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Groupe Beneteau has just announced changes within Beneteau America’s leadership team. Wayne Burdick has been elevated to a more strategic role in Groupe Beneteau, as the President of the holding company for the different US Groupe entities, and Laurent Fabre, formerly the director of sales and marketing for Beneteau's North American powerboats division, has been tapped to replace Burdick as president of Beneteau America.

Under Burdick’s direction as president of Beneteau in North America since 1997, Beneteau became the leading brand of high quality production sailboats in the U.S. In his new position, Burdick will manage relationships with industry partners on behalf of all Groupe Beneteau marine brands.

John Petersen, President of Marlow Hunter Marine presented Lawrence Fronczek, President of Specialty Yachts in Vancouver with the Dealer of the Year Award for 2012.

ICOMIA, the International Council of Marine Industry Associations, has published the fourth edition of its Global Environmental Legislation Guide.

The Guide is updated regularly to provide readers with the very latest environmental information from the recreational boating industry and is available in the ICOMIA Online Library. The fourth edition of the guide features the latest environmental legislation available as of August 2012, with additions/amendments highlighted in red. The Guide is divided into the following regions and/or continents and international organisations:

APRIL Marine Canada has sent out a statement saying that the company is pleased to announce the arrival of Daniel Ramos on their team as Director. Daniel has 22 years of managing experience, 42 years of sailing experience and a great knowledge of the brokerage industry. He is a great addition to the APRIL Marine Canada team, has a lot of innovative projects for APRIL Marine in mind and one goal: To lead APRIL Marine in becoming the #1 MGA in every brokerage across Canada.

With over 20 years of experience in the marine insurance industry, APRIL Marine has a reputation for quality products, competitive pricing and efficient claims service.

Six of the most prominent brands in the heavy-gauge welded aluminum boat industry now share one owner.  A strategic investment by Byron Bolton, current owner of WestWinn Group, manufacturers of KingFisher, KingFisher Multi-species, Harbercraft and Jetcraft boats, has completed a private stock purchase of Renaissance Marine Group, Inc., manufacturers of Duckworth, Weldcraft and Northwest Boat brands from current owners Dan Larson and Jim Moore. The Bolton family completed the transaction through a newly formed entity, RMG Holdings Company, of Seattle, Washington.
 
WestWinn Group and Renaissance Marine Group will continue to operate independently and maintain the continuity of the existing management teams, physical factories, highly skilled work forces and independent dealer networks.

The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) announced the winners of the 2012 IBEX Innovation Awards. The winning products were selected by a panel of experienced technical boating journalists and editors from Boating Writers International (BWI), and were presented at the All-Industry Breakfast.

“IBEX is where the future of boating begins,” said show director Anne Dunbar. “It’s where companies introduce their new products and technologies that will improve boatbuilding and enhance the boating experience for consumers in the years to come.”

At the Opening day's All-Industry Breakfast at the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) the three winners of the first-annual Exhibitor Video Awards (EVAs) were announced.
 
The winners were Vetus America for Best Corporate Video, Marinco/Mastervolt for Best Product Video and Insync Marine, People’s Choice. Honorable mention for People’s Choice went to second-place winner Dometic Marine.

Thousands of Nova Scotians and visitors from across Canada were in Lunenburg today to celebrate the relaunch of the Bluenose II. Taking advantage of morning tides, the schooner was slowly winched into the water, link-by-link, from the 1,200-tonne marine railway at the Lunenburg Shipyard.

'The return of Bluenose II to water is a significant milestone in preserving Canada's and Nova Scotia's proud maritime history and a testament to the shipbuilding history of our great province,' said the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Regional Minister for Nova Scotia.

Rec Boat Holdings has named Kingston, Ontario-based The Boat Warehouse as their largest Four Winns retailer for the 2012 model year at the 2013 annual dealer conference held at The Abbey Resort, Fontana, Wisconsin.

The Boat Warehouse has been a Four Winns dealer for 19 years and has received the top award multiple times.

“The Boat Warehouse is an exemplary dealer for our Four Winns brand," stated Roch Lambert, Group President, Rec Boat Holdings.

BRP dealers and distributors from around the world gathered in Maryland, U.S. to attend the unveiling of model year 2013 Can-Am Spyder roadsters and Sea-Doo watercraft.

Among BRP's new Sea-Doo product updates is the GTI Limited 155 watercraft, a striking, luxurious watercraft in all-new Anthracite Grey colour. The GTI Limited 155 model comes with BRP's industry-exclusive Intelligent Brake & Reverse (iBR) technology and cruise control with the Intelligent Throttle Control (iTC) system with ECO Mode for best fuel efficiency.

Announced September 25, 2012, The Moorings has introduced a new Price Promise program – an assurance to customers that should the cost of their Sail, Power or Crewed Yacht charter go down in price at any time up to 30 days before their departure date, they will be reimbursed with benefits equivalent in value.
 
In addition to offering unprecedented value, The Moorings Price Promise guarantees an attractive price protection feature that allows for reimbursement through benefits that include yacht upgrades, food and beverage options, water toys and more.

3M introduces 3M™ Laminating Bulker, offering outstanding properties for fiberglass construction applications. With high conformability on compound curves, excellent print-blocking capabilities and low resin consumption, 3M Laminating Bulker provides ease of use along with a host of other qualities designed to help fabricators increase efficiency.

3M Laminating Bulker is a non-woven polyester mat with uniform holes designed for resin flow. Available in thicknesses of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5mm as well as one- or two-meter wide rolls, the material lends itself to a broad range of applications.

The new locations are based in Ontario and Quebec. The moves were first announced in February and later launched in May, with the Ontario facility being relocated from Mississauga to Brampton, and completing the project, in August, the Quebec location moved to a new facility in Drummondville.

Harold Visser, managing director of CCP Composites Canada was quoted in IBI as saying that, "Both are larger facilities supporting the recent growth of our business. This investment underscores the ongoing commitment by CCP Composites to the Canadian business and its customers.”

Ebbtide Corporation, manufacturer of fiberglass sports and recreational boats, announced on September 27th that Richard Anderson has been promoted to president of North American operations.

“Richard has been invaluable to the Ebbtide team and he is well-respected in the recreational and sport boating industry,” said Mr. Xianhua Ma, the new owner of Ebbtide.   “He brings a wealth of experience and dedication to the job, and this promotion formally recognizes Richard’s hard work and his ongoing leadership of the team.” 

For this Australian boat builder, the history-making milestone for Riviera will be the launch of its 5000th boat at a special gala dinner celebration held later this year.
 
Riviera’s state-of-the-art Coomera facility on Queensland’s Gold Coast will be transformed into a five-star entertainment precinct as Australia’s largest and most awarded luxury boat builder hosts a celebration like no other.

Campion Marine Inc and Biltmore Marine Industries LLC are pleased to announce what they believe is a “game changer” for the marine industry. Campion Marine has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement to build the Biltmore Fibertoon® Boats.

Brock Elliott, President of Campion Marine says “that many will initially ask; what is a Fibertoon®?” “The Campion built Biltmore is a pontoon boat like no other our industry has ever seen or experienced! The patent protected boat with its tri pontoon hull is produced entirely of composite materials including the side walls, helm, seating bases and so much more than ever offered before.

KCS International Inc. (KCS), parent company of Cruisers Yachts and Rampage Sport Fishing Yachts, announced Monday Sept 24, that the recently acquired Azure Sport Boats line will be renamed Cruisers Sport Series in order to reflect the true essence of the Cruisers Yachts craftsmanship. The acquisition means the Cruisers name now offers a full product line of vessels from 22-54’.

“We learned, after conferring with consumers, dealers and media observers that the new Azure boats, recently produced at our Oconto plant, possess all of the quality craftsmanship that Cruisers Yachts are known for,

After 5,137 nautical miles and nearly four months traveling the circumnavigation of the Eastern U.S. and Canada commonly referred to as the Great Loop, Beneteau’s Swift Trawler 34 has returned to her home port in Annapolis, MD last week.

“Beneteau is most grateful for the warm welcome received at the many marinas we visited, the dedication of The Greatest Loop’s twelve crews throughout her journey and the unfailing loyalty of her many followers on TheGreatestLoop.com, said Maryline O’Shea, marketing director of Beneteau’s North American Powerboats Division. “Our sponsors were instrumental in this awesome endeavor. We would not have even considered such an undertaking without their support,” O’Shea said.