TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale Launches Shillelagh, the Most Powerful Towboat on the New River, Knecht Named to Lead

November 21, 2006

TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale, a Broward County based company, announced that Shillelagh, a 26' Custom Steel Tug, with twin 220 hp John Deere 6068 engines with 3.1 gears and 34" propellers, is launched. Shillelagh was originally designed for salvage work both offshore and inshore where a vessel of compact size with substantial power was required. The hull is of extra heavy all welded steel construction with Fernstrum keel coolers and fully protected running gear. "The length, maneuverability and power of Shillelagh make it the perfect tug to use in assisting our yacht customers on the New River," stated Barney Hauf, Manager of the Yacht Towing Division of TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale. "No other tug in the area has that combination."

In addition to launching the new tug TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale announced that Captain Michael Knecht would lead the Yacht Towing project. Knecht has been involved in the marine industry since 1985. He is a Dive Instructor, a Submersible Pilot, holds a 500 Ton Near Coastal U.S. Merchant Marine License, a Master of Towing License and maintains an STCW certification. His cruising experiences include Hawaii, the Western Pacific, the Caribbean, Bahamas and the Southeastern coast of the United States. Knecht was hired by TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale in 1998 as a towboat captain. He quickly advanced to a supervisory position. Knecht assists in maneuvering and placement of yachts in the three major boat shows in South Florida, specializes in yacht river towing and assistance, and has assisted in numerous salvage operations. His main responsibility is the continued growth and development of the Yacht Towing Division.

TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale was founded in 1989 by Larry Acheson. The company operates from three ports and provides towing and assistance to boaters in all of Southeast Florida and the Bahamas. The TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale operation has conducted thousands of salvage and towing operations over the years and routinely assists law enforcement with search and rescue operations. The company continues to expand its services to include charter and launch services and mega-yacht towing and assistance. For more information, contact TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale at (954) 783-7821.

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