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Laketow Marine Captain's have decades of experience from the Arctic to the Pacific and beyond. This BLOG is our way of sharing our knowledge and experience to the small boat operators in a useful educational way. It will contain valuable insights into the skills that a captain and pilot possess, to safely command and con their vessels, crews, and passengers. To navigate through the hazardous waters and weather that demand their constant attention. By sharing our experinces and knowledge, we expect that those who take the time to fortify their skill with this blog, will bring a higher level of safety and pleasure to everyone who enjoys the majesty of our marine wonder, the Shuswap Lake and its adjoining its tributauries.

Without doubt, this blog will contribute boating safety, with every reader. We hope you learn from and enjoy our blog and share it with your neighbours, friends and family. Please share your comments and questions on our facebook page.

The Birth of Laketow Marine - How Laketow came to be as a result of a mechanical Failure - A lesson for the Captain!

In 2021 I moved to the the North Shuswap from the Fraser Valley after selling everything thing, including my trusty 21' Bayliner Trophy. We bought in Anglemont and moved in to our new home with its amazing view of the lake, in November. I was itching to buy another boat, with the idea in the back of my mind that I might start a towing business eventually. I choose an older Campion Skeena the "Roxie Roller". No time to set sail before winter was upon us, I winterized her and put a heater in the engine compartment. At least I thought I had winterized Roxie but I had missed a crucial block drain plug and the heater burnt out by February.

A new engine was on the way! Albeit setting my sailing schedule back a week, I was happy to have the new more powerful engine and a better look at all the engineering that made Roxie roll. As the spring ended and summer breezed in, We had been enjoying the Roxie Roller until it decided not to start one day. Which was complicated by the fact that we were 7 miles East of Anglemont, helplessly adrift! Not to mention, to proud to stop a passer by, that was likely futile anyway,

Several choice words later and some diagnostic fury, I discovered that the power to the starter was hobbled by an old lead and there seemed just one option, call the marinas to find a towing service. Having no luck reaching "the 'guy' who sometimes did that sort of thing", I was getting the feeling that this was gonna be a longer run on the Roxie than I thought. Not one to give up easily and equal to the task of improvising solutions, I concluded that my jumper cables just might serve the purpose of starter lead. They don't call me McGyver for nothing, success! It actually worked attaching the clamp of the jumpers to the starter and battery post, the engine roared back to life, much to all our relief and we were underway again.

It was that day that I realized this lake needed a boat towing service that could be relied upon and wasn't it great that I hadn't forgotten to load the tools and jumper cables! Thus Laketow was born.