Michigan State University’s Capital News Service reports the federal government has awarded $471,000 to the Michigan Sea Grant that includes money to help Great Lakes coastal communities in the state devise ways to attract tourists to local harbors for recreational boating. Sea Grant will select four communities around Michigan to participate in the study over [...]

Citing demand for its new L-Class yachts, Knoxville, Tenn.-based boatmaker Sea Ray will reactivate its Sykes Creek manufacturing facility in Merritt Island, Fla., this summer. Hiring began in January; the company expects to create up to 100 new jobs over the next 12 months.

Total boat restorations can be a lucrative, if laborious, project in the wake of fires, storms and water-borne debris.

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based OceanLED USA LLC, LED-lighting specialists for the marine industry, is relocating to new office space that accommodates the company’s business growth. The new 3,800-square-foot office in Deerfield Beach, Fla., will provide additional space for OceanLED’s sales, technical support, marketing department and warehouse.

Sunseeker International has appointed Phil Popham as chief executive officer. He joins Sunseeker after 25 years with Jaguar Land Rover, most recently as group marketing director; he has also held positions as group sales director, managing director of Land Rover, as well as working in North America and South Africa for the company. He took [...]

The Michigan Senate in December 2014 unanimously passed a package of bills that “stiffen penalties” and lower the blood-alcohol content—to 0.08 percent from the current 0.10 percent—“for people who are found to be intoxicated while driving their recreational vehicles and boats,” the Detroit Free Press reported. According to the U.S. Coast Guard’s 2013 Recreational Boating [...]

Wholesale shipments of outboard engines in Canada were up 4.1 percent over the previous year through November, the NMMA reports. Corresponding dollars were up 5.2 percent, while warranty card registrations were down 2.1 percent.

The National Boating Safety Advisory Council recently announced the publication of Issue 88 of the Boating Safety Circular (BSC #88) to continue to inform the public and boat builders of the latest safety related news and announcements in the form of a brief newsletter. The publication is an official communication from the U.S. Coast Guard [...]

The US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider has announced a major partnership with Sunbrella fabrics. Sunbrella will be named a Gold-level sponsor of the team, the nation’s Olympic and Paralympic sailing team, and also as the presenting sponsor of ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami, North America’s premier Olympic and Paralympic classes regatta. The Glen Raven, N.C.-based [...]

Hendersonville, N.C.-based technical textile maker Heytex has purchased BondCoat of Pulaski, Va., and will retain all current management and employees. Established in 1949, BondCoat specializes in coated and laminated textiles for defense equipment, transportation, specialized industrials, commercial tents, and leisure and sports markets. The combined company now has a total of four production sites on [...]