Monte Ash

CAPTAIN MONTE ASH is owner and president of TowBoat USA, based in Santa Cruz, California. He’s also the primary captain for the company, which operates in a fashion similar to a tow truck for dues paying members.

Monte was born in Kansas City, Kansas, and grew up in both Wyoming and Kansas until he joined the Navy at age 19. His passion for water developed on the inland ponds, lakes and streams where he spent his youth fishing. In the Navy, he spent six years operating a nuclear power plant on a submarine stationed in Pearl Harbor. In Hawaii, he enjoyed being around the ocean.

After leaving the Navy, he moved around quite a bit with his family while working for a power company.  That stint included stays in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia, Alabama, and Jamaica, until they finally settled in Las Vegas. His last position with that company landed him in Pittsburg, California. On retiring from that job, he took a year off, got his captain’s license and affirmed that he wanted to be a professional boat captain. He purchased the 20-year old Vessel Assist Company, which was for sale at that time, and 2 years ago, he and his wife moved into the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor, where they live aboard their spacious yacht docked next door to their two towboats.