Changing Scene

  • ELECTRONICS DEALERS ATTEND GOST 7TH ANNUAL TECHNICAL TRAINING AND SALES SEMINAR

    Marine security, tracking and monitoring products supplier GOST® (Global Ocean Security Technologies) recently hosted their leading marine electronics dealers at the company's 7th annual technical training and sales seminar at the Bahia Mar Resort and Marina in Fort Lauderdale. The one-day seminar featured an overview of the GOST product line, the introduction of new products and company integrations with FLIR and KVH products. The seminar also featured a live demonstration of a complete GOST system aboard Phantom, a 62 Azimut, where dealers experienced the GOST Cloak deterrent system first-hand.

  • 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,

  • THE CANADIAN SAFE BOATING COUNCIL REMINDS YOU TO NOMINATE YOUR LOCAL BOATING HEROES TODAY

    Ah, summer. This is the time that we, as Canadian boaters, enjoy the most. Early morning forays onto the water in search of that elusive catch; afternoons spent carving a perfect wake and quiet evenings spent cruising pristine shorelines. It's also the perfect time to think about recognizing the efforts of those who do so much to make our favourite on-water activities both safer and environmentally sustainable…and it's through the Canadian Safe Boating Awards that you can do just that.

  • 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.

  • RENOWNED SPEAKER STEVE DONAHUE TO DELIVER IMBC KEYNOTE

    Motivational speaker, bestselling author, and former comedian Steve Donahue will deliver the keynote address at the International Marina & Boatyard Conference (IMBC), scheduled for January 29-31, 2014, at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Donahue's presentation, "Get a New Story," will be held on Thursday, January 30, at 8:30 am. IMBC is produced by the Association of Marina Industries (AMI). Described as "the best speaker we've ever had" by Volkswagen and having sold over 100,000 copies of his book Shifting Sands, Donahue is exploring some new territory at IMBC 2014 by offering specific humorous examples of how you can get things right by first getting them wrong.

  • THOM DAMMRICH TO SPEAK AT NEWPORT INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW OPENING DAY PRESS CONFERENCE

    Newport Exhibition Group, owners and producers of the Newport International Boat Show, have announced that its annual State of the Industry Press Conference will take place on opening day, Thursday, September 12th from 1:30 PM to 2:45 PM in the Sunset Terrace on the show grounds. Open to the press and individuals attending the Newport International Boat Show, the press conference will feature keynote speaker Thom Dammrich, president of the National Marine Manufactures Association (NMMA), who will present information on the marine industry followed by a question and answer session. Brad Read, executive director of Sail Newport, will provide an update on the Newport stopover of the 2014 -15 Volvo Ocean Race. The event will conclude with remarks by Harry Winthrop, the mayor of Newport.

  • ATLANTIS WEATHERGEAR TO SPONSOR THE 2013 NYYC INVITATIONAL CUP

    Atlantis WeatherGear, the American sailing apparel brand designed by sailors for sailors, today announced that they have renewed their sponsorship of the biennial New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup presented by Rolex.  The event, hosted by the NYYC at their Harbour Court facility in Newport, RI beginning September 7th, 2013, is slated to include teams representing 20 of the finest yacht clubs from 13 different countries. First sailed in 2009, the Invitational Cup was conceived by the NYYC in 2007 as a competition between “Corinthian” (amateur) teams representing high-profile yacht clubs from around the world.  The theme was to revive the spirit of amateur yachting both locally and abroad while bringing together the organizations that have been instrumental in the establishment and growth of the sport over the past two centuries.

  • 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.

  • BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR MARINA ELECTRICAL SAFETY NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH AMI

    The Association of Marina Industries (AMI) has released a new manual for marinas: Best Management Practices for Marina Electrical Safety. The manual is designed to give marina staff an overview of common marina electrical components, potential hazards and how to identify and correct them, and tools that every facility should have onsite. It also offers suggestions for how to work with customers to ensure their boats are safe. The manual was drafted with input and information from John Adey at ABYC (American Boat &Yacht Council), Chris Dolan with Eaton Marina Power and Lighting, Mark Stafford at Marinas International and Captain John McDevitt.

  • THIRD SAIL-IN CINEMA™ DRAWS LARGEST CROWD YET

    Sail In CinemaCanada's floating movie experience, Sail-In Cinema™ returned to the water's edge this year to its largest audience ever. More than 5000 people and 100 boats attended this year's festival. The free three-day festival ran August 15 to 17 at Sugar Beach, featuring three well-loved movies from the 1980s – Ghostbusters, The Princess Bride and Back to the Future. "Attendance this year more than doubled from previous years," said Toronto Port Authority Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Pamela McDonald. "We are delighted by the response and are proud that we have created a unique, free outdoor event that draws thousands of Torontonians to enjoy and rediscover a revitalized waterfront."

  • 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.

  • LEARN SAILING AT HOME WITH NEW ONLINE LEARN TO SAIL COURSE

    Learning to sail just got easier. A new "Online Learn to Sail" course from America's #1 sailing school, Offshore Sailing School, and the leading national boating safety organization funded by a half million boaters, the BoatUS Foundation, is perfect for anyone thinking about getting into sailing or renewing old skills. The narrated curriculum with easy to comprehend video, animations, and Offshore Sailing School instructors teaching aboard the Colgate 26 is designed to enhance and streamline the learning process and give sailors a leg up before they hit the water. It dovetails well, and is great for learning prior to taking any Offshore Sailing School course. The cost is $75 but the course will be available for a limited time at the introductory price of $55. It can be found at BoatUS.org/offshore-sailing.

  • 2013 NMMA CANADA HALL OF FAME – CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

    Nominations are now being accepted for the 2013 National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) Canada Hall of Fame. Recipients of the NMMA Canada Hall of Fame include those who have, or those who continue to generate substantial and lasting contributions toward the advancement of the marine industry. The Hall of Fame honours individuals whose achievements are synonymous with the pursuit of quality, innovation and perfection within their respective spheres of expertise.

  • THE ONLY SHOW LIKE IT ON THE LAKE!

    Join us for the 23rd Port Credit In-Water Boat Show! The Port Credit In-Water Boat Show is celebrating its 23rd year from August 23-25th.  The only show of its kind on Lake Ontario, the Port Credit Boat Show is THE late summer boat show to attend.   Board over 100 new and used power and sailboats or check out the land displays of marine accessories and services. The Speaker’s tent features seasoned boaters who talk about boat handling; boat repair; cruising and more.