The new Outdoor Recreational Industry Roundtable has released its second white paper, shared with the Trump transition team outlining the necessary expanded access to public lands and waters in order to grow and diversify outdoor recreation in the U.S. Some of the key asks in the access white paper include: commit to granting access for diverse recreation activities [...]

President Obama signed the Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act of 2016 into law, a critical bill that quantifies the true size of the outdoor economy, including recreational boating. Better known as the REC Act, it will instruct the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce (DOC) to assess and analyze the [...]

The U.S. House passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), also known as the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN). The bill approves critical funding improvements and upkeeps for our nation’s waterways and harbors and includes ecosystem, dredging, flood control, and navigation programs. The WRDA will now be up for consideration in the Senate. [...]

The new Outdoor Recreational Industry Roundtable, a group of more than 10 outdoor industries that come together that have come together to call attention to the collective breadth and positive impact of our nation’s recreation and outdoor industry, shared a white paper with Trump transition team that outlines the critical infrastructure needed to sustain and [...]

In its efforts to create safer waterways, the National Safe Boating council (NSBC) is seeking industry support on Tuesday, Nov. 29 for #GivingTuesday. Its #GivingTuesday efforts are focused on keeping children safe while boating by teaching them valuable lessons, such as proper life jacket wear. To support the campaign you can donate by clicking here and you [...]

The Larson Boat Group has announced plans to consolidate its Little Falls, Minn., facility with its larger Pulaski, Wis., plant. The Little Falls plant manufactures the boating lines Larson, Larson FX, Larson Escape, Striper and Triumph. President and chief executive of Larson Boat Group Rob Parmentier released a statement indicating that "after months of analysis, [...]

The Chamber of Marine Commerce (CMC) has appointed Bruce R. Burrows as president, effective December 1, 2016. Burrows joins the chamber as the bi-national industry association enters a new chapter, having recently completed a merger with the Canadian Shipowners Association in September. Burrows brings almost 35 years of government relations, business development and consensus-building expertise [...]

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) New Powerboat Registrations Report has been updated with advanced September data. Through September 2016, total new powerboat unit sales are up 6.6 percent year over year (YOY). For additional data from NMMA by boat type, hull material, propulsion and size going back five years, see the full report. NMMA members [...]

Nominations are being accepted for the 2017 Alan J. Freedman Memorial Leadership Awards. Recipients of the NMMA Freedman Award are individuals who made outstanding contributions to the marine accessories industry through leadership, creativity and personal motivation. To nominate an individual, complete and submit the formal application to Rachel Timko, rtimko@nmma.org by Nov. 30. The award will be presented at the Progressive [...]

Now is the time to submit your best fabrication projects for a chance to win a Fabrication Excellence Award. The deadline to submit projects is Dec. 5. The award winners will receive a feature spot in Marine Fabricator magazine, a recognition on the MFA website and participation in the awards ceremony dinner at the Marine Fabricators Conference. The [...]