During the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show Industry Breakfast on Thursday, Feb. 15, NMMA President, Frank Hugelmeyer’s state of the industry address included a sneak peek of the growing list of real boaters sharing their real stories of life on the water as part of the industry’s Discover Boating “See You Out Here” campaign.

One of these boaters is nine-time Major League Baseball all-star, Gary Sheffield. Having played for eight teams in his career from 1988 to 2009, including the Miami Marlins, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, Sheffield has a passion for boating that’s played an important part of his life.

Sheffield joined Hugelmeyer on stage, sharing words of thanks to the manufacturers and industry executives who make boating possible and help create memories for him, his family and friends. Research shows boaters are more likely to be aspirational than most. With this in mind, Sheffield’s inspirational story will help ignite more people to experience boating. Sheffield is one of a handful of real boater stories being added to the 2024 Discover Boating campaign this spring.

Discover Boating, powered by the NMMA and MRAA, will share these stories across paid digital, streaming, social media, events and PR.