There is a discernible difference in the techniques used by fabricators for large vessels as compared to smaller recreational craft, including scale, expense and scheduling. Photo: CHRISTO303 When you think about ocean, lake or river cruise lines, what comes to mind? Luxury travel, certainly. Beautiful, natural surroundings, definitely. And the ships themselves: large, [...]

Increases in both attendance and the number of co-hosts were cited for the success of the 2013 American Boating Congress, hosted by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), which wrapped May 9 in Washington, D.C. Attendance at the congress increased from 160 to 200 and the number of co-hosts increased from 13 to 31, compared [...]

It’s a product that initially excelled at making quick and quality work while polishing shoes, but it’s proving to be equally effective at multiple other tasks. The Buffer Bit is a uniquely designed product that turns any hand drill into a top-of-the-line polishing tool. The Buffer Bit is the only interchangeable drill-powered buffing, polishing and [...]

Brownell Trailers’ new ROK boat stands, unlike painted ones, are rustproof and corrosion-resistant, with fully hot-dipped galvanized bases and cast steel hot-dipped galvanized handles. Stackable and nestable with other major boat stand brands, ROK stands are built with 5 degrees more pitch, adjustable screw tops (interchangeable with other brands) and solid steel roll threaded rods. [...]

In May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its annual report on U.S. fisheries, praising the commercial and recreational fishing industries for their role in rebuilding six nearly depleted stocks. Last year, Southern Tanner crab, Acadian redfish, windowpane, yellowtail flounder, Coho salmon and pink shrimp stocks were successfully rebuilt. Today, 90 percent of [...]

The National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC) has released the 2012 Life Jacket Wear Observation Study. The report provides data and analysis in addition to a comparison of information from the previous 13 years’ studies (1999-2011). Tracking the changes in life jacket wear rates over time provides important statistics for those individuals and groups responsible [...]

Building on the success of last fall’s marina makeover workshop, the International Marina Institute (IMI), a training subsidiary of the Association of Marina Industries (AMI), has scheduled a second “Marina Makeover: An Interactive Experience” Nov. 16–17, 2013, at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare Hotel in Rosemont, Ill. “We had initially planned only one of these [...]

A recent publication from the Personal Watercraft Industry Association stresses the importance of safety, education and rider responsibility in order to fully enjoy the watercraft. The piece also notes many of the improved design features, stability and engine technology on today’s personal watercraft. The PWIA offers important safety tips, rider rules, local laws and personal [...]

The U.S. Coast Guard recently released the completed 2011 National Recreational Boating Survey. This is the first in a series of reports that will convey the results of and describe tools to be produced from the newly designed and implemented survey. The report focuses on overall boating participation, boat ownership, the types of boats used [...]

According to a U.S. Coast Guard report released in May, recreational-boating-related injuries, accidents and deaths decreased in 2012 from 2011; deaths in boating-related accidents fell from 758 to 651, a 14.1 percent decrease and the lowest number of boating fatalities on record. Injuries decreased from 3,081 to 3,000, and the total reported recreational boating accidents [...]