MRAA Blog

Lights, Boating, Action!

We own a 14-foot 1936 Lonestar fishing boat with a low-horsepower outboard named “Crappie Style.” My son, Sam, just celebrated his golden birthday, turning 15 in June. One of his summer goals is to pass the online course from BOATERexam.com, approved by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, so he and a friend can create […]

Where Are They Now? Ashley Read

• Checking in with 2016 MRAA Educational Foundation Duane Spader Leadership Development Scholarship Recipient Ashley Read, Colorado Boat Center Co-Owner A lot has happened in Ashley Read’s (Smith) career since she received the MRAA Educational Foundation’s Duane Spader Leadership Development Scholarship eight years ago. She married, bought a lake house and succeeded her parents as […]

Boat Buying & Inventory Management Strategies

• Tactical solutions to help your dealership overcome key challenges and enhance your profitability By Chris Kulaga, Product Manager, Lightspeed As the marine industry continues to evolve, your dealership has already seen new opportunities and challenges in 2024. Along with being able to adapt, your team must maintain your primary goal to provide customers with […]

Master Boat Trailering Video

• Discover Boating, in collaboration with Progressive Insurance®, launches new video in Top Safe Boating Tips series to help your customers become a pro at trailering “Trailering trailering might seem like a chore but when it’s done right it’s all smooth sailing from the driveway to the docks,” says Monica Fuentes, Discover Boating Ambassador, in […]

8 Steps for Improving at Boat Buying

There’s no doubt you want your customers to buy more boats. First, it will improve your dealership’s inventory levels and, in turn, help you gain more space in your showroom. Secondly, it will help you hone your boat-buying plan for 2025 vessels. But it can feel downright nerve wracking to focus on your dealership’s strategic […]

2023 United States Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics Report: A Comprehensive Overview

By Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager On Friday, May 24, 2024, the United States Coast Guard released its annual Recreational Boating Statistics report for 2023, marking the 65th edition of this comprehensive analysis. This report is a vital resource for understanding the current state of recreational boating in the United States, providing detailed insights […]

Top Safe Boating Tips – How to Sit & Swim While Boating

Boating safety is a prime topic. As a dealership, it’s rewarding to offer your expertise to help boaters understand the best safety practices in boating and avoid common mistakes. Discover Boating, in partnership with Progressive® Insurance, has made this touchpoint even easier with its Top Safe Boating Tips series. A new video, Follow Safe Seating […]

Boater Safety & Education

Having served as a PR manager and magazine editor for around 20 years in the off-road and powersports industry, safety factored into everything my teams did, from producing media kits to writing stories and taking photography. It was all about the message we were creating and sending to the end user, reader and product owner. […]