We would all like to hear some good news these days. And when I say there’s “good news from Washington,” I’ll bet you’re thinking I’ve smoked some bad stuff!  But the truth is in the last few days boating has received some good news from Congress. (Read More…)

In recent years, we speculated that gas price wouldn’t have a serious negative impact on boating activity until it reached the fairy tale $4.00 gallon. We believed our customers were primarily concerned with gas availability, not price; that boaters would pay $3.00 or $3.50/gallon and keep boating. (Read More…)

Kudos to the Marine Marketers of America (MMA) for identifying a growing problem for women in boating and creating a program that could help dealers address it. (Read More…)

In the last year or so, I’ve spent a lot of time fishing the Tampa Bay area. On my way to our boat at the Harborage Marina in downtown St. Petersburg, I pass two dealerships less than 1/2-mile apart, both with excellent frontage on the main highway. (Read More…)

It appears politics is outgunning science and common sense when it comes to fishing regulations these days. Enter the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA), an organization worthy of boating industry support as it advocates in Washington and elsewhere for the nation’s recreational saltwater anglers. (Read More…)

On Tuesday I accused the media of relentlessly playing on people’s fears, and I tried to be convincing that we’ve got to resist being dragged down to low expectations and complacency. Nyla Deputy commented, asking the pointed question:  “…if there is no traffic coming in the door, isn’t it a little hard to sell a boat?” (Read More…)

Every day, the news is filled with one crisis or another, real or imagined. Television networks prepare frightening stories to get ratings while magazines and newspapers flash alarming headlines to spur newsstand sales. The result: people’s expectations get lowered and their fears elevated by the media’s relentless negative skew. (Read More…)

Ohio’s Lt. Governor, Lee Fisher, tossed Great Lakes boating interests a curve this week when the Toledo Blade reported Fisher said the Great Lakes might divert its water to other parts of the country in the future. Preventing the diversion of Great Lakes water has been a major objective of boat owner organizations, the boating industry and many similar groups in the 8 states that surround the Lakes. (Read More…)

Attention all dealers! It has finally happened. The industry’s leading manufacturers have just announced they will provide all dealers with unprecedented new dealer agreements for the 2009 model year. (Read More…)