and offshore.
U.S. Coast Guard Station Lake Worth Inlet
Official U.S. Coast Guard station
3300 Lake Shore Dr, Riviera Beach, FL 33404
An official station in the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami district. It provides search and rescue and distress response for the Palm Beach area and monitors VHF Channel 16 around the clock.
VHF Channel 16
Sea Tow Palm Beach
Sea Tow local franchise
A 24/7 local franchise of the national Sea Tow network. Handles on-water towing, fuel delivery, jump starts, and soft ungroundings. Members get priority dispatch; non-members are billed per incident.
National dispatch: 800-4-SEATOW (800-473-2869)
seatow.com/palm-beachTowBoatUS Palm Beach
BoatUS Towing franchise
2301 Broadway, West Palm Beach, FL 33404
A 24/7/365 franchise of the BoatUS Towing network covering Delray Beach to Hobe Sound and offshore. Hails on VHF Channel 16 and handles on-water towing and assistance calls.
Hails on VHF Channel 16
National dispatch: 800-391-4869
boatus.com/towboatus/palm-beachHow it works
Who to call, and when
Distress and rescue on the water work differently from towing and assistance. Here is how each layer is meant to be used.
Coast Guard: free distress and rescue
Coast Guard distress and rescue is free. For a true emergency on the water, call 911 or hail the Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16. Distress calls are monitored 24/7 at no cost, and the Coast Guard does not bill for rescue.
Membership networks: towing covered
Sea Tow and BoatUS Towing are membership networks. A current membership covers the cost of towing and common assistance calls through the network. If you are not a member, both networks still respond, but the tow is billed per incident. Prices are quoted per job and are never listed on this site.
If you break down
Check that everyone aboard is accounted for and safe. Call 911 or hail Channel 16 if anyone is hurt or the boat is in immediate danger; otherwise call the towing service for your area. Share your exact location, drop anchor in safe water if you can, and wait aboard with your life jacket (PFD) on.
Check conditions before you go. The Boat Day Forecast compiles the day's marine weather for the area from official sources. A calm forecast is the first step in avoiding a breakdown call.
Before you go out
Verify before you rely on a number
Service areas and contact details change. Verify current coverage, dispatch numbers, and response area with the provider before you go out, and keep a waterproof copy of the numbers you need aboard your boat.
No ratings are claimed on this page. Each provider has public review pages you can check, and the U.S. Coast Guard stations are official federal facilities with published contact information.