Oct 24, 2022
ABYC gathers the marine industry to celebrate all that’s happened in boating safety
The American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC), the non-profit organization that develops safety standards for the design, construction, maintenance, and repair of boats, has opened registration for its annual Standards Week, January 9-13, 2023, in New Orleans, LA.
Standards Week is dedicated to daily Project Technical Committee (PTC) meetings to discuss updates to Supplement 63 for Standards and Technical Information Reports for Small Craft to be published July 2023. Events also include ABYC’s annual meeting and cocktail reception on January 9, an ABYC regional training seminar on January 10, and an ABYC StandardsCertification course on January 11.
“Standards Week brings a wide range of industry stakeholders together to review and improve boating safety standards,” says Pete Chisholm, Mercury Marine product safety manager and Technical Board chair. “It has the added benefit of allowing an environment to build collaborative relationships across the industry.”
A critical step in developing ABYC safety standards, Standards Week includes participation from a diverse group of marine industry professionals, each with a different perspective and area of expertise. Participants at Standards Week learn which standards are being revised or newly considered for development and how these standards may affect the future of boating.
“PTCs are comprised of over 400 industry professionals with a vested interest in ensuring the standards reflect what they experience, are researching, and what they envision for the future,” added Brian Goodwin, ABYC technical director. “The annual ABYC Standards supplement requires input from those who understand where the industry is headed.”
Below is a list of onsite PTC’s conducting meetings during Standards Week:
· Fire Fighting and Detection Systems
· Electrical
· Fuel and Ventilation
· Control Systems
· Thermal Appliance
For more information about Standards Week, the surrounding events, and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.abycstandardsweek.com .
ABYC is offering discounted rate of $155/night (plus taxes) from January 9-13 for Standards Week attendees at the Doubletree by Hilton, 300 Canal St, New Orleans, LA.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ABYC STANDARDS
· In product liability lawsuits, ABYC standards are the authoritative reference for evaluating issues of design, construction, maintenance, and product performance.
· ABYC standards are the basis of certification programs, marine surveys, and legal judgements.
· ABYC is the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited representative to ISO, and works to promote the needs of the US marine industry in relation to ISO.
· ABYC standards cover a broad range of topics including US federal requirements.
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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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