Weekly 5: Sport Fish & Boating Trust Fund waits on president’s signature

The BI Weekly 5 is a collection of tips, news and data affecting the boating industry this week. Be sure to look for the BI Weekly 5 every Tuesday on BoatingIndustry.com.

1. Sport Fish & Boating Trust Fund waits on president

Before leaving for a five-week summer break, Congress passed a short-term extension to the Highway Trust Fund.

The extension made no changes to the fund, but keeps it solvent through the end of the year. The Highway Trust Fund and its associated taxes on gasoline are the source of funding for the Sport Fish and Boating Trust Fund that provides money to states for a variety of recreational boating expenditures.

The vote moves the bill along to the White House, where it will need President Obama’s signature.

2. Parks Marina hosting Sen. Rand Paul

Park Marina in Okoboji, Iowa, one of the Boating Industry Top 100 dealers is hosting an appearance by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, this week.

Paul, widely considered a leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, will appear at the Barefoot Bar.

3. Tampa boat show to be largest in six years

The Progressive Insurance Tampa Boat Show to be held the first weekend in September is shaping up to be the biggest in six years, NMMA reported.

The show will host more than 200 exhibitors and feature more than 500 boats for sale.

4. An SEO mistake to avoid

A lot of businesses make mistakes in the way they structure their URLs for their sites, which can have a big impact on search engine optimization. Read more from Entrepreneur.

5. Using social media for a new launch

Planning to launch a new product or service and want to make social media a part of your efforts? In a new podcast, Social Media Examiner offers a guide to what works and what doesn’t.