Discover Boating & Take Me Fishing Tour begins
CHICAGO – The National Marine Manufacturers Association and the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation have begun the fourth-annual installment of their mobile marketing tour, NMMA said in a release last week.
Spanning 210 days and 35,000 miles from March through October, the first of the Discover Boating & Take Me Fishing Tour’s 14 stops is the Miami Dade County Fair.
The tour is financed by NMMA, RBFF and industry sponsors to promote boating and fishing to consumers throughout the country. Grow Boating funds are not used.
“The idea behind the tour is to bring boating to people who may not otherwise be privy to actual on-the-water experiences,” says Amy Murray, NMMA event marketing director. “We’ve created an environment on land that provides a glimpse into the fun of being out on the water on a boat and getting people excited about the possibility of life with a boat.”
The 2006 Discover Boating & Take Me Fishing Tour features a 34-foot trailer with approximately 6,000 square feet of display space, in addition to an outdoor showroom displaying the latest boats and marine accessories. Brand new to the mobile tour this year is the Hydro Thunder simulator. This arcade-style attraction boards riders into futuristic speedboats that race across the water to the finish line, and lets friends and family members challenge each other to simulated racing competitions.
Returning attractions include the Fishing Simulator, where attendees can try to catch “virtual” white marlin, large mouth bass and other fresh and saltwater fish, and an expanded Mini Boat Show, with anywhere from 10 to 12 boats on display at each tour stop. Another popular tour feature making a comeback this year is the Next Steps Display, which offers tour visitors information on the affordability and accessibility of boating and fishing, as well as how and where to get started boating locally this summer. Visitors can also enter a sweepstakes to win $10,000 toward the purchase of a new boat at one of 23 local boat shows sponsored by the NMMA.
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