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Fishing News
June is great outdoors month
President Bush and forty state governors have declared the month of June great outdoors month and this week is great outdoors week. A very fitting time to spend the last two days in Washington, DC, attending meetings of the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and the American Recreation Coalition (ARC). I serve as the Chairman of both organizations.
I am joined on the RBFF board by Mike Hebert of Texas Marine, Jason Scruggs of Lowe Boats, Doug Beacham, representing the marina industry and John Hoagland of Mercury Marine to represent the boating industry. There is similar representation from the fishing industry and from state fish and wildlife agencies, SOBA and NASBLA.
RBFF is a federally funded outreach program to increase participation in fishing and boating. Its $12 million annual budget is spent promoting fishing and boating, promoting fishing license sales, and encouraging the youth of our nation to get outdoors fishing and boating. The Take Me Fishing campaign is in its fourth year and has been re-launched with great new creative. Take a look at www.takemefishing.org.
Take Me Fishing has partnered closely with Discover Boating and you will see a much stronger boating presence as part of the Take Me Fishing Web site, in their print ads and online. And, these synergies are helping both campaigns squeeze more value out of every dollar spent.
The American Recreation Coalition last night honored Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne, with the Sheldon Coleman Great Outdoors Award. I was fortunate to join the CEO of Coleman Company, Sam Solomon, to present this honor to Secretary Kempthorne. As Secretary of the Interior, Kempthorne has been a passionate supporter of getting Americans outdoors, and particularly getting kids outdoors, to enjoy our national parks, forests and waterways.
The dozens of recreation industries represented in ARC are all suffering today from high gasoline prices, flagging consumer confidence and a weakening economy. Yet, all understand that it is more important than ever to work together to get more Americans outdoors.
Our future depends on getting more Americans outdoors and boating will surely get its fair share when we succeed in doing so.
House subcommittee approves waterfront bill
The House Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans last week approved H.R. 3223, the Keep Our Working Waterfronts Act, as part of H.R. 5451, the Coastal Zone Reauthorization Act of 2008.
H.R. 3223, sponsored by Rep. Tom Allen, D-Maine, would allow coastal states to invest in the protection, preservation, and expansion of working waterfronts through the Coastal Zone Management Act.
The bill creates a grant program to preserve access to coastal waters for commercial fishing operations and other water-dependent, coastal-related businesses, including recreational boating access. H.R. 3223 does this by amending the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to establish a competitive matching-grant program administered through the Department of Commerce.
The legislation now heads to the House Natural Resources Committee for consideration.
SeaRay sees jump in AquaPalooza registration
If early registration numbers for Sea Ray's annual AquaPalooza are any indication, boaters aren’t going to let these stressful economic times keep them landlocked this summer.
As of Sunday, the multi-location marine extravaganza had seen a 352-percent increase in boat registration and a 395-percent increase in guest registration over last year’s numbers.
Here’s a bottom-line breakdown:
I'm almost speechless, said Sea Ray president Rick Stone, in a statement. This just goes to show that now more than ever people want to get away from the stresses of life and take to the water with family and friends.
Last summer, AquaPalooza attracted more than 10,000 boats and 30,000 guests to 120 events throughout the world. This year, the boating party was expecting to draw more than 50,000 guests this year to 150 events on lakes, rivers, bays and harbors from New York to California, Egypt to Australia. “But with the amount of registrations we’ve already had, AquaPalooza 2008 could be bigger than we ever imagined,” said Stone.
Most of this year’s festivities will take place during the last two weekends in July, but other events are planned both before and after these dates. Sea Ray and its dealers will begin AquaPalooza stateside from July 18-20 at the Signature Event at Coconuts at the Lake, at Lake of the Ozarks, Mo.
Attendees can visit the AquaPalooza Website at www.aquapalooza.com or call 800-SRBOATS for informationAnalysis says boating accidents are on the decline
As National Safe Boating Week (May 17-23) begins, the Personal Watercraft Industry Association today released an analysis of boating safety data showing a decrease in boating accidents in 35 states from 2002 to 2006.
The decline in boating accidents in 22 states exceeds the five-year national decline of 13 percent, according to PWIA. Vermont (83 percent decrease) and Hawaii (71 percent decrease) ranked first and second for the most improved boating safety record. Florida and California, the states with the most registered boats, each saw a 24 percent decrease.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard data that PWIA used in its analysis, accidents involving personal watercraft have declined 31 percent in the same five-year period. Still, because most boating accidents are preventable, PWIA reminds boaters of the steps they can take to improve boating safety in their states.
Taking a boating safety class, wearing a life jacket, operating your boat defensively to avoid collisions and boating sober are all steps that every boater can take that will prevent an enjoyable day from becoming a tragedy, said Maureen Healey, executive director of PWIA, in a statement. She also serves on the board of directors of the National Safe Boating Council.
Coast Guard data shows nine out of 10 boating fatality victims who drowned in 2006 were not wearing a life jacket.
PWIA attributes boating safety improvements to many factors, including industry efforts to promote safe and responsible boating behavior, and laws enacted at the state level to require boater education.
The association says education is especially critical. In 2006, there were 710 boating fatalities nationwide, nearly three-quarters of which occurred on boats where the operator had not taken a boating safety course.
The leading causes of boating accidents are all operator-controlled, such as inexperience, inattention, and excessive speed. The leading types of accidents include collisions with other vessels and collisions with fixed objects such as docks or channel markers.
Thirty-two of the 35 states that have lowered the number of boating accidents in the last five years have some type of mandatory boater education law.
Yamaha changes branding for marine care products
Yamaha Marine Group has put its marine care products under the Yamalube brand.
Products affected include fuel additives, adhesives and lubricants, which will now bear the name Yamalube. With the change comes color-coded packaging designed to improve the customer’s ability to choose the correct product for the job at hand.
Yamaha is creating and launching an extensive campaign for dealers and customers as part of the rollout, including easily identifiable in-store display materials.
Report says Florida has highest boating fatality rate
Florida leads the nation in boating fatalities, with 77 boating-related deaths reported in 2007, according to a report released this week by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The state, it was noted, also leads the country in the number of registered vessels, with more than 1.027 million in 2007. That’s 2,668 above 2006 records.
There were 668 reportable boat accidents in 2007. Many of the boating-related deaths were because of victims falling overboard or capsizing their boat and drowning. A large number of the deaths could have been prevented if the victims had worn life jackets, the commission reported.
According to the report, 70 percent of the operators involved in the accidents had no formal boater education.
Monroe County reported the highest number of accidents and injuries with 74 accidents and four fatalities.
The report also found:
Sea Ray Boats to discontinue production in Merritt Island, Fla.
Sea Ray Boats plans to discontinue boat production at its plant in Merritt
Island, Fla., after June, effective with the 2009 model year. The Knoxville,
Tenn.-based boat builder told its employees Thursday it will be reducing the
number of boats it makes and plans to shift production of certain models from
Merritt Island to other plants in Florida and Tennessee, according to
Brunswick Corp. spokesman Dan Kubera.
The company said the decision was necessary because of market conditions,
calling these the “most challenging times ever seen in the history of the U.S.
marine industry. Based on various indicators, Sea Ray expects demand will
further weaken during 2008, and is taking measures to decrease its production
to better control the supply of boats in the marine pipeline. This must be
done to protect the overall health of the business as well as that of Sea Ray
dealers, according to Brunswick.
Investments, productivity improvements and available capacity at other Sea Ray
locations will allow for the migration of models now produced at Merritt
Island to other Sea Ray plants at Palm Coast, Fla., as well as two plants in
Knoxville, Tenn. When completed, Sea Ray will have a net loss of about 80
jobs. Merritt Island will see a reduction of 350 positions, while there is an
anticipated gain of 270 jobs at the three locations because they will be
adding to their production mix.
The Sea Ray and Merritt Island leadership teams will work to transfer as many
employees as possible between the various Sea Ray manufacturing plants and
other Brunswick Boat Group locations. This decision has no further impact on
other Sea Ray or Brunswick Boat Group manufacturing locations in Florida,
including those at Sykes Creek and Edgewater, according to the company.
Wall Street analysts are offering little hope of early relief after the latest
round of quarterly reports from the industries publicly held companies,
including Brunswick. The companies showed further declines in sales and
profits.
Boat registrations down 1.5 percent
Boat registrations in the United States declined 1.5 percent in 2006 compared to 2005, according to a new report from the National Marine Manufacturers Association. The boat registrations report provides an excellent tool for understanding what's happening within the recreational marine industry on a state-by-state basis. Click here to read the entire article or to contact the NMMA .
Honda Marine announces finance package
Honda Marine will offer special retail financing rates as low as 6.5 percent throughout this year’s boat show season. The program, offered by Honda Financial Services through participating Honda Marine dealers, is available to boaters purchasing new, unregistered outboards (2 to 225 hp) and inclusive boat, engine and trailer packages between Feb. 4 and May 31. Consumers have the additional option of deferring payments for 90 days, accruing no interest forthe first 60 days. Honda Marine, a division of American Honda Motor Co., manufactures and markets outboard marine engines. Honda says its full line of production models meets the rigorous California Air Resources Board standards
Critical Habitat Designation Proposed for Threatened Elkhorn and Staghorn Corals
NOAA Fisheries seeking comments on its proposal to designate critical habitat for elkhorn (Acropora palmata) and staghorn (A. cervicornis) corals, which we listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Four specific areas are proposed for designation: Florida, Puerto Rico & St. Croix. For additional information click here
Hurricane Symposium to be held in Florida
Marina owners and yacht club managers are invited to attend a two-day hurricane preparation symposium March 4th and 5th at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Florida. It is intended to give participants the tools they need to weather the next hurricane, minimize damage and successfully recover. The symposium will help participants develop and effective hurricane plan, learn preparation techniques, know their legal rights for preparing boats and see exhibits of the latest in storm preparation and damage mitigation products. Go to http://www.boatus.com/hurricanes/symposium to register.
MarineMax posts bigger loss, cuts jobs
MarineMax’s losses widened for its first quarter amid the soft real estate market and eroding boat sales. The Clearwater, Fla. based boat retailer today reported a net loss for the quarter of $6.4 million compared to a net loss of $3.8 million in the comparable quarter a year ago. Revenue was $215.3 million for the first quarter, compared with $234 million in the same quarter last year. Same-store sales declined 9 percent, or $20 million, compared with a 14 percent increase in the year-ago period. To view full story click here.
National - Landmark Dolphin Agreement Reaches 10 Year Mark
The international pact to save dolphins from being caught in tuna nets has reached its tenth anniversary and is considered one of the most successful agreements in the world governing the conservation and management of living marine resources. In 1998, the Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Program was adopted by the United States, the European Union and 11 other counties in response to concerns over the high number of dolphins killed in the Eastern Pacific Ocean tuna purse-seine fishery. Under this program, and its predecessor known as the La Jolla Agreement, dolphin deaths in the fishery have decreased more than 99 percent from historic levels. The goal of the agreement is to achieve zero dolphin deaths in the fishery.
Repeat winners dominate J.D. Power boat awards
MIAMI BEACH — Bass Cat, Cobalt, Correct Craft, Grady-White, Manitou, MasterCraft and Regal each rank highest in new-boat owner satisfaction in their respective categories, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Boat Competitive Information Study, released today at the Miami International Boat Show.
Now in its seventh year, the study examines the sales, service and product
experience of new-boat owners. Owner satisfaction with new boats is measured
in seven segments: ski/wakeboard; fiberglass bass boats; small runabouts (16
to 19 feet); large runabouts (20 to 29 feet); coastal fishing (17 to 30 feet);
pontoons; and express cruisers (24 to 33 feet).
Overall
customer satisfaction index scores are based on performance in eight factors:
cabin; engine; ride and handling; helm and instrument panel; design and
styling; sound system; water sports; and fishing.
Bass boats
Bass Cat ranks highest in the bass boat segment for a fourth consecutive year,
performing particularly well in each of the five factors that determine
overall satisfaction: ride and handling; fishing; design and styling; engine,
and helm and instrument panel. The company also receives the highest overall
index score in the study for a third consecutive year. Following Bass Cat in
the segment are Ranger and Triton, respectively.
Coastal fishing boats (17 to 30 feet)
For a seventh consecutive reporting year, Grady-White ranks highest in the
segment, performing particularly well in four of the six factors driving
overall satisfaction: fishing; ride and handling; design and styling; and helm
and instrument panel. Grady-White also has the fewest reported problems of any
manufacturer in the segment. Boston Whaler and Triton, respectively, follow
Grady-White in the segment rankings.
Express cruisers (24 to 33 feet)
Making steady improvement in the study for the past three years, Regal ranks
highest among express cruisers for a second consecutive year. Regal performs
particularly well in ride and handling, which is the greatest driver of
overall satisfaction, the study found. Sea Ray follows Regal in the express
cruiser segment rankings.
Small
runabouts (16 to 19 feet)
For a third consecutive year, Regal ranks highest in the small runabout
segment, performing particularly well in all six factors that drive overall
satisfaction: engine; water sports; design and styling; ride and handling;
helm and instrument panel; and sound system, the study found. Regal also has
the fewest reported problems
of any manufacturer in the segment. Sea Ray and Chaparral, respectively, follow Regal in the small runabout segment.
Large
runabouts (20 to 29 feet)
Cobalt ranks highest in the large runabout segment for a seventh consecutive
reporting year, performing particularly well in all six factors that drive
overall satisfaction. Cobalt owners report having the highest satisfaction
with the buying experience at a dealership and are also the most likely to say
they “definitely will” recommend and repurchase from their dealer, compared
with customers of other manufacturers in the large runabout segment. Regal
closely follows Cobalt while Four Winns ranks third in the segment.
Pontoons
Manitou ranks highest among pontoon manufacturers, performing particularly
well in ride and handling. Manitou is closely followed in the segment by
Bennington, while Harris FloteBote and Premier tie to rank third in the
segment.
Pontoons in particular have come a long way as far as advancements in features
and technologies,” said Todd Markusic, senior director of the powersports
practice at J.D. Power and Associates. “Usage of technologies such as
satellite radio and MP3 players has steadily increased since 2006.
Additionally, the average horsepower of pontoons has increased steadily as
well. Pontoons are certainly reaching a new level of sophistication.”
Ski/wakeboard boats
Correct Craft and MasterCraft tie to rank highest in the ski/wakeboard
segment. The 2008 study also marks the sixth consecutive reporting year that
Correct Craft has received the highest ranking in the segment. MasterCraft is
the only brand in the ski/wakeboard segment to improve in overall satisfaction
since 2007, while Correct Craft performs particularly well in engine
satisfaction. Malibu follows Correct Craft and MasterCraft in the highly
competitive segment.
Mercury, PCM, Yamaha and Volvo Penta share top honors among marine engine manufacturers
MIAMI BEACH
Mercury, PCM, Yamaha and Volvo Penta share top
honors among marine engine manufacturers, according to the J.D. Power and
Associates 2008 Marine Engine Competitive Information Study, released this
morning at the Miami International Boat Show.
Now in its seventh year, the study measures overall customer satisfaction with
four marine engine types: EFI inboard; 4-stroke EFI outboard; 2-stroke DI
outboard; and EFI sterndrive.
Overall customer satisfaction index scores are
based on performance across seven factors: starting ease; quietness at cruise;
reliability; fuel economy; shifting smoothness; lack of exhaust fumes; and
ability of boat to accelerate rapidly. The study also examines engine quality,
where scores are measured as problems per 100 (PP100) engines and a lower
score reflects higher quality.
Outboard DI 2-stroke
Mercury leads in the outboard direct injection 2-stroke segment for a third
consecutive year, with slight improvements in engine quality since the 2007
study. Evinrude closely follows Mercury in the segment.
Transmission issues and stalling are the most frequently reported problems
within the outboard DI two-stroke segment. However, two owner-reported
problems — major engine failure and engine runs rough — have the most negative
impact on overall satisfaction. Only 4 percent of owners experience either of
these two problems.
Outboard EFI 4-stroke
Yamaha ranks highest in the outboard electronically fuel injected 4-stroke
segment, performing particularly well in engine reliability. Yamaha is
followed closely by Honda and Suzuki, respectively.
Among all outboard technologies, 4-stroke EFI engines have a particularly low
number of reported problems (56 PP100). Among those owners who experience
problems, those involving engine transmission are the most frequently
reported.
Sterndrive EFI
Volvo Penta ranks highest in the sterndrive EFI segment, performing
particularly well in the engine’s ability to accelerate rapidly, fuel economy
and lack of exhaust fumes. MerCruiser closely follows Volvo Penta, receiving
particularly high ratings from owners for engine reliability.
More than 57 percent of EFI owners indicate their new engine is problem-free,
while only nine percent of owners report having three problems or more. The
two most frequently reported problems by EFI sterndrive owners are engine
transmission feels/sounds rough when shifting and issues with the engine
tilt/trim.
Inboard EFI segment
For a third consecutive year, Pleasurecraft Engine Group (PCM) ranks highest
in the inboard EFI 4-stroke engine segment, performing particularly well in
engine reliability. PCM is followed in the segment by Marine Power.
While inboard EFI engines have the highest quality (49 PP100) and satisfaction
ratings of all four engine segments, fuel economy continues to be a major
weakness.
Fuel economy is clearly the Achilles heel of inboard EFI engines when you
compare segment scores to those of the other engine categories, said Todd
Markusic, senior director of the power sports practice at J.D. Power and
Associates. Despite this shortcoming, inboard EFI engines have remarkable
quality and earn extremely high satisfaction scores. Those brands that can
find a way to improve the fuel economy of their engines would clearly have a
major competitive advantage.
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