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Teleflex Marine  has announced that three marine exhaust hoses from their brand, Shields Marine Hose, a leading supplier of hose to the worldwide marine industry, have qualified for Lloyd’s Register Type Approval.

The certificate confirms type approval for Shields’ Marine Exhaust/Water Hose (no wire) – Series No. 200, Shieldsflex II Marine Exhaust/Water Hose (with wire) – Series No. 250 and Shieldsaust-C Hose – Series No. 252. The hoses meet Lloyd’s Register’s Rules and Regulations for Classification of Ships; Lloyd’s Register’s Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Special Service Craft; for diesel wet exhaust and SAE J2006.

With an estimated 2.5-million Ontario boaters taking to the water this season, the need for practical, hands-on training has never been greater. BoaterSkills.ca, a training program for recreational boaters in Ontario, has begun offering its boating safety and basic skills development clinics across the province.  There’s no classroom, no exam, no major time commitment – just you, your boat, your crew and a day with a professional captain.

Conveniently located in the offices of the Yacht Brokerage firm North South Nautical Group Inc. at Port Harbour Marina, BoaterSkills.ca sends a professional instructor to their client’s boat to provide half or full-day onboard training. From tying knots, to docking, anchoring and rules of the road, BoaterSkills.ca tailors the clinics to the client’s individual needs.

Nels Moxness, President, Velux Canada and avid supporter and dear friend officially welcomed Derek back to Canada yesterday after he successfully finished the 2010/2011 Velux 5 Oceans Race. Unlike Derek’s competitors, Derek’s Spirit of Canada Campaign has raised the funds to support this campaign one kilometer, one supporting name on deck and one dollar at a time. Although amazing donations consistently flowed in from friends of the Spirit of Canada Campaign, the significant contribution from Active House made Derek’s latest entry possible. (Active House is a vision of buildings that create healthier and more comfortable lives for their occupants without negative impact on the climate – moving us towards a cleaner, healthier and safer world.)

The recreational boating industry’s national marketing campaign in the US and Canada, Discover Boating, took home the top honour in the Small Budgets-Products category of the 2011 North American Effie Awards, at the 43rd annual Effie gala in New York City.

“This is a tremendous honour for the recreational boating industry and testament to the dedication of Discover Boating staff and our marketing partners to provide the best work possible for the industry,” said Carl Blackwell, chief marketing officer for Discover Boating.

In a story that ran in the Owen Sound Sun Times newspaper by writer Scott Dunn, we have learned that Grew Manufacturing is now in receivership.

According to the story, available online, the company has liabilities of more than $2 million and about 100 creditors. Grew Manufacturing’s assets are now in the care of a receiver who is looking for a buyer. The receiver is BDO Canada Limited and Bill Courage is handling the sale.

The story went on to say that the Grew boat company’s manufacturing plant south of Owen Sound has been idle for three months since Grew president David Cameron shot and wounded an employee there, then ended his own life in an armed confrontation with police Feb. 21 near Kemble.

Attwood Marine has received an Environmental Protection Agency Certificate of Conformance (COC) for its pressure relief diurnal emission control system. Combined with its recently announced carbon canister system, Attwood now has two industry-leading EPA-certified solutions for its OEM partners to match the unique needs of each customer. The Attwood pressure relief diurnal and refueling control system has more than 15,000 hours of on-water use and testing and meets all EPA, American Boat and Yacht Club, U.S. Coast Guard, and proposed California Air Resources Board requirements.

Yves Paquette, General Manager at the Association Maritime du Quebec, (AMQ) sounded hopeful when Boating Industry Canada contacted him for an update on the marinas affected by the unusual spring weather.

“While the records were broken on the May 6th weekend, and continued rain and winds are still with us now, the good news is that things should start to get better over the next two weeks,” he told Boating Industry Canada.

As the summer travel season approaches, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is providing summer travelers with travel tips to assist with cross border travel.

CBP has implemented many important initiatives designed to facilitate travel while, at the same time, improving U.S. border security.

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires U.S. and Canadian citizens, age 16 and older to present a valid, acceptable travel document, such as a passport, a U.S. passport card,

In a recent newsletter article by Soundings Trade Only, we have learned that the U.S. styrene industry has appealed to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to remove a proposed listing of styrene in the department’s impending report on carcinogens. The styrene industry is asking that the listing be scheduled for a review in the next edition, the Styrene Information and Research Center said.

In a letter, Jack Snyder, executive director of the research center, and John Schweitzer, senior director of government affairs for the American Composites Manufacturers Association, asked Sebelius for another review using a rigorous, unbiased, transparent process.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Harper and President Obama announced the Canada –U.S. Regulatory Cooperation Council, which has a two-year mandate to promote economic growth and provide benefits to businesses and consumers through increased regulatory transparency and coordination between the two countries.  NMMA Canada is being asked to provide input to the Federal government about items that affect cross border trade with the United States, and if dealt with would derive benefits for Canadians and Canadian business.

Staff writers for the Peterborough Examiner newspaper have reported that Les Groombridge died Sunday at the age of 86. Mr. Groombridge was well known in the marine industry and locally, was a Peterborough icon who rose to become president of the former Outboard Marine Corp. of Canada from 1980 to 1986 and then became the city’s economic development officer.

Les Groombridge died in the palliative care unit at Peterborough Regional Health Centre. In recent years he had been afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease.

Marine displays manufacturer Nauticomp has appointed Invisible Communications Pty Ltd to distribute, support and service the company’s products in Australia and New Zealand.

Nauticomp’s product line includes the new waterproof, sunlight readable multi-functional Genesis Series Displays, offering a cost effective, rugged solution suitable for all environmental conditions. A slim case design allows for installation in tight spaces. Efficient LED backlight technology reduces power draw at all levels.

Mustang Survival, along with key marine industry partners, will be participating in the 2^nd annual National Ready Set Inflate Day to kick off National Safe Boating Awareness Week, May 21 to 27, 2011. Aside from raising awareness for boating safety, Ready Set Inflate’s main objective is to beat last year’s world record for inflating the most lifejackets in one day. Other participants, including marine industry associations across North America, will also be hosting Ready Set Inflate Day events to collectively beat last year’s record of 1,154 lifejackets inflated on a single day.

“People always ask me what’s the best personal flotation device out there and my answer is always ‘The one you wear!’” said Rick Cassels,

If you have taken the Restricted Operator’s Certificate (Maritime) to legally operate a marine VHF radio in Canada, you have probably had to take the course and pass the test offered by the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons…and that means you learned and practiced distress calls.

If you were in a real distress situation, a clever boat name could suddenly become a liability though. A mayday situation is no time to have to explain what your name means and how it’s spelled. The Coast Guard may not get the joke!

Natural Marine, a proud sponsor of the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons (CPS), are now providing $1000 of their Eco-Boat Care products as an incentive for the various districts to participate in the new national CPS Courtesy Check Program.

The program helps prepare for your boating season by getting a FREE Courtesy Check from a local CPS squadron who also provide a safety inspection sticker.

CPS, working in partnership with Transport Canada’s Office of Boating Safety,

Hub Steenbakkers, (on right of picture) of Collins Bay Marina, Kingston, Ontario, is this year’s recipient of the Natural Marine/ Mason’s Chandlery National Environment Award.

This blown glass trophy, in the form of a hollow raindrop, that has trapped air from the year 2000, was created by Shirley Elford, Clairford Studios, Hamilton, Ontario. Elford is the artist who creates the annual Canadian Juno Awards. The National Environment Award  was commissioned and presented by Bill Milne, President of Natural Marine.

For the second year in a row, Campion Marine is proud to announce that it is a winner of a Green Business Award through the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce. The award recognizes environmentally sustainable practices. “It is fantastic that our goal to become the Green Boat builder is being recognized, and it is definitely an honour to receive this award two years in a row,” states Brock Elliott, General Manager for Campion Marine.

“We are continuously motivated to search out the best products and practices to improve our boats, for the environment and the boater,” says Elliott.

The Marine Retailers Association of American, (MRAA) has announced that Matt Gruhn will be the next President of the organization. He will succeed Phil Keeter, who is retiring at the end of 2011.

As Group Publisher overseeing Affinity Media’s trade group — Boating Industry, as well as Powersports Business magazines and their ancillary products — Gruhn has been instrumental in the implementation and execution of Boating Industry’s Top 100 Dealers Program and the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, working on the latter in conjunction with the MRAA Convention Committee.