South Florida Native & Helo Pilot, Capt. Ian Veltri New Owner of Okeechobee & LaBelle TowBoatUS Locations

24/7 service for on-water towing, soft ungrounding, fuel drop-offs and battery jump-starts

OKEECHOBEE, Fla., May 10, 2022 — A pair of TowBoatUS on-water towing and assistance locations in Okeechobee and LaBelle are under new ownership with Florida native and U.S. Coast Guard-licensed captain of more than 25 years, Ian Veltri. Veltri has captained vessels across three continents in the Americas, Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Middle East.

In addition to his experience as a boat captain, Veltri has also been a pilot for more than 20 years. When he’s not on the water, he works as a police officer and as a law enforcement/military helicopter crew instructor. “I have always wanted to own a TowBoatUS port,” said Capt. Veltri. He says he dreamed of becoming an owner after working as a TowBoatUS captain many years ago on the Chesapeake.

This new ownership and the experience Veltri brings to Florida's inland sea is invaluable. “Boaters are in good hands out on the lake,” added Veltri. The company provides professional 24/7 routine on-water assistance for both anglers and recreational boaters across Lake Okeechobee.

The company currently has four red tow vessels ranging from 19 to 26 feet, and Veltri is planning to add an airboat to his response fleet to assist the local airboat community. In addition to providing BoatUS towing services, the company also offers boat salvage, transportation, environmental remediation and boating safety classes.

BoatUS offers on-water Unlimited Towing Memberships for Florida boaters for just $165 per year. Boaters without BoatUS towing services face costs averaging $850 per towing incident, with some paying more. Included with an Unlimited Towing Membership are more than 25 Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) benefits and discounts, a subscription to award-winning BoatUS Magazine, free DSC-VHF radio registration and more.

Boaters can reach TowBoatUS Lake Okeechobee and TowBoatUS LaBelle on VHF channel 16, by calling the company at 863-447-4470, by phoning the BoatUS toll-free 24/7 Dispatch Center at 800-391-4869 or by downloading the free BoatUS App. More information can be found at BoatUS.com/Towing or by calling 800-888-4869.

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