PWC – PWC Digest

New York Awaits Age Law
All PWC operators in New York born after January 1, 1975, are required to pass an approved boating safety course and carry a certificate of completion in legislation awaiting Gov. Pataki’s signature. The legislation, recently passed the State Senate and State Assembly, requires PWC operators to be at least 14 years of age unless accompanied by an adult.

N.C. Hikes Age for PWC Operators
Personal watercraft operators will have to be at least 14 years old to drive the units on North Carolina lakes and shorelines in a bill now awaiting Gov. Mike Easley’s signature.
The bill also would require personal watercraft users who are 14 and 15 to either share the craft with someone who is at least 18 or who has completed an approved boating safety education course.
The House gave final legislative approval in a 92-14 vote. The Senate approved the measure June 16.
The age requirement is currently 12. If Easley signs the bill into law, children who are 12 before Nov. 1, 2005, would be able to continue to operate the watercraft.

Sea-Doo Brings Back Bounty
Bombardier Recreational Products, Inc. announced on July 8, 2005, the return of the Sea-Doo Bounty program. Designed to reward racers on Sea-Doo product that have reached the podium, the Sea-Doo Bounty “Double Down” contingency program offers additional prize money directly from BRP. Racers compete for their share of the prize money and two lump-sum checks earned for both the first and second half of the 2005 racing season. In addition, riders are also eligible for a special payout at the 2005 Skat Trak World Finals.
During the Final weekend, the top five ranked Sea-Doo Bounty racers from the 2005 season will be invited to compete in a special competition, where they will be pitted against both celebrities and professional watercraft racers for a chance to claim a prize package valued at over $7,000. The format of this competition has yet to be released, but is planned to be centered around the Sea-Doo 3D.
The Sea-Doo Bounty is open to all Sea-Doo pilots competing in designated classes in all APBA, USWRA, and IJSBA-sanctioned races in North America. Through the contingency program, racers are able to earn from $25 to $15,000. The current leader in the Bounty for the first half of 2005 is Florida’s Eric Lagopoulos.
Racers interested in more information on the Bounty are urged to visit the Sea-Doo website (www.seadoo.com) and click on the Sea-Doo Today link, or contact Program Manager Tim McKercher at tim.mckercher@brp.com.

Marine Industry Assembled at MAATS
Accessories aftermarket buyers including mass retailers, cataloguers, U.S. and international distributors, and accessory buyers from marine dealerships assembled in Las Vegas for Marine Aftermarket Accessories Trade Show (MAATS) – a highly focused marine accessory aftermarket event for suppliers and buyers.
The event, held July 20-22 at the Las Vegas Hilton, combined new product previews and trade show exhibits, pre-scheduled buyer-supplier meetings and educational programs.
NMDA distributor and manufacturer members met in private, closed-door meetings to plan their programs for the year, and the MAATS seminar program addressed critical issues in the accessory aftermarket, including: supply chain management; e-commerce applications; utilizing the power of independent sales representatives; best practices and more.

Brunswick Acquires Kellog Marine
Boat and engine builder Brunswick Corp., Lake Forest, Ill., has acquired Kellogg Marine, a distributor of marine parts and accessories. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Based in Old Lyme, Conn., Kellogg will join with the Brunswick Boat Group’s Land ‘N’ Sea and Benrock units as part of the largest distribution network of marine parts and accessories in North America.
Dustan E. McCoy, president of the Brunswick Boat Group, said the company’s Connecticut location will help the company achieve “our goal of same-day or next-day delivery of P&A from coast-to-coast and in Canada.”
Brunswick began building a boat P&A business in 2003 with the acquisitions of Land ‘N’ Sea and Attwood Marine. Since that time, the BBG has added new facilities and purchased the assets of Benrock, another distributor, so that today it has 16 locations throughout North America, including the Old Lyme facility.
“Improving service and parts availability to our own boat dealers as well as to the more than 10,000 independent dealers and repair shops is a key step in our strategy to ultimately remove the hassles from boating, get boaters back on the water faster and embrace our dealers with products and services that will add value and profitability to their businesses,” said Brunswick Chairman and Chief Executive Officer George W. Buckley. “Kellogg will now extend these capabilities to the Northeast.”
Kellogg, which has 200 employees and more than 300 suppliers, has a 90,000 sq. ft. warehouse and office complex that was part of the acquisition, according to Brunswick. The distributor’s management team will remain with the newly acquired company.

Marine Lending Conference, Sept. 11-13
Challenges of rising interest rates and a cooling economy, competition for boating from other leisure sectors, and current marine lending issues of concern will be in focus at the National Marine Bankers Association’s 26th annual Marine Lending Conference scheduled in Nashville, Sept. 11-13.
The conference serves as a setting for the marine lending community to meet and interact with peers and others in the service industry who work with consumers to facilitate boat loans and the trade to manage inventory loans. It is also an opportunity to share ideas and opinions and network with colleagues in business sessions, on the links and in other activities.
“We expect high attendance in Nashville as the marine lending community comes together in support of the Grow Boating initiative and learns how we all can enhance the boating experience,” said Peggy Bodenreider, Director – Indirect Marine for E*Trade Consumer Finance Corp. and conference chairperson. “Many challenges are facing our industry and everyone is interested in how they can be better prepared for success.”
Scheduled sessions include the State of the boating industry by George Buckley, Chairman and CEO, Brunswick Corporation.
The Conference will be held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. Registration forms are posted at www.marinebankers.org. Those interested in Conference sponsorship, exhibiting or advertising opportunities are asked to contact Bernice McArdle at 312/946-6280 or by e-mail at bmcardle@nmma.org.