Skip Allen Sr. receives NMMA Chapman Award

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The National Marine Manufacturer’s Association of America has named Skip Allen Sr. the recipient of the 2004 Charles F. Chapman Award, reported Southern Boating magazine in a recent statement.

The annual award celebrates individuals within the marine industry who have made outstanding contributions to the sport of boating for the benefit of the recreational boating industry and boating public, the magazine reported.

The NMMA is “truly honored to add Skip Allen, Sr. to the list of Chapman Award recipients that include such pioneers as George M. Good, Alan Freedman and Ralph Evinrude,” according to the magazine. “The award continues to salute excellence by recognizing contemporaries such as Charles Jones, Ham Hamburger, Dick Rowe and now the 2004 winner – Skip Allen, Sr.”

Allen has been actively involved with the boating industry and promoting recreational boating for over four decades. His career in the marine industry began with his employment by Charles Chapman as an ad salesman for Motorboating and Sailing magazine. Allen was then one of the founders of Popular Boating magazine, which later became Boating magazine.

During his time in New York, Allen was actively involved in the America’s Cup campaigns, promoting the event as well as providing on-the-water services driving photography and committee boats.

In 1972, he founded Southern Boating magazine, and began guiding flotillas of recreational boat owners to the Bahamas shortly thereafter. He was one of the pioneers of recreational boating in Florida, the Bahamas and throughout the southeast U.S. and Caribbean, according to the magazine. By means of his publications, Allen has been a tireless supporter of recreational boating and a cheerleader for our industry.

Allen founded Marine Business Journal to serve as the “voice of the marine industry,” and founded Mar Abierto, the first Spanish-language recreational boating magazine published in the U.S. and distributed throughout Central and South America, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries.

In addition to the bronze award medallion, the Chapman Award comes with a $1,000 honorarium, which will be donated in Allen’s name to the U.S. Coast Guard Foundation.

The Charles F. Chapman Memorial Award was established in 1977 by the NMMA and Motorboating and Sailing magazine in memory of the magazine’s former editor and publisher, who passed away in 1976. Chapman is perhaps best known as the author of Piloting, Seamanship, and Small Boat Handling, a standard reference since 1922. He was outspoken in his dedication to boating safety and the industry.

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