Features

By Wanda Kenton Smith When you talk to American Sportfishing Association president Glenn Hughes about his illustrious 34-year boating industry career and ask what he’s enjoyed most, it’s all about the boating life and all the great people he’s met along the way. The boating gene is in his DNA. He recalls endless, carefree summer days throughout childhood spent with ...

By David Gee Ask anyone in the recreational boating industry about some of the biggest issues facing the industry – and we have asked, through surveys, at our Boating Industry ELEVATE Summit industry panel discussion and during our Boating Industry Leadership Council meetings – and workforce development is always at the top of the list. It’s an industry-wide, nationwide problem.  ...

By Sarah DevlinABYC Content Director The ABYC Foundation, with executive director Margaret Podlich at the helm, remains laser-focused on maintaining a direct connection between the marine industry and the schools and training programs that are educating future marine technicians. Podlich’s bi-weekly newsletter The Network reaches industry folks and educational institutions around the country; the Educator Training Conference brings the two ...

By Adam Quandt The world of technology moves fast. Despite playing some catch-up in some aspects of technology due to the harsh operating environment, the same sentiment rings true for technology in the marine space. Even down to the partnerships in play in the marine technology sector, things move increasingly fast. In March of 2021, Boating Industry reported on a ...

Now in its sixth year, Boating Industry’s 40 Under 40 program will return in early 2022. The editorial staff at Boating Industry is now accepting nominations for its 40 Under 40 program, which highlights the best young leaders across all segments of the marine industry. Each year, Boating Industry receives hundreds of nominations from dealer principals, owners, CEOs and many other various individuals in management ...

By Boating Industry staff Celebrating its 17th year, the Boating Industry Top 100 Dealers program continues to recognize and celebrate the best of the best. Over the last 18-plus months, boat dealers have faced new hurdles left and right, but the dealers among this year’s Top 100 have risen to the challenge and continued to help push the entire recreational ...

Mark's Marine, Inc.Hayden, Idaho The COVID-19 pandemic presented a new list of challenges to getting training accomplished in 2020, yet that didn’t stop Mark’s Marine from facing the challenges head on to ensure its team was prepared for success. With an ongoing transition through a succession plan, as well as shifting job roles around to accommodate additional growth in various ...

The Boat ShopTafton, Penn. In 1958, a Pennsylvania family decided to open a marina on Lake Wallenpaupack, a man-made, 5,700-acre, 13-mile-long lake in the Poconos built for hydroelectric power. Wallenpaupack Marina prospered, and attracted the attention of Roy Finney, Sr., who joined the staff in 1962 and never left! He took over full operations in 1973, and Roy Finney, Jr., ...

Shipyard MarineGreen Bay & Oshkosh, Wis. Marine 365 – the Lifestyle Without Limits dealership – is a complete sales, service, marina, and dry stack operation with three locations. Shipyard Marine in Green Bay is sited on three-and-a-half acres on the water on Green Bay's west shore. It features a marina and 27,000 square-foot dry rack facility with over 130 wet ...

Nautical VenturesFort Lauderdale, Fla. Traditional and ordinary are two words that could never be used to explain the marketing efforts at Nautical Ventures. This Fort Lauderdale-based dealership group is all about standing out from the rest of the crowd and showing the world what having fun on the water is all about. With nine locations across Florida representing almost 20 ...