• Lenny Sims, VP Business Development/Strategy – Specialty Vehicles for J.D. Power and the MRAA Discuss Insights on the 2023 Q2 Marine Market Drew Mick, MRAA: April saw a small decline across all boat types in traffic views. Is there any reason for that dip? Lenny Sims: When we look at the data, there’s all […]
MRAA Blog
4 Tips to Help Your Dealership Manage Inventory
It’s been a wild ride for your business these past few years. For a while there, the boat market was incredibly favorable (when you could get boats in inventory), and you were enjoying some healthy profit margins. But today, it’s time to face the reality of a changing market. If you’re anything like your peers, […]
Response to the Beer vs. Boats Game
This guest MRAA Blog was authored by Parker Stair, Co-Founder of Radian IoT and represents his opinions on dealers and manufacturer inventory management, in response to MRAA President Matt Gruhn’s column on the same topic in the July issue of Soundings Trade Only. Hello Matt, In the July issue of Trade Only you presented a fantastic article […]
Advocacy & Boating Safety
As a dealer, customers look to you as a leader within the recreational boating community, and for that reason it is important you champion safe boating practices and compliance with all state and local laws and regulations. Ultimately, we want you to feel confident as a business owner and your customers to feel the same […]
Victory for Boat Dealers: Florida Amends Livery Insurance Requirements
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, on June 12, 2023, signed SB 418 repealing insurance requirements for boat liveries and absolves them from purchasing insurance to cover rental customers. This is a victory for Florida boat dealers. During the 2022 legislative session, the 2022 Florida Boating Safety Act (HB 493) passed, requiring boat rental facilities to insure […]
Boost Customer Experience & Boater Retention by Throwing a Helpline
[Editor’s Note: This story was updated May 28, 2025 with new dates/times.] • How Providing a Summer Season Hotline Will Improve Your Customers’ Boat Ownership Experience As our team was building a previous MRAA Spotlight page about keeping your customers boating, Barletta, an MRAA Strategic Partner, announced that it was improving its Holiday Hotline by […]
Oversight Hearing on NOAA’s Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule
A significant Oversight Hearing was held today by the Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee of the House Committee on Natural Resources regarding the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) proposed Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule. The hearing addressed the potential impact of the proposed rule on both marine wildlife and the recreational marine industry. The […]
Minnesota Passes Mandatory Boater Education Legislation
Program to equip boaters with the knowledge and skills to create safer waterways A bill, establishing a new Mandatory Boater Education Program, has been passed in Minnesota. The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) is delighted to celebrate the passage because a similar effort failed in the final hours in Minnesota’s 2022 legislative session. […]
Leverage Credit-First Soft Pulls to Improve Your Dealership’s Results
Shopping for a vessel comes with all kinds of stressors for a consumer – some of which can affect their relationship with the dealer and lender. The decision to require a shopper to undergo a credit verification can be stressful for many consumers – for different reasons! Consumers worry for various reasons, including: As a […]
Boaters Beware: E15 At Pumps This Boating Season
This boating season it is going to be imperative to pay attention at the pump, as an emergency waiver issued by the EPA will allow E15, a harmful fuel for boat engines, to be sold throughout the summer. E15, or gasoline that uses a 15 percent ethanol blend, is a widespread, common fuel type that […]
