Features

From expanded educational offerings to three floors of exhibitors and more, 2018’s International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX) is gearing up for an unforgettable year. IBEX will take place from Oct. 2-4 at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Fla. In early May, IBEX organizers confirmed that Tampa and the Tampa Convention Center will host the conference through 2020. “Tampa ...

Boat sales increased by slightly more than 2 percent in June, according to the latest Info-Link Bellwether report. The Bellwether report tracks sales of powerboats across the country based on new U.S. boat registrations on a rolling 12-month basis. Bellwether states are geographically dispersed states representing roughly half of the U.S. boat market (varies by market segment and time of ...

Last week, Boating Industry was invited down to Charleston, S.C. for the North American launch of the new Open 5.5 RIB from France-based Zodiac-Nautic. The launch included a day-long event for members of the marine media, Zodiac brand ambassadors, and more, which featured on-the-water testing of the new RIBs and a tour of Zodiac’s North American production facility in Summerville, ...

Boat sales increased by 3 percent in May, according to the latest Info-Link Bellwether report. The Bellwether report tracks sales of powerboats across the country based on new U.S. boat registrations on a rolling 12-month basis. Bellwether states are geographically dispersed states representing roughly half of the U.S. boat market (varies by market segment and time of year). Boat sales ...

40 trendsetters who are leading the boating industry  Boating Industry’s annual profile of the best young leaders in the marine industry highlights a unique group that stands out from their boating peers.  This year’s group represents an impressive cross-section of talented industry individuals who serve associations, manufacturers, marinas, and dealers.  These individuals were selected for their numerous accomplishments so far – ...

With the unofficial tagline, “We sell everything from kayaks to cruise ships,” you know something different is happening within the Nautical Ventures Group. Despite being somewhat new to the Top 100, earning its first Top 100 accolades in 2016, Nautical Ventures has used being a little different than the traditional dealership to launch itself into success. “We believe our efforts ...

Technician shortage also addressed in survey Congress and the Trump Administration are currently exploring ways to reform the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Renewable Fuel Standard. There are a number of alternatives being discussed, all of which will have a significant impact on the recreational boating industry. Will E15 be expanded in the fuel supply? Will better alternatives like biobutanol be ...

Asset plan analysis is critical before times get tough. Boat and marine product sales plunged deep underwater during the recession, but the industry has roared back in recent years with consistent market growth.  It’s never too early to implement strategies for keeping ahead. Managing key asset metrics and eliminating silent drags on your business now can create maximum efficiency and ...

Over the last decade the boating industry has seen both sides of the inventory challenge.  In the 2007-09 period, we saw dealers stuck with way too many boats when the housing market – and then the rest of the economy – crashed. With dealers dropping left and right and consumers defaulting on loans, excess inventory and repossessed vessels flooded the ...

Have you ever been on the Internet and noticed ads following you around everywhere you go? Then, you remember you’d been searching for that exact thing or visited that company’s website. It happens virtually every day. What is it, you ask? The technical term is re-targeting (Facebook/Instagram) and re-marketing (Google Display Network). Imagine someone visits your website and views your ...