Taco Marine has been recognized with a Fisheries Supply Innovation Award. Fisheries Supply sought the help of marine media, brokers, retailers, builders and boatyard industry experts to judge the Innovation Awards program. Awards were given to products that differentiated from the competition, provide value and fill a need in the boating industry. Taco Marine was [...]

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

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 [...]

The City of Miami Commission has approved the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) to produce the Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show at Miami Marine Stadium Park. “In 2016, the Miami International Boat Show will mark 75 years in Miami,” noted NMMA President Thom Dammrich, “and I’m not sure there’s a better way to commemorate [...]

U.S. boat sales were still running slightly less than 10 percent ahead of 2013 through November, according to a report by Info-Link, which tracks the outdoor-recreation industry. Its Bellwether report tracks boat sales across the country based on new U.S. boat registrations. Continuing a trend the service had noted during 2014, every segment of the [...]