Changing Scene

  • BRP INAUGURATES ITS NEW MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN QUERÉTARO, MEXICO

    BRP recently inaugurated its new manufacturing facility in Querétaro, Mexico. In its facility located in Querétaro’s industrial park, BRP assembles Rotax engines for its Can-Am off-road vehicles, assembles the Sea-Doo Spark watercraft and manufactures composite hulls and decks for Sea-Doo watercraft. By 2015, the entire Sea-Doo watercraft line-up will be produced in the Querétaro facility. Once completed, the project will represent an investment of approximately MXN1.260MM (CA$100M) and should employ some 1,100 people by 2015. The Querétaro facility is designed to meet LEED certification standards. During construction, BRP

  • GARMIN INTRODUCES SIDEVU AND DOWNVU SIDE-SCANNING SONAR

    Garmin has just announced their new down and side-scanning sonar technology called SideVü and DownVü.  Garmin will also be offering a brand new line of standalone echo fishfinders and echoMAP combination units with built-in DownVü capability.  A software update that allows any new GPSMAP 500 and 700 series units to be DownVü compatible will be released in addition to these units.  The company will also be offering the GCV 10, their SideVü and DownVü sonar black box with CHIRP scanning technology.  The GCV 10 will provide a near-picture quality image and is compatible with the echoMAP 70 series, GPSMAP 700, 800 and 1000 series.

  • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW PUBLICITY OPPORTUNITIES

    Each year the Toronto Boat Show's PR TEAM is asked over and over by media — "What's New?" Exhibitors who have benefited from the show's PR efforts in the past are aware of how effective show publicity can be for their business.
    The show’s extensive publicity campaign reaches hundreds of influential journalists and broadcasters eager to learn what's new in the industry and at the Toronto Boat Show.
     What you upload for the New Product Showcase will also be used for the show's PR efforts!

  • BENETEAU SELECTS VIAGE GROUP AS ITS EXCLUSIVE POWERBOATS DEALER IN WEST FLORIDA

    Beneteau America has named Viage Group, based in Sarasota, Florida, as the exclusive dealer for Beneteau’s Powerboats Division in Western Florida.
    “The Viage Group is a new joint venture between longtime industry executives Eddie Russell and Barry Marshall. Their combined expertise and commitment to customer satisfaction give little doubt to the success our brands will meet with their support in Western Florida, and by extension the greater Florida Panhandle region”, commented  Justin Joyner, powerboat sales manager for Beneteau America. “Beneteau is 100 percent

  • IBEX HIRES LAURA SHERMAN AS THE NEW SEMINAR MANAGER

    The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) is pleased to announce the hire of Laura Sherman as the new IBEX Seminar Manager. IBEX is owned and produced by Professional BoatBuilder magazine and the National Marine Manufacturers Association. Sherman will work directly with Professional BoatBuilder magazine to manage the seminar series and educational content of IBEX. She has held positions in advertising at Professional BoatBuilder and WoodenBoat magazines since 2004 and as part of the show management team for The WoodenBoat Show since 2007. Sherman’s experience in advertising management, customer service, and event operations and promotions uniquely qualify her to manage the educational content of IBEX.

  • NMEA LEADERSHIP CHANGES ANNOUNCED

    The National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) has announced that Johnny Lindstrom, a design engineer at Westport Shipyard, will become chairman of the NMEA board of directors effective January 1, 2014. Lindstrom will succeed David Gratton, who is completing a three-year term.

    “Johnny will be highly effective in his leadership role as chairman,” said Gratton. “He is known for accomplishing in one hour tasks that take some people weeks or months. I know that our timeline for getting things done is going to change dramatically.”

  • BOATCANWEST.COM LAUNCHES & CREATES BOATCAN ALLIANCE

    Boatcan, an Internet advertising web service that began in the year 2000, and specializes in matching boat sellers with boat buyers, is expanding into Western Canada with the launch of a new website. Boatcanwest.com has been launched by Boatcan and it will focus on advertising boats for sale, products for sale and services for clients in the western part of Canada and beyond. The launch of the new search engine optimized website, also formally puts an "alliance" in place between Boatcan, Boatcan West, Canadian Yachting and Canadian Yachting West. The sharing of platforms of print and electronic media, makes the allied companies the largest combined marine web source in Canada.

  • THE YACHT SHOP BUYS CLOSE-OUT SUPER DEALS

    The North Sails Yacht Shop is a Chandlery, Rigging Shop, and North Sails Loft out of Halifax & Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. From hardware inventory to rigging expertise to all your brand name sailing gear, the Yacht Shop has everything you need Onboard!  Recently, The Yacht Shop purchased the complete inventory of the Laser Performance Sailing Center in Rhode Island. The product has now all been inventoried and priced to clear. Visit yachtshop.ca and Like the Yacht Shop on Facebook to check out all the amazing prices on gear from GILL, RONSTAN, SEA, SLAM, ZHIK, and more!

  • REGISTER TODAY! LESS THAN 2 WEEKS TO THE BOATING ONTARIO CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW

    The Boating Ontario Conference & Trade Show starts Sunday December 1st – less than two weeks away and here are 11 great reasons why you should be there!
     You'll…
    1.    Hear success stories, talks and workshops that will inspire you to bring new ideas into your work.
    2.    Listen to respected industry leader, Donald Dubois from Princecraft share his perspective on Canada's recreational boating industry.
    3.    Become enthused about sales at your dealership and become your customer's "I gotta person" in the industry.
    4.    Bust the myth that Social Media is a waste of time… or will solve all of your problems.

  • PLANNING PARTNERSHIP RESULTS IN WORLD-CLASS MARINA

    Soon after its long-awaited opening this summer, Ben Eoin Marina in Nova Scotia sold out—a testament to a community group's determination and commitment to creating a world-class facility. "We had little or no experience," said Robert Sampson chairman/president of the non-profit marina group. He readily acknowledges the support and assistance of marina specialist Structurmarine in helping bring Ben Eoin Marina to life.
    "We needed to find partners who could be trusted to provide the best advice and the lowest cost. Structurmarine understood this, and worked hard to get the marina done on time and within budget. They played a significant role in helping us achieve our goals," he said.

  • PRINCECRAFT…60 YEARS YOUNG!

    In April 2014, Princecraft Boats will officially celebrate its 60th year in the boating industry and also its 60th year of expertise! Not only the trademark exists since 60 years, it also has been 60 years since boats are designed and built, from A to Z, in its Princeville plants. The company's DNA and roots are the foundation of those 60 years. Here is a brief overview of this Canadian institution.

    Established in 1954 under the name Aluminum Boats & Canoes (1954-1970), the company went on to do business under a variety of names, including Canadian Boat Manufacturing (1970–1973), Alcan Marine Products (1973–1985), and Altra Marine Products (1985–1990), before

  • ROSWELL WAKE-AIR PARTNERS WITH NEW RMA DISTRIBUTOR

    Roswell Wake-Air is proud to announce that B&B Electronics will now distribute their Roswell Marine Audio (RMA) line of products throughout Canada.

    A leader of innovation in the boat accessories industry for over 15 years, Roswell Wake-Air chose to partner with B&B Electronics because of their commitment to dealer support, high level of technical expertise and passion for all things audio.

  • Halifax-based PRAXES Steps Up for 2013/2014 Clipper Round the World Race

    3 days, 21 hours, 8 minutes and 5 seconds into Race 3, Leg 2 of the 2013/2014 Clipper Round the World Race (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil to Cape Town, South Africa), Halifax-based PRAXES – the race’s Global Emergency Medical Partner – is launching its first ever Twitter program targeted at the South Africa market…to attract new customers in the next ports of call. A program to push Google ads globally is also underway. But that’s not the beginning of this extraordinary partnership at sea.

  • PORALU MARINE ANNOUNCES NEW WEBSITE

    Poralu Marine has just released its new website! The new website will make searching through all of their cutting edge aluminium docks and designs simple and efficient. Poralu Marine only accepts the highest quality from the aluminium docks it supplies. The marina built to last 20 years is in the past, they will provide you with a marina for the future that will last 30-40 years with almost no maintenance and absolutely no rust. Even when all your boats have changed sizes your marina will still be up to date. The new website compliments the service you will be provided when working with their

  • MANY NEW MODELS DEBUT AT THE 2013 FT LAUDERDALE INT’L BOAT SHOW

    In his speech at the Industry Breakfast event that traditionally opens the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, manager Efram (Skip) Zimbalist III announced that the show’s footprint had expanded to be by far the biggest in the show’s history.
    In terms of revenue will also be the biggest show in the history of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show which has a staggering 3,000,000 ft.² of exhibit space across three different locations. The indoor area at the Convention Center has been expanded by 30,000 more square feet to accommodate more of the smaller boats including pontoons, so this isn’t just a super yacht show.

  • AMERICAN BOAT AND YACHT COUNCIL WELCOMES MEMBERSHIP MANAGER KEVIN SCULLEN

    ABYC has added Kevin Scullen to the already successful team that is based in Annapolis, Maryland.

    "Kevin comes to ABYC as a seasoned membership professional with a wealth of local knowledge and boating experience,” said

    John Adey, ABYC President. "We are really looking forward to his insight and new ideas.”

    Prior to ABYC, Kevin served as a National Program Manager at the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), a 350,000 member

  • BRAZILIAN ACOBAR WINS ICOMIA WORLD MARINAS CONFERENCE 2016 BID

    Less than a month before the International Council of Marine Industry Associations’ (ICOMIA) World Marinas Conference 2014 officially launches, the ICOMIA Marinas Group together with Brazilian Boatbuilders Association ACOBAR have announced that the next edition of the globally prominent travelling Conference will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in April 2016. The ICOMIA World Marina Conferences (WMC), which have been previously held across Europe, the US, Australia and Asia, are "must attend" events for all marina owners, operators and developers. The Conferences are highly informative and relevant to global market trends, whilst the

  • BUSY 2013 CONTINUES FOR PHILBROOK’S BOATYARD

    Philbrook's Boatyard of Sidney BC has enjoyed a busy year that shows no signs of slowing as the boating season winds down. Jerry Boone, yard project manager, says increased spending by US boat owners drove a significant increase in business over 2012, helped along by an extra-sunny and long boating season. “We're busy, way busier than last year. Fifty percent of our business is still from the US – US boaters are spending a lot more money this year than last, and it's apparent,” said Boone. “Also, it was a beautiful summer, and people used their boats more…and broke stuff or decided they needed new gear, more work, upgraded electronics, and so on.”