Changing Scene

  • ONLY 7 WEEKS TO THE NMEA CONFERENCE IN SAN DIEGO

    Only 7 weeks left before the annual NMEA conference and expo begins in San Diego!  Here are a few reminders for those who have and who haven't yet registered and things to think about in planning your visit:
    1.    Booths
    There are a limited number of booths.  If you develop marine electronics, the conference is THE place to get your message to the trade.
     2.    Registrations
    If you have not yet registered, do so soon!  The early bird deadline has been extended.
    If you plan to take the NEW MEI (Jan. 2013), NEW AMEI (Sept. 2013), or NEW NMEA 2000 (Sept. 2012) certificate courses, please register soon to

  • WEST MARINE ANNOUNCES ITS 4TH ANNUAL BLUE FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

    West Marine, the world’s largest specialty retailer of boating supplies and accessories, has released its BlueFuture® 2012 Sustainability Report.  BlueFuture® encompasses West Marine’s company-wide efforts focusing on sustainability, including improving and protecting the marine environments, reducing the company’s carbon footprint and encouraging people to enjoy being out on the water. From  Pure Oceans, the company’s private label brand of “green” boating products, to giving millions of dollars in grants over the years to marine-based non-profits — West Marine continues to demonstrate its commitment to preserving our waters and ensuring that future

  • RACE BOAT THUNDER IN GRAVENHURST BAY

    Billed as the greatest antique and classic race boat show in Canadian history, the Antique & Classic Boat Society (ACBS) Toronto chapter held their annual boat show at the Muskoka Wharf in Gravenhurst, Ontario, July 4-7, 2013.
    Also at the same location is the Muskoka Boat and Heritage Center with a host of historic marine displays to add to the day’s enjoyment. If you like old boats this is the place to be!

  • CANADIAN SAILORS GET NEW SAFETY IPHONE APP

    It was the Canadian Search and Rescue crews who came up with the idea. Obviously they are trying to do themselves out of more rescues than they need – an iPhone App that they hope will keep down the number of sailors who get into trouble. The new iPhone App designed by British Columbia search and rescue crews will help sailors and other boaters stay safe on the water right through this summer.
    Developed by Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCM-SAR), the free Safe Boating App has a range of resources to help all boaters with voyage planning, weather, communication, and emergencies.

  • DAVID DE EYRE CLASSIC – REMEMBERING A LEGACY

    The Boating Ontario Dealers are hosting their 6th Annual Golf Tournament, the David de Eyre Classic in honour of David de Eyre and we invite you to participate. If you have been a part of the marine industry for some time, no doubt you most likely crossed paths with David de Eyre. He was a legacy in the marine industry with his ownership of Clift’s Marine Sales. David was a successful business man and in his prime built Clift’s to be Canada’s largest yacht broker with over 400 listings with several offices throughout Ontario.

  • ROYAL CANADIAN MARINE SEARCH AND RESCUE VESSEL LAUNCH

    July 27th, 2013, saw the launching of the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Station 08, Delta, new Type 1 Fast Response boat at Captain’s Cove Marina in Delta. VIP’s participating in the event and offering their congratulations, were the Honourable Kerry-Lynne Findlay, PC, QC, MP for Delta-Richmond East, and National Minister of Revenue, Vicki Huntington, MLA for South Delta, and Captain Joanne McNish, Regional Director Fleet, Canadian Coast Guard. Hans Verbeek, RCM-SAR Southern Area Representative, read greetings from Delta Mayor Lois Jackson and RCM-SAR President Jim Lee. Norm Dyck, a long time member of Station 08, acted as Master of Ceremonies and provided

  • 2013 GEORGIAN BAY REGATTA IN PROGRESS

    The Georgian Bay Regatta kicked off it's annual week of daily racing on Georgian Bay at the Georgian Yacht Club in Owen Sound on Sunday July. After the official registration at the club the participants all attended the Welcome Dinner at the Owen Sound Legion. The initial race on Monday started out with light winds and some light rain. As we reached the mouth of Owen Sound the winds built to about 10 knots and the reach to White Cloud Island took about 3 more hours and anchored in Little Port Elgin Bay for the annual Rafting Party.

  • COMPOSITE PROS TO GIVE FOUR DEMOS OF CLOSED MOLD PROCESSES AT IBEX

    Composites One, Magnum Venus Plastech, and the Closed Mold Alliance will demonstrate several composite manufacturing techniques during the live demonstrations and outdoor exhibits at the 2013 International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX). Organizers stated that this demonstration and others would give attendees another perspective on recent trends and advancements in the marine industry. At the Composite Pavilion, attendees can witness four different closed mold processes, including “prepreg” (pre-impregnated composite fibers), a recent advancement in closed mold technology. Seeing the same part built four ways on the same mold will allow spectators to compare and

  • UK SAILMAKERS LOFT OWNERS BUY UK INTERNATIONAL

    UK Sailmakers international (UKi), the owner of the UK Sailmakers name, trademarks and proprietary sailmaking software, has just been purchased by a large group of UK Sailmakers’ loft owners. with the individual lofts becoming owners of the brand, the global group of over 50 lofts will grow stronger and attract more lofts to the group in major sailing centers around the world. This will be a unique business model in sailmaking that will tie together the individually owned lofts more closely. with the lofts becoming partners in the company, there will be more personal capital invested in making the group stronger as profits from the company will be

  • ICOMIA LAUNCHES NEW AND IMPROVED RECREATIONAL BOATING INDUSTRY STATISTICS

    The International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA) has launched its “new and improved” 2012 Recreational Boating Industry Statistics. ICOMIA has been producing its ‘Statistics Book’ for almost 20-years – but this year’s Book is very different. “We agreed that after almost two-decades it was time to move the production of the Book from in-house to an external agency” explains Tony Rice, ICOMIA Secretary General, “And so our newly appointed design-consultant Dima Ivanov, Director of diversified marketing agency Liquid Scope Limited, created a complete revision for the 2012 edition”.

  • THE BOATING DOG’S DAYS OF SUMMER

    Some dogs were born for the water, others less so. The key to boating with dogsis taking it slow and making safety #1. Here are eight tips that you can share with your dog-owning customers this summer:
    Before you go:
    Get a good fitting life jacket and have the dog wear it a few times around the home before they get on a boat. Any pet life jacket should have a handle to easily lift the animal out of the water. Here's a buying guide for dogs of all sizes: www.BoatUS.com/doglifejacket.

  • REC BOAT HOLDINGS EXPANDS THE 2014 FOUR WINNS LINE WITH NEW MODELS

    Rec Boat Holdings has rolled out the new 2014 Four Winns model year line up to more than 30 of their International dealers this week, representing 22 countries from around the world. The company will introduce the new line to its North American dealer network at a special Leadership Conference scheduled for August 4-6th. The latest addition to the Four Winns brand is the all-new Horizon 290 bowrider. The 29-foot luxury sport boat comes packed with features and amenities, providing a full day of on-water cruising with maximum comfort.

  • VOLVO PENTA INTRODUCES NEW 430 HP GASOLINE ENGINE MODEL

    Boating Industry Canada and Canadian Yachting magazine travelled to Sweden last month for a preview of the new Volvo Penta products. The company has now announced their new V8 gasoline engine for the leisure marine market. This new V8-430 is a high-performance engine based on the award-winning V8-380 design launched by Volvo Penta last year. “The new generation of V8 engines from Volvo Penta is the result of intense development work and represents a real technological leap forward in the field of gasoline sterndrive engines for marine use,” said Ron Huibers, President, Volvo Penta of the Americas. “The V8-430 is based on

  • NOVA SCOTIA BOATBUILDERS ASSOCIATION HOSTS ABYC COURSES

    The Nova Scotia Boatbuilders Association will hosts an ABYC Marine Electrical Certification course in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia this December 9 through 12, 2013; starting at 8:30am daily. Designed for those with a minimum of 3-5 years practical experience in the field of marine electrical design, service or installation, students new to the marine electrical field should not consider this class but rather one of our Basic Marine Electrical Systems.

  • BOAT YARDS CAN BENEFIT FROM DRY ICE BLASTING

    Recently, the famous statue, Rising, located on Toronto’s University Avenue’s, received a magical transformation using dry ice blasting – a process that could be very useful to boat yards. Dry ice blasting has the ability to gently clean and restore a vast range of structures and machinery. EcoJet demonstrated their new “dry ice blasting (DIB)” technique, to restore and clean the esteemed Zhang Huan’s art sculpture, Rising, located at Richmond and University in Toronto. The large-scale exterior sculpture measures about 20m x 20m, weighs approximately 22 tons and resides just north of Adelaide Street on University Avenue. Rising was installed only a year ago, but even having been exposed for

  • ABYC STANDARDS RELEASED

    The annual update to the Standards And Technical Information Reports For Small Craft by which boats are built and repaired will be released August 1, by the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) in Supplement 53. For Supplement 53, ABYC Standard S-31 Environmental Considerations for Electric/Electronic Components Installed Onboard Boats was added.  The following ABYC Standards were revised:
    •         A-1 Marine Liquefied Petroleum LPG Systems
    •         A-3 Galley Stoves

  • FUSION GREATLY INCREASES MOBILE DEVICE COMPATIBILITY WITH STEREO SOFTWARE UPDATE

    Fusion Electronics has announced the release of its latest stereo software upgrade. Offering compatibility with the industry’s widest range of compatible Android and Windows® Mobile devices, the new software incorporates support for the latest media transfer protocol (MTP) allowing Fusion stereos full control and search functionality of hardwire-connected mobile media players. Fusion owners can enjoy their music from a vast and constantly expanding selection of smart phones and media players, ensuring the perfect soundtrack for any day on the water.

  • DO YOUR CUSTOMERS WANT TO KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON WITH “SANDY-HIT” MARINAS?

    For your cruising customers who plan on passing through, or along the New Jersey coast, Long Island and Hudson River, there is a new, free smartphone app that gives them updated map-based information on marinas, boating facilities, waterways and inlets along this heavily trafficked boating corridor. Available for iPhone, iPod and Android phones, the free Sandy Boater's Guide app is offered by Dozier's Waterway Guide, with support from Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), TowBoatUS, the Association of Marina Industries, Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute and the Atlantic City New Jersey Boat Show.

  • IBEX ATTENDEES AND EXHIBITORS TO MEET AND GREET AT ALL-INDUSTRY SOCIAL EVENTS

    Organizers of the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) will host two evening events at this year’s show: the IBEX Opening Night Party at Fourth Street Live! and the Bourbon and Brew Happy Hour. These two parties will complement the conference’s full schedule of classes, workshops, demonstrations and more, allowing the marine industry to connect to one another at fun, after-hours events.
    “People working in the business world know that some of the most important contacts and conversations happen off the clock,” said Anne Dunbar, IBEX Show Director. “We recognize the importance of networking, and that is why IBEX is planning many events, both on and off the show floor.”

  • BOB MILLER APPOINTED TO SPEARHEAD DELTA “T” COMPLETE HVAC

    Delta "T" Systems has announced the appointment of HVAC veteran Bob Miller to its staff. In his role as HVAC specialist of the new Delta "T" Complete vessel ventilation program, Miller's goal is to set a new benchmark of reliability in marine heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and to spearhead the HVAC portion of the new Delta "T" Complete program. This comprehensive new program was formed to offer boatbuilders a one-stop shop for all of their vessels' ventilation requirements, including engine room ventilation, HVAC, galley and head ventilation and unmanned space ventilation.