In brief: Tigé Boats, ValvTect, BoatTrader.com, West Marine, Nautique, Power & Motoryacht, Morse Industries

Tigé Boats Inc. and Wake9.com have teamed up on the MyWake Global WakeSurf Challenge this summer. The challenge allows viewers to watch contest video submissions at mywake.tige.com and be part of the judging panel for their favorite surf sessions, along with a professional panel of official AWSA judges to decide the winner of each class. Videos will be accepted until Aug. 30. The competition is open for anyone to enter.

ValvTect Petroleum Products reports that Apex Marine Inc. will now include a sample of ValvTect Ethanol Gasoline Treatment with each new boat. “Although we build our boats to the industry’s most stringent specifications, ethanol gasoline can destabilize very quickly, cause corrosion and some problems to the fuel delivery systems and engine components which can be prevented by a fuel additive such as ValvTect Ethanol Gasoline Treatment,” Mark DuPuie, president of Apex Marine, said in a statement. “By providing samples of ValvTect Ethanol Gasoline Treatment with each boat, we are helping our customers prevent ethanol related problems and better enjoy their boating experience.”

BoatTrader.com has launched a new homepage designed to maximize Boat Trader dealers’ visibility and impact. The new homepage will reach more boaters online by utilizing enhanced search engine optimization and then help them find boats more easily through user-friendly navigation and geo-targeted inventory, the company said.

The South Carolina Marine Association (SCMA) will join with West Marine to host the grand opening of the newest West Marine store in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., on Friday, Aug. 13, through Sunday, Aug. 15. The new store is 12,000 square feet, almost twice the size of its previous location. SCMA members will be on hand to explain what the association does, promote membership and conduct fund raising activities. For every membership sold that weekend, 20 percent will be donated to Anchors Away, a nonprofit organization that uses watersports to liberate and empower people with mental and physical disabilities. SCMA will also run a silent auction ending Sunday at 1 p.m.

Nautique has added Rick Richert to its team as International Sales Manager. Richert will be responsible for helping shape the direction and strategy of the company’s international sales efforts. “I am privileged to be joining such an outstanding team and work for a company who stands for quality and integrity,” Richert said in a statement. “Nautique is one of the most premier brands in the world and I look forward to working with the team to increase its distribution globally.”

Power & Motoryacht has named Kevin Koenig to the position of associate editor. Koenig is a New Jersey native and Georgetown University alumnus. Prior to taking his new post, he wrote for Esquire and Men’s Fitness. In addition to covering new launches and writing features, Koenig will join PMY’s boat-testing program. Koenig’s appointment represents Power & Motoryacht’s fifth staff addition this year.

Morse Industries, a national supplier of architectural metals and railing, has added Tracy Tughan as purchasing manager. Tughan was previously the director of private label operations for a nationwide hosiery manufacturer. Jeremy Nolan was recently promoted to inside sales manager. Nolan started with Morse four years ago as an inside sales specialist. Finally, Jonathan Henning has joined the inside sales team as inside sales specialist. Henning was previously with T-Scan LLC managing client accounts.

• Can’t get enough boating news? Subscribe to our blog’s RSS feed, follow us on Twitter or look for “Boating Industry” on Facebook and LinkedIn.
• For more of the latest news, click here.