According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), outboard boats—which include pontoons, fiberglass and aluminum fishing boats, as well as small family cruisers—are the most popular boats sold, capturing 84 percent of the powerboat market. Sales were up 4.7 percent in 2013. Ski and wakeboard boats are also seeing a resurgence, up 11 percent. About [...]

David M. Foulkes, vice president of product development, engineering and racing at Mercury Marine, will take on added responsibilities as the company’s new chief technology officer. Mercury Marine is Brunswick’s largest operating segment. Foulkes has been with Mercury Marine since 2007 and previously spent 18 years with Ford Motor Co. He also has worked with [...]

More than 200 leaders in the recreational fishing and boating industries are seeking congressional support for key policy changes to saltwater recreational fisheries management. The changes would be reflected in the pending reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (1976), the primary law governing federal saltwater fisheries management. The National Marine Manufacturers Association [...]

Nautique Boat Co.’s Super Air Nautique G23 was chosen as WakeWorld online magazine’s Riders Choice Wakeboarding Boat of the Year and also WakeWorld’s first Wakesurfing Boat of the Year. Last year WakeWorld readers selected the Orlando, Fla.-based company’s Super Air Nautique G23 as Boat of the Year and the Nautique Surf System as Innovation of [...]

Premier Marine Inc. of Wyoming, Minn., has promoted Lori Melbostad from vice president of operations to company president. The move puts Melbostad in charge of the company and all operations. Current president and founder Bob Menne will remain the CEO of the luxury pontoon builder and will continue his involvement as a spokesperson for the [...]

NVision Inc. of Coppell, Texas, a 3D laser scanning and reverse engineering specialist, has helped a motorsports boat designer optimize the design of the custom-built propellers created for its Top Fuel Hydro drag boat. The boat is equipped with two custom-designed and hand-made propellers. After installing the two redesigned, and now identical, propellers on the [...]

ADP Lightspeed of Salt Lake City, Utah, has been renamed CDK Global Recreation. It is now a business unit of CDK Global Inc. CDK Recreation remains part of the former ADP Dealer Services organization, and the CDK Recreation team will retain the same people and size. Lightspeed will remain the name for products. The business [...]

Intrepid Powerboats of Dania, Fla., offers the first natural-gas-powered hybrid yacht direct from the factory. The boat features fuel system technology from Blue Gas Marine to power its outboard motors. The Blue Gas Natural Gas Hybrid is the first technology of its kind and it was developed by Blue Gas Marine Inc., which is based [...]

The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is looking to fund Grassroots Grant projects that utilize new, innovative approaches that encourage safe and clean boating among the boating public. Organizations with the best ideas will be awarded grants of up to $10,000 to implement their project. The deadline for applications is Jan. 15, [...]

Steve Szenay, first vice chair of the Marine Fabricators Association, and Tom Hunter, longtime MFA board member, each released books this past fall. Szenay’s “Marine Canvas Track to Track” offers “seven secrets to installing the perfect track.” They are his insights, gained from visiting some 1,100 canvas shops across the country, into the business of [...]