Weekly 5: House bill aims to limit ethanol
The BI Weekly 5 is a collection of tips, news and data affecting the boating industry this week. Be sure to look for the BI Weekly 5 every week on BoatingIndustry.com.
1. House bill aims to limit ethanol
Rep. Bill Flores, R-Texas, has introduced HR 5180, the Food and Fuel Consumer Protection Act of 2016, which would require the EPA to cap the use of ethanol at 9.7 percent of the total volume of gasoline projected to be sold in a given year.
The EPA issued its proposed for renewable fuel volumes for 2017 last week, calling for a 3.8 percent increase from 2016 and an 11 percent increase from 2015.
2. National Safe Boating Week kicks off
It’s National Safe Boating Week, with an emphasis on keeping safe on the water by encouraging safe behaviors, life jacket usage and more.
3. NMMA: Powerboat sales up 1.4 percent
Sales of traditional powerboats for NMMA’s control group of manufacturers (representing 69 percent of the market) were up 1.4 percent through March, the association reported. Corresponding dollars were up 11.2 percent.
4. FLIBS seeks entrance designs
The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is looking for someone to design its new entrance. The show starts Nov. 3.
Entries are due July 1. Click here for more information and submission requirements.
5. Sharing economy niche but growing
A new report from the Pew Research Center shows the sharing economy is still being used by a small number of people. The best-known companies in the segment are Uber and Airbnb, but several companies such as Boatbound and Cruzin have brought the idea (also known as peer-to-peer rentals) to boating.
The good news is that people are becoming more aware of the services (especially Uber and Airbnb) and those that are using them usually have a positive experience. Users of the “sharing economy” were more likely to be better-educated, to have a higher income and to be under 45.
