RBFF helps 60,000 boats return with reactivation program

The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) announced that its Boat Registration Reactivation Program brought a record number of boats back to the water. The program, which delivered letters to owners of boats with lapsed registrations in 19 states, resulted in more than 60,000 re-registrations.

“Year after year, our Boat Registration Reactivation Program has brought tens of thousands of boaters back to the water,” said RBFF President & CEO Frank Peterson. “Once again, this program has delivered strong results and positive ROI.”

The 2019 program saw an overall drop in total letters mailed, but brought an increase of nearly 34,000 registrations over the 2018 program. In all, 60,810 boats were re-registered as a result of the program, reeling in more than $2.23 million in gross program registration fees.

“The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has participated in RBFF’s Boat Registration Reactivation Program since the beginning of the program in 2012 and since that time, tens of thousands of boaters in Florida have reactivated their vessel registration,” said Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement’s Major Rob Rowe. “These reactivated boaters are able to get out on the water and enjoy the many boating opportunities Florida has to offer. The vessel registration renewal fees generated by this program also help support boating safety education and fund additional resources, including improved boating access throughout Florida.”

The Boat Registration Reactivation Program is entirely funded by RBFF, requiring nothing more than state agency staff time to carry out. Throughout the life of the program, nearly $14 million in registration fees has been generated from 382,482 boats being re-registered. Response rate for the 2019 program was 10.25%, a 1.5% increase over 2018 and well above the direct mail benchmark of 3%, according to McCarthy & King.

Following the same proven strategy in years past, the program delivered letters to owners of boats with lapsed registrations, encouraging them to get back on the water. By cross-referencing the list of registrations with that of fishing licenses, customized letters are delivered to anglers with information about their state’s best fishing opportunities. To learn more about the program and find out how you can participate, please contact Joanne Martonik.