Boat Towing

We support a wide range of boat towing needs, including:

• Accident recovery: We extract damaged boats from roadsides, ramps, or off-road locations using winches, landing trailers, and rotator cranes when needed.
• Non-trailer transport: For boats that were launched directly or don’t have trailers (e.g., houseboats or custom vessels), we use specialty landing trailers with hull supports and soft cradle mounts.
• Ramp breakdowns: If your tow vehicle fails at the launch ramp, we’ll recover your boat and trailer and help coordinate alternative transport.
• Flood or dock displacement: After storms or flooding, we recover drifted or stranded boats from docks, levees, and low-ground areas.

No matter the condition or location, we adapt our strategy based on water level, boat weight, trailer type, and hull design.

Equipment Designed for Marine Recovery

Boat towing and recovery isn’t just about horsepower—it’s about the right tools used by people who understand the delicate nature of marine transport. At Riverside Towing, our equipment is purpose-built for water-adjacent jobs, from roadside trailer failures to full-on riverbank extractions.

Our marine-ready fleet includes:

• Low-clearance landing trailers: Designed to recover boats that are partially submerged, beached, or have rolled off standard trailers at steep launch sites. These rigs feature adjustable bunks and flotation-ready support rails for delicate recovery.

• Soft-strap rigging systems: Nylon and padded strap assemblies prevent scuffs, gelcoat scratches, or damage to rub rails and hull contours during winching and lifts. We never use chains directly on hulls.

• Controlled-tension winches: Our electric and hydraulic winches offer gradual torque control, which is crucial when extracting heavy boats from soft soil, slick ramps, or river mud without jerking or shifting the load.

• Rotator cranes: In situations where boats need vertical lifts—such as from levees, drop-offs, or trailers wedged into embankments—we deploy rotator cranes with precision boom control to reposition vessels onto flatbeds or back onto trailers safely.

• Extended-deck flatbeds and tilt-bed haulers: For boats requiring longer frame support or those that lack trailers entirely, our deck trucks and transporters provide a safe, level ride to repair yards, dry storage, or marina facilities.

Before every recovery, we evaluate hull length, weight class, waterline location, structural weak points, and ramp slope to plan a secure lift and tie-down strategy. It’s not about speed—it’s about protecting your boat and your investment.

Who We Tow For

Riverside Towing serves a wide spectrum of boat owners and professionals throughout the Quad Cities region, including:

• Private owners: Whether you’re hauling your family’s fishing boat to a lakefront cabin or recovering a capsized pontoon, we treat every boat like it’s our own.

• Marinas and dock managers: We regularly assist facilities in Bettendorf, Moline, Rock Island, and East Moline with scheduled transport, winter relocations, and off-season haul-outs.

• Boat mechanics and marine shops: Need to move a boat for fiberglass repair or engine replacement? We work directly with shops to schedule safe, same-day transport.

• Law enforcement and insurance adjusters: If a boat has been involved in a crash, theft recovery, or sinking, we provide documented recovery with timestamped photos, cargo logs, and secure storage coordination.

• Touring vendors and event hosts: Boats going on display? We support promotional shows, lakefront expos, and trade events with careful trailer-to-floor delivery, including ramp negotiation and offloading support.

Every client, whether commercial or private, gets the same certified handling, transport documentation, and dedicated follow-through.

24/7 Response for Emergency Boat Towing

Boating doesn’t follow a 9-to-5 schedule—neither do we. Riverside Towing is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for emergency boat towing, recovery, and relocation anywhere in the Quad Cities region and nearby counties.

From busy highways to boat launches along the Mississippi River, we handle urgent boat-related incidents like:

• Axle or tire failure mid-haul on I-74, I-280, or county roads while towing a boat to or from the marina
• Boat and trailer separation on steep ramps in Davenport, LeClaire, or Andalusia
• Post-storm displacement, where docked boats have shifted, drifted, or grounded due to flooding or wake surge
• Houseboat repositioning when water levels change and no self-powered retrieval is available

All emergencies are dispatched from our Central Quad Cities hub near Indian Road in Davenport, ensuring rapid deployment to any point along the Mississippi or major access routes.

With GPS-enabled trucks, rotator and landing trailer capability, and certified marine recovery specialists, you won’t find a more responsive and better-equipped boat towing team in the region.