Emigsville, Pa.-based textile manufacturer Herculite Products Inc., has launched a new website: herculite.com. The company says the new site will feature blog articles and download opportunities for informational product documents and white papers. Herculite makes PVC-based textile composites for the awning, marine, digital media, tent, performance fabrics and healthcare markets.

More than 4 million new anglers took the bait in 2013, adding almost 1 million to the ranks, according to the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and the Outdoor Foundation’s “2014 Special Report on Fishing.” According to the report, there were 4.1 million newcomers to fishing in 2013, an increase from the 3.5 million [...]

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) has announced it is combining the Chicago Boat, Sports & RV Show with Strictly Sail Chicago. The event will be known as the Progressive Insurance Chicago Boat, RV & Strictly Sail Show and is scheduled for Jan. 14-18, 2015. The association says the combination of the shows is a [...]

Boat builders and marine industry professionals from around the world will have access to the industry’s premier education program offering everything from fundamental skills to cutting-edge advanced training at the 2014 International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX), taking place Sept. 29-Oct. 2 at the Tampa Convention Center. Among other topics, the schedule includes: Lessons from the [...]

Bloomberg reports both the RV and recreational boating industries “appear to be heating up, suggesting confidence has improved” in both industries. National Marine Manufacturers Association President Thom Dammrich noted purchases of powerboats are “on pace to achieve or even exceed” their forecasted growth of 5 to 7 percent this year. However, Dammrich noted that although he [...]

Bénéteau Group has purchased the Rec Boat Holdings family of brands including Four Winns, Glastron, Wellcraft and Scarab. Cadillac, Mich.-based Rec Boat Holdings reports revenues of about $150 million, employs 475 people, and has a network of more than 200 dealers, Bénéteau said.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports Palm Beach County, Florida, saw an increase in new boat registrations of 14 percent for the year ending in March, according to Info-Link Technologies. An improving economy, attractive financing and people who are tired of waiting to buy are all cited as spurring new sales. New-boat registrations in Palm Beach County [...]

A legal requirement that marine manufacturers have their warranty repair rates approved by the state’s oversight board was removed recently when Gov. Bobby Jindal signed SB 605 into law. The state Motor Vehicle Commission supported the change. The commission said it had not and did not want to enforce the cumbersome and redundant dealer-by-dealer approval process. The requirement [...]

President Barack Obama has signed the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) into law, marking the first water resources policy update in seven years. In addition to wetlands restoration, WRRDA authorizes $12.3 billion for harbor deepening and inland waterways projects nationwide.

The 2014 Progressive Insurance San Diego International Boat Show attracted more than 7,600 visitors throughout the four-day event, up 24 percent compared to 2013; the show also featured 20 percent more exhibit space. Nearly 125 local, national and international companies exhibited at the boat show, and many are reporting it was the most successful show on the [...]