Archives

  • NADEN PINK BOAT TOUR HAS RAISED OVER $20,000

    This summer, in just two short months, The PINK Boat Tour, co-sponsored by Naden Boats and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure North Bay raised over $20,000 in support of the breast cancer research. The 14’ Pink Naden Fisherman travelled several thousand kilometers to over 14 events in Northern Ontario.  Whether it was WingFest in Dorset or the Alban Canada Day Weekend, the Naden Boat dealers embraced the fundraiser, while at the same time taking the opportunity to chat about the unique boat building techniques used when crafting each Naden boat.

  • NAUTICALCHECK ANNOUNCES EXPANSION INTO CANADA

    NauticalCheck announces expansion into Canada of their boat safety "Consignment Program" for boating supply vendors and safety organizations. It is designed to provide boating organizations the ability to sell this breakthrough checklist system (with their name on the book) and generate revenue without any upfront costs other than shipping. NauticalCheck is a totally unique safety pocket checkbook that provides boaters immediate access to critical safety information as well as the most comprehensive checklist available. NauticalCheck presents an operational/safety/maintenance checklist that covers the items needed to make your boating experience as trouble free as possible.

  • DOLPHINITE SHOWCASES GELMATCH

    The new Dolphinite GelMatch™ All-In-One Gelcoat Aerosol Can is an innovative product that solves the traditional challenges when repairing gelcoat. Most repairs are costly and time consuming, so mistakes in mixing and colour matching can be very expensive. Dolphinite’s GelMatch All-In-One Gelcoat Aerosol Can takes the guess out of these problems, providing an aerosol can that is pre-filled with a proprietary All-In-One Gelcoat and matched perfectly to original factory colours. “This is a game changer for the marine industry on so many levels but more importantly the customer service level. We have developed this

  • OUR INDUSTRY MOURNS THE PASSING OF GARY POOLE

    Gary Jay Poole passed away peacefully at home with his family by his side on Saturday, September 7,2013. The Poole family own and operate Buckeye Marine in Bobcaygeon, Ontario, one of the leading marinas in all of North America. Buckeye Marine was established in 1949 by maternal grandfather Tom Thompson as a bait and tackle shop on the water. Son-in-law Frank Poole brought mechanical expertise from his background in the automotive industry and together they ventured into boat and motor rental and repair. Over time, grandsons Gary, David and Chris joined the business and it grew into a substantial sales and service facility.

  • OUR INDUSTRY MOURNS THE PASSING OF BOB EATON

    Robert J. (Bob) Eaton passed away Thursday, September 5th, 2013. Bob Eaton was a life-long supporter of the marine industry in Canada and most specifically in southern Ontario where he spent 27 years teaching technical and marine business courses at Georgian College. In 1988, Bob developed the Georgian College 3-year Marine Technology Program, he served on the Provincial Advisory Committee for 25 years and in 1986, produced training standards for marine apprenticeship. He also assisted in bringing Mercury, Bombardier, Volvo Penta and Harley Davidson factory service training to Georgian College.

  • USWATERCRAFT ACQUIRES RIGHTS TO BUILD C&C YACHTS

    USWatercraft of Warren RI and Tartan Marine Co are pleased to announce that USWatercraft has acquired the exclusive rights to build, develop, distribute and  market all new models of the famed C&C Yachts brand from Tartan Marine. "We are extremely excited to carry on the traditions established by the legendary Canadian boat builders who introduced C&C Yachts some 50 years ago. We look forward to building state of the art, beautiful, high quality and competitively priced C&C sailboats, at our 100,000 square ft. facility in Warren, RI." said Randy Borges president of USWatercraft.  USWatercraft plans to begin production of its new C&C models this fall.

  • WINNERS CELEBRATED AT MOBILITY CUP 2013

    Disabilities were left behind on the dock as 41 sailors from across North America and as far away as Australia challenged the waters of Halifax harbour from August 25 to 30.   The Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron was the site of the High Liner Foods 2013 Mobility Cup, a sailing regatta for people with disabilities of all kinds.  The competitors sailed Martin 16 sailboats which are specially constructed to allow a variety of adaptations to allow people with disabilities to experience the freedom and competitiveness of sailing. 

  • PRIDE MARINE GROUP ACQUISITION OF SKYLINE MARINA NOW COMPLETE

    Boating Industry Canada and Canadian Yachting magazine met with Paul Nickel and Dan Pride of the Pride Marine Group for an in-person update on their recent acquisition of the Skyline Marina. According to Dan Pride, the dialogue began almost three years ago but firm arrangements came together with the owners of Skyline Marina this past spring. The acquisition is now complete. While the Pride Marine Group operates six different Ontario locations and represents 8 different boat lines, the Skyline Marina acquisition marks the first time they have worked with Sea Ray or a Brunswick Boat Group business. Dan Pride commented, “The Brunswick Boat Group is great

  • IMTECH MARINE APPOINTS MANAGING DIRECTOR OF IMTECH MARINE USA

    Imtech Marine (Rotterdam) announces that as of the 15th of July 2013, Capt. Eric Clarke has been appointed as Managing Director of lmtech Marine USA (headquarters Houston). Capt. Clarke has a broad maritime experience and a proven business track record. Capt. Clarke pursued a career at sea and sailed both as Captain and Chief Engineer. After about 10 years at sea, Eric started a long career ashore. Prior to joining Imtech, Eric held the position of Vice President Americas at RightShip (a specialized company offering the commercial shipping industry a Ship Vetting Information System), building the company to be a world leader in its field, performing over 34,000 vets and over 3,000 ship inspections.

  • SOLAR AND ELECTRIC POWERED BOAT HITS MILESTONE ON GREAT LOOP

    Skipper Jim Greer's remarkable quest to complete the Great Loop, a circular navigation of the eastern half of the US, using only solar power, recently hit a milestone. The solar and electric powered craft has already made it more than halfway through its journey. As of mid-August, it has traversed the Oswego and Erie Canals and will soon navigate into Lake Ontario.
    The over 6,600 mile journey, which Greer hopes will merit a place in the Guinness Book of World Records, relies on a dedicated four-person crew and two Torqeedo Cruise 4.0 electric outboard motors. This monumental undertaking commenced on January 11 from New Port Ritchie,

  • USED BOAT BUYERS BEWARE: ARE YOU BUYING A HURRICANE SANDY BOAT?

    With the fall boat buying season approaching, buyers looking for a pre-owned boat can often find deals as sellers, not wanting to take on the upcoming expense of winter storage fees, are in the bargaining mood. However, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) estimates that 65,000 boats were damaged or lost when Superstorm Sandy struck. Now, nearly a year later, some of those boats are being sold on the used boat market, either in “as is” condition, or after repairs have been made. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if the seller is truthful about any past damage. However, the problem exists when sellers fail to fess up to a boat’s true condition. So how does a used boat buyer go into a purchase with eyes wide open?

  • INVASIVE SPECIES CENTRE NAMES DILHARI FERNANDO NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    The Invasive Species Centre (ISC), a leader in facilitating invasive species prevention, detection and response, announced that Dilhari Fernando has been named the ISC's new Executive Director, effective September 9, 2013. As former Director General of Strategic Policy and Priorities for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dilhari has specialized in public policy development, medium term planning and strategic thinking. She is respected for her ability to integrate diverse corporate components into cohesive, overarching corporate strategies to help organizations navigate and position themselves for success in times of change.

  • MONTEREY BOATS AWARDS TOP TEN CSI DEALERS INCLUDING THREE CANADIAN DEALERS

    Monterey Boats recently awarded its Top Ten CSI Dealers for 2013 by earning high marks from their returned surveys for model year 2013 during their annual Dealer Conference held at the Boca Resort & Club in Boca Raton, Florida. The surveys rate each dealer on the customer’s Sales experience as well as their Service experience. “With the outstanding dealer network that we currently have in place, it’s an honor for us to be able to award these hard-working dealerships for achieving excellence everyday in their sales and service practices. We are proud to have them represent our brand” said Monterey Co-Chairman, Charles Marshall.

  • LEHR HAS LAUNCHED A 9.9 HP PROPANE-FUEL OUTBOARD ENGINE

    LEHR Inc has introduced the next generation in green innovation with the new 9.9 HP propane outboard boat engines.   LEHR has been garnering significant attention with its compelling eco-friendly engines, and was recently awarded Sail Magazine’s Pittman Innovation Award  for 2013, POPULAR MECHANICS Breakthrough Award for 2012 and named a TECH AWARDS LAUREATE by the Tech Museum.  LEHR was selected among hundreds of nominations worldwide and was recognized for its innovation to benefit humanity and spark global change.
    The LEHR 2.5 and 5.0 HP propane boat engines were the world’s first OEM products and due to popular demand, Lehr has now introduced the

  • ABBRA’S 2013 COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS SURVEY RESULTS NOW AVAILABLE

    Results from the American Boat Builders & Repairers Association (ABBRA) 2013 Compensation and Benefits Survey are now available. Survey data was collected from ABBRA members nationwide, along with local marine trade associations' members, and additional participants from the marina and boatyard industry. The report entitled the ABBRA Compensation and Benefits Benchmark Study serves as a valuable resource for employers in the boatyard, marine service, and repair sectors to gauge rates, salaries, and benefits in the current employment market. It also ensures that employees and independent contractors are obtaining the correct compensation for their work.

  • COAST GUARD FOUNDATION HONOURS THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD IN SEATTLE SEPTEMBER 12

    The Coast Guard Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to the education and welfare of Coast Guard members and their families, announced that its 2013 Pacific Northwest Awards Dinner will take place on Thursday, September 12, 2013 in Seattle, Washington. Honouring the bravery and heroism of the more than 6,000 U.S. Coast Guard men and women in the area who courageously serve, protect and defend the nation, its people and mariners operating in its waters, as well as its marine environment and natural resources; the Pacific Northwest Awards Dinner is sponsored by Seattle-based Vigor Industrial and will feature a pre-event reception, live and silent auction, and dinner.

  • CRUISERS YACHTS CELEBRATES 60 YEARS OF BRAND EXCELLENCE

    Cruisers Yachts launched its yearlong 60th anniversary celebration of brand excellence at the 2013 Miami International Boat Show and revealed the designs of the much-awaited 60th Anniversary Black Diamond Limited Edition models. Proudly celebrating six decades of brand excellence, Cruisers Inc. models were launched and the new company incorporated in Oconto, Wisconsin in the summer of 1953. Its first completed model shipped on November 18, 1953, initiating the company’s esteemed reputation of excellence in world-class craftsmanship, high-quality finish, innovation and performance.

  • GARMIN ENTERS THE ACTION CAMERA MARKET WITH COMPACT, WATERPROOF HD CAMERAS

    Garmin International Inc., a global leader in satellite navigation, just announced VIRB, its first true HD 1080p action camera series. From action sports to family vacations, VIRB combines a unique feature set that makes it easier than ever to capture life’s memories. VIRB features a rugged and waterproof (IPX-7) housing, so there is no extra case necessary to withstand the elements. The unique 1.4-inch Chroma™ color display makes setup and playback a breeze and uses minimal power so VIRB can record up to three hours of true HD (1080p) video on one charge. On-board video enhancement features such as digital image stabilization and lens distortion correction ensure that footage recorded with VIRB will look great, even before editing. VIRB can capture high quality still photos while the video camera is recording.

  • MARINE FIVE STAR DEALER CERTIFICATION LAUNCHES MEDIA BLITZ, ANNOUNCES LATEST PERFORMANCE RESULTS VIA SURVEY FINDINGS

    Since its introduction and adoption in Canada in January 2006, 26 Canadian dealers have earned the prestigious Marine Five Star Dealer Certification (MFSDC).  Launched in 2006 as one of the core strategic programs of Grow Boating, Inc., MFSDC is built on a stringent set of standards to enhance the retail sales and service experience for customers, with the goal to ultimately promote and spur industry growth. MFSDC has announced two recent developments including a North American marketing blitz, now underway that targets the boat-buying consumer.

  • SHAKESPEARE EXPANDS WITH SURECALL CELLULAR BOOSTERS

    Cellphone-Mate and Shakespeare Company LLC announced an agreement in which Shakespeare expands its product range to include SureCall™ cellular signal boosters by Cellphone-Mate. Shakespeare will have exclusive rights to the SureCall product suite in the marine market, branded as Shakespeare® Anywhere Cellphone Boosters. "SureCall cellular signal boosters offer the highest quality combined with ease of use, and Cellphone-Mate is a well-respected leader in the cellular industry. As part of our goal to best deliver connectivity on the water, we now have a reliable and powerful signal boosting solution that