Sea Tow Naples, the local on-water assistance provider of choice, is now under the ownership of Captain Sam Villani and Cara Humbert, who bring deep community ties and a shared commitment to serving local boaters.
As president, Villani leads the captains, the fleet and on-water operations. Humbert serves as vice president, overseeing dispatch, member experience, office operations, and marketing.
For Villani, a third-generation captain, taking the helm is personal. He grew up on the water in Naples and spent 4 years as a captain for Sea Tow Naples before acquiring the business. A PADI diver and commercial drone pilot with almost 20 years of marine experience, he brings deep knowledge of the local passes, backwaters and Gulf approaches to his role. Humbert, also a southwest Florida native, brings experience in operations, customer communication and marketing. Together, the transition to ownership is a natural next step in deepening their roots. The existing team has remained in place, ensuring continuity and the exceptional support members and boaters have come to expect.
Established in 1988, the operation serves boaters from just north of the Cocohatchee River inlet south to Capri Pass, including Wiggins Pass, Naples Bay, Gordon Pass, Capri, Marco and Keewaydin, whether they’re out for a quick afternoon cruise or spending a full day on the Gulf.
To minimize response times, its three purpose-built Sea Tow vessels, ranging up to 26 feet, are positioned to serve the northern, central and southern portions of the territory. Patrols adjust to boating traffic, conditions and calls for assistance. The team of 3 U.S. Coast Guard-licensed captains bring local knowledge and on-water experience to everything from finding anchorages to troubleshooting on the water.
Villani and Humbert aim to build upon Sea Tow Naples’ strong foundation. The pair is focused on serving the boating community, promoting boating safety and strengthening relationships with local marinas, dealers, clubs and marine businesses. Through these efforts, they hope to expand access to boating safety and education efforts while providing dependable help on the water. Above all, they want boaters to think of Sea Tow Naples as their neighbor on the water: capable, approachable and ready when a good day takes an unexpected turn.
In addition to on-water assistance, Sea Tow Naples offers marine salvage and recovery services for grounded, disabled, damaged, partially submerged and sunken vessels. The operation is also equipped to handle derelict and abandoned vessel removal for municipalities, marinas and private property owners, as well as vessel demolition, dismantling and disposal when a boat cannot be economically recovered or returned to service.
“I have spent my life on these waters,” said Villani. “Leading the team that helps our neighbors get home when the unexpected happens is a privilege. We know how quickly a day on the water can change, and we want people to know Sea Tow Naples is standing by when it does.”
“Our job is to make sure a breakdown doesn’t become the story of their day,” said Humbert. “Sam and I are proud to take the helm of Sea Tow Naples and serve the community we love.”
“We are thrilled to have Villani and Humbert take the helm of Sea Tow Naples,” said Sea Tow President Kristen Frohnhoefer. “Sam’s deep local roots and on-water experience, paired with Cara’s focus on daily operations and community relationships, make them a strong team to lead this next chapter.”
A Sea Tow membership provides predictable annual access to on-water assistance without out-of-pocket expenses for covered services. Sea Tow Gold Card membership costs $249 annually. Benefits include unlimited boat towing in the member’s home area with no distance or dollar limits, jump starts, fuel delivery, scheduled dock-to-dock tows and more.
Earlier in 2026, Sea Tow released a fully redesigned mobile application. The Sea Tow app offers a faster and more accurate way to request assistance, as well as intuitive navigation and real-time wind, tide and weather data. The app is available for download on iOS via the App Store and on Android via Google Play.
For more information about Sea Tow, visit seatow.com.
