Feb 28, 2023
April 24-29, 2023 is dedicated to the recognition and celebration of marine service technicians.
To bring awareness and recognition to the hard-working marine service professionals who keep boats safe, reliable, and enjoyable, the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) announced a save the date for “International Marine Service Technician Week,” April 24¬–29, 2023. Everyone is encouraged to participate by celebrating and highlighting their technicians throughout the week.
During the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show ABYC received a Neptune Award from the Marine Marketers of Americas (MMA) for the International Marine Service Technician Week marketing campaign in 2022. The MMA judges commented that ABYC’s event “certainly provided a service to recognize those who make a huge impact on the marine industry.”
“Our inaugural year was a huge success and it was inspiring to see how businesses, publications, and boaters took the holiday and ran with it in their own ways,” said ABYC Marketing and PR Director Shannon Aronson. “It was a feel-good event where we saw social posts of genuine appreciation, pictures of technicians with their families, and companies throwing parties for their employees. I can’t wait to see what people do this year.”
According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) Recreational Boating Statistical Abstract, the surge in demand for boats that began during the COVID-19 pandemic continued into 2021 and boating remains one of the most sought-after leisure activities for Americans into 2021. New powerboat, personal watercraft, and sailboat retail sales surpassed the 300,000 mark in 2021 for only the second time since 2008.
“In order to retain new boaters, the marine industry needs skilled technicians to provide quality and timely repair and maintenance services,” said Aronson. “ABYC created International Marine Service Technician Week as one way to promote this fulfilling career path and pay tribute to the people that keep boating safe, reliable, and enjoyable.”
ABYC is planning to highlight technicians and organizations throughout the week on social media, host daily technical challenges, prize wheel on their website, and offer free online education opportunities. ABYC will also announce the “Outstanding Technician Awards” and will be accepting nominations for 5 winners to receive VISA gift cards and other prizes.
Visit www.abycinc.org/thankyoutechs for ideas on how to participate. To see examples of what businesses have done previously and to follow along this year, search for the social media hashtags #MarineServiceTechWeek and #ThankYouMarineTechs.
To search for an ABYC Certified Technician visit www.FindaBoatTech.com.
ABYC Announces 2nd Annual International Marine Service Technician Week
Recreational craft and invasive species – how to manage biofouling to stop the spread
New Biofouling Management for Recreational Boating Report is published
Killer shrimps, sea squirts and the spiny water flea are all examples of invasive alien species that have been introduced to new areas in various parts of the world by recreational craft such as boats, yachts and other small craft.
Invasive alien species are known to be one of the biggest drivers of biodiversity loss, and their management especially in marine environments is incredibly challenging. Therefore, the most cost effective away of addressing their impacts is to prevent their spread to new areas.
Changing Scene
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Launchings
Brunswick Corporation launches new boat brand designed for electrification and first-time boaters
On January 4, 2023, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC) launched Veer, an all-new boat brand designed to support electric propulsion and appeal to the next generation of boaters, and also debuted the first model in the Veer line-up; the X13.
“Recreational boating and fishing are enjoying increasing popularity with younger and more diverse consumers,” said Matt Atilano, Veer Director of Strategy. “We identified a gap in the marketplace and a need to create a more targeted and modern experience for these new boaters, which inspired the design and development of the Veer brand.”
Garmin expands popular ECHOMAP UHD2 chartplotter series with new features and touchscreen design
Garmin has announced their new ECHOMAP™ UHD2 series chartplotters that offer anglers premium features like Ultra High-Definition sonar, preloaded Garmin Navionics+™ mapping with an included one-year subscription to daily map updates, wireless networking for data sharing and support for Garmin’s award-winning LiveScope™ live-scanning sonar.
Available with a 6”, 7” or 9” bright, sunlight-readable touchscreen display with keyed assist, anglers can easily control and operate the functions they depend on for a successful day on the water, including zooming in or out on the map or quickly toggling between different sonar views.
People
C-Tow Marine Assistance appoints Jill Noel to Manager of Operations
C-Tow Marine Assistance Ltd., which has been serving and assisting recreational boaters across Canadian waterways for more than 35 years, has announced the appointment of Jill Noel to Manager of Operations, effective January 2, 2023.
In her new role, with an overall goal of building the C-Tow brand across Ontario and throughout Canada, Jill will be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations including digital marketing and social media initiatives, company representation at national and local industry events, managing the C-Tow captains, and liaising with marinas, yacht clubs, and marine associations.
