I’ve always been amazed at how often nothing short of a crisis is needed to produce changes that logically should have happened outside the context of desperate times. Case in point: Brunswick’s announcement last week that it will move the intro date for 2010 models to September (the industry standard at one time). (Read More…)

Ethanol manufacturers (54 of them) have formed a lobbying organization called Growth Energy that has filed a petition with EPA to permit an increase in the ethanol content of gasoline from 10 percent to 15 percent (E10 to E15). It’s now time for the marine industry and all boat owners to push EPA to deny Growth Energy’s petition! (Read More…)

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it: “Never waste a good crisis.” If you know anything about Netanyahu, a decorated soldier in the Israeli Army, you would likely assume he was referring to some incident in Israel. He was not. (Read More…)

Alaska. It’s the state with the most coast line . . . the most salmon . . . and now, perhaps, the most interesting legislation affecting manufacturer-dealer relationships. (Read More…)

“It’s a man’s world” . . . or so the saying goes. Maybe it was, but it’s doesn’t seem so anymore. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, it’s estimated that men will soon be in the minority. Specifically, between 2008 and 2013, males will account for just 49 percent of the nation’s population! (Read More…)

Those of you who regularly read this blog know of my disappointment that the “Discover Boating” national ad campaign was dry docked this winter, a victim of the current economy. I believe in that program and look for it to come back ASAP! (Read More…)

How things can change! Less than a year ago, gasoline prices were soaring and so were the fortunes of the corn-based ethanol producers. In addition, the Bush administration had just mandated a steady increase in the annual production of ethanol to 36 billion gallons per year by 2022. If you were a corn farmer or ethanol refiner, you were as happy as a suntan lotion salesman in a nudist camp. (Read More…)

Oh, oh! Seems there’s been a slight miscalculation on the financial sector bailout plan. Go figure! According to the March report from the Congressional Budget Office, we taxpayers will have to cough up about $167 billion more than originally announced. (Read More…)

In this day and age, almost all dealers have a Web site working for them, or should have. After all, it’s an important 21st century vehicle for stimulating business. Or, is it? (Read More…)