We Towed Nearly 200 Boaters On Lake Of The Ozarks. Here’s What We Learned

Over five years of operating XTow, the “worry-free” membership for Lake of the Ozarks boaters, we’ve towed nearly 200 boaters, and we’ve learned a few things.

As we approach our sixth summer of operation, we dug into our towing stats and some fascinating data emerged about when boaters break down, why they get towed, and how long the tow typically takes.

The takeaway? Breakdowns are not even remotely random.

After five years and nearly 200 tows, here’s what we’ve learned:

When Do Boaters Break Down?

We see a huge spike in breakdowns in — you probably guessed it — the very beginning of the boating season.

Why?

Because that first or second outing of the season is when you realize, “Oh yeah. I should have fixed that over the winter.”

Impellers should be replaced every couple of years. Batteries are infamous betrayers. And then there are just the engine gremlins that found their way in during the winter and make themselves known once you’re miles from the dock with a boat full of people... watching the day's plans dissolve before your eyes. (An XTow Captain's Club membership solves this.)

What Time Of Day Do Boaters Break Down?

Our calls for tows disproportionately occur between the hours of 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Why?

Because by that time, boaters have been running the boat hard for hours (overheat!), or coving out for hours (dead battery!)

How Long Does The Tow Take?

According to our records, the average tow for an XTow member is about 1.2 hours. The bigger the boat, the slower the towboat is able to travel. And the further you are from your dock, the longer… well, you get it.

The point is: that’s 1.2 hours our XTow members didn’t plan for, but they didn’t have to. We had it covered.

How Can Boaters Avoid Breakdowns?

We've created a checklist for boaters, based on the most common reasons breakdowns happen. We call it the No-Tow Checklist, and we provide it free to all boaters, here.

And in case you do break down, XTow members still look like the hero. No panic, no awkward "What are we going to do?" Just a quick call to our 24/7/365 dispatch line, and a towboat will be on its way.

Join the XTow Captain's Club and save the day before it needs saving.

-The XTow Crew