Boating Industry Intelligence You Can Profit From
Brunswick Corp. (NYSE: BC) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dustan E. McCoy, along with Brunswick Boat Group President Andrew E. Graves and Mercury Marine President Mark D. Schwabero, will present at an event for the financial community prior to the opening of the upcoming Miami International Boat Show, the company reported today. The presentations will be Webcast live beginning at approximately 11 a.m. (EST) on Wednesday, Feb. 10. The Webcast can be accessed through the Brunswick Corp. Web site at www.brunswick.com. Go to the site at least 15 minutes before the presentation to register, download and install any needed audio software, the company recommended. Replays will be available on the Brunswick site.
Rob Kramer, the president of the International Game Fish Association, presented Hell’s Bay Boatworks with the IGFA Conservation Award for Industry Partners two weeks ago at the IGFA Auction and Banquet at Palm Beach. “Today Hell’s Bay Boatworks is led by a team of dedicated fishermen, outdoorsmen and adventurers,” said Kramer. “Hell’s Bay is passionate about giving back to the sport of fishing by supporting non-profit organizations that value the longevity of the sport.” Jason Schratwieser, the IGFA’s Conservation Director, said the boat builder “does its part for conservation,” donating to the IGFA; supporting the Bonefish &Tarpon Trust and Coastal Conservation Association; tagging and releasing bonefish and tarpon for science; retrieving abandoned ghost crab traps from inshore waters; building a huge aerated tank vital to the safe release of tournament fish; and supporting the FishStock weekend in New Smyrna Beach and numerous Redbone tournaments for cystic fibrosis research. “We became even more proactive after the severe downturn hit the marine community nearly four years ago,” said owners Capt. Chris and Wendi Peterson. “We love being involved and making a difference. Non-profits and charitable groups need to keep running in the good times and the bad.”
Riviera Yachts and Emerald Pacific Yachts have joined forces to service the entire U.S. West Coast from Alaska in the north to more than 2,500 nautical miles south to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico as Riviera’s exclusive distributor. With two dealership locations in Seattle and San Diego, Emerald Pacific Yachts recently merged with Alliance Yacht Sales, a long-standing Riviera dealer operated by father and son team Robert and Rob Scott. Dealer Principal Rob Scott brings with him 14 years experience and extensive knowledge of the Riviera line through his passion for boating. During this period, Alliance Yacht Sales delivered more than 100 new Rivieras. Director of Riviera Yachts USA Inc. Chris McCafferty said the new partnership with Emerald Pacific Yachts was a strong move for Riviera in the United States as the company continues to power ahead in 2010.
Grand Banks Yachts has signed two new authorized dealers selected to represent the boat builder across the Southeast United States. Galati Yacht Sales will manage Grand Banks sales along the Gulf region from Alabama down through the west coast of Florida, while HMY Yacht Sales will represent Grand Banks on Florida’s east coast. Galati Yacht Sales will manage sales of Grand Banks Yachts through its Florida offices in Naples, Cape Harbour, Anna Maria Island, Tampa Bay, and Destin, plus Orange Beach, Ala. On the east coast of Florida, HMY will represent Grand Banks at its locations in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Stuart and Jacksonville.
The U.S. Coast Guard terminated broadcast of the North American Long Range Navigation-C signal at 3 p.m. Monday with the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center in Alexandria, Va., coordinating the shutdown, it reported in a recent statement. LORAN has, as a result of technological advancements in the last 20 years, become an antiquated system no longer required by the armed forces, the transportation sector or the nation’s security interests and is used only by a small percentage of the population, the Coast Guard explained. Continued use of limited resources to operate LORAN-C is no longer prudent use of taxpayer funds and is not allowed under the 2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act. The decision to cease transmission of the LORAN-C signal reflects the president’s pledge to eliminate unnecessary federal programs, the government stated. Notice of the termination of the signal was published in the Federal Register Jan. 7. Termination of the program was supported through the enactment of the fiscal year 2010 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. The notice of intention to terminate the LORAN-C signal may be viewed online at www.regulations.gov., docket number: USCG-2009-0299. The Record of Decision and Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement may be viewed online under docket number: USCG-2007-28460.
The new company Shogren Certified Sales is offering trade-in assistance to high-performance boat builders and dealers in the form of its “New Brokerage/Consignment Experience.” The “experience” is also aimed at stimulating new boat sales in the high-performance market, according to the company. In addition to offering an opportunity for individuals to sell their boats, Shogren Certified Sales – a division of Shogren Performance Marine – will work directly with performance OEMs and select dealers to facilitate new boat deals that hinge on the customer’s trade-in. According to Shogren, the reluctance to accept trade-ins has stymied much of the performance boat market. “There are boats to be sold out there,” Scott Shogren says, “One of the biggest challenges facing consumers is a seller or brokers willingness to take a trade. The realities of the current market are such that not many OEMs or dealers can take a trade-in. We are in a position to help them close that new boat deal.” Unlike traditional brokerage services that list boats scattered all over the world, Shogren Certified Sales will have every boat offered for sale on-site, at its 55,000 square foot indoor, climate-controlled facility. In addition, it will provide a 250-point professional evaluation of each boat offered.
The Marinefuel.com portal has been launched to provide immediate access to marina services information on the Internet and streamline fuel transactions within the marine industry. In service to boaters and fuel providers, a free Basic Membership opens the Fuel Dock Prices & E-Marina database. The system also has advanced searching capabilities so that members can locate a merchant based on fuel brand, fuel treatment, facility amenity and more. Using The Fuel Bid Desk to arrange purchase of 1,000 gallons or more, members can also request, review, and then select a preferred vendor to deliver wholesale priced fuel. “By spring time, I anticipate the price of oil will be more than $90/barrel,” said William N. McKenna, president of Marinefuel.com, LLC. “This will push retail prices across the nation to over $5.00/gallon for marine gasoline and marine diesel fuel. These prices are already showing up in the Bahamas and Caribbean this year, so to combat this economic trend, we’ve created a tool which easily produces the best ROI in the industry.”
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