Lake Oconee On-Water Emergency Towing & Marine Salvage
Lake Oconee covers nearly 19,000 acres with 374 miles of shoreline. It stretches across Greene, Morgan, and Putnam counties, and on a busy summer weekend it is one of the most active recreational lakes in Georgia. Boating mishaps happen to experienced captains and first-time visitors alike. You might run aground on a shallow shoal, find a dead battery after a long day, or discover your fuel gauge was less reliable than expected. Because of this, knowing who to call before you need help is the mark of a prepared lake boater.
Keep these contacts saved in your phone before you leave the dock. And remember — at Lake Oconee, the oldest and most reliable emergency resource is often the simplest one: call a friend. The lake community is tight-knit, and a neighbor with a boat and a tow rope has solved more on-water emergencies than any dispatch service. That said, when a friend is not available or the situation requires professional help, these are your options.
On-Water Emergency Towing, Fuel Delivery & Jump Starts
These local operators provide rapid dispatch responses to your GPS coordinates. Services include towing, shallow-water ungroundings, emergency fuel delivery, and dockside battery jumps across the Lake Oconee footprint:
- TowBoatUS Lake Oconee
Greensboro, GA 30642 (Greene County — 24-hour emergency dispatch)
Phone: (706) 473-5460 - Fish Tale Towing Assistance
891 Greensboro Rd, Eatonton, GA 31024 (Putnam County)
Phone: (706) 485-8120 - Lake Oconee Marina Emergency Assistance
144 Collis Marina Rd NE, Eatonton, GA 31024 (Putnam County)
Phone: (706) 485-3000
Professional Marine Salvage & Vessel Recovery
Some situations go beyond standard towing. For deep-water vessel recovery, storm damage containment, or sunken watercraft extraction, professional marine salvage operators carry specialized equipment. Specifically, they bring lift bags, underwater recovery gear, and heavy tow capacity that standard towing services simply do not carry:
- Lake Oconee Marine Salvage & Recovery (TowBoatUS Fleet)
24/7 heavy salvage, lift bag operations, and vessel recovery
Phone: (706) 473-5460 - Lakeside Recovery Specialists
Tri-county marine incident routes — serving Greene and Putnam counties
Phone: (706) 453-6113
Smart Boating Habits That Prevent Emergencies
Most on-water emergencies at Lake Oconee are preventable. First, always leave the dock with a full fuel tank. Fuel gauges on older boats are notoriously unreliable, and running out of gas is the single most common reason for towing calls on the lake. Additionally, carry a fully charged lithium jump starter pack on board — they are compact enough to store under a seat and have saved countless afternoons.
Before heading out, file a float plan with someone onshore. This is especially important for evening runs or trips to the far reaches of the lake near the Morgan County arm. Furthermore, Georgia law requires all vessels to carry a US Coast Guard approved personal flotation device for every person on board. Finally — and most importantly — always have a neighbor’s number saved. At Lake Oconee, the boating community looks out for its own.
Margie Sorrell has spent a lifetime on the water, much of it on this lake. Her Lake Oconee Home Services Directory covers every category of professional and resource a lake homeowner needs — on the water and off.