The Water Sports Industry Association (WSIA) created a new Wake Responsibly educational video that has been awarded the “Seal of Safe Boating Practices” from the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), making it the first industry association to earn the achievement.
The 12-minute Wake Responsibly video covers best practices, rules, regulations and recommendations to create a fun, safe experience on the water. This education is paramount for captains and watersports participants to continue fostering enjoyable waterways for all. Watch Full Video.
The video emphasizes boating responsibilities and safety topics, including:
Captain’s duties
Life jackets
Food and water
Designating a sober skipper
The video also highlights the Wake Responsibly campaign’s three main pillars:
Stay 200 feet away from shore, docks and other boats
Minimize repetitive passes
Keep music at a reasonable level
As wake surfing grows in popularity, this award-winning video and the Wake Responsibly campaign are valuable educational tools to showcase and share, as we continue to see threats to access for various types of watersports. Watch Abbreviated Video.
The MRAA works closely with WSIA on a variety of overlapping priorities like the preservation of recreational boating access and both dealership and customer education on how to safely engage in wake sports.
Worried about impediments to access in your area or want to become more proactive? Then email Mike Sayre, MRAA Director of Government Relations or Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager.
National Marine Fisheries Service Expands Right Whale Critical Habitat in Alaska
On Sept. 26, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced a revision of the Endangered North Pacific right whale critical habitat in Alaska, expanding the protected area for the species. This update comes after a petition, initially filed March 10, 2022, was put forth by the Center for Biological Diversity and Save the Pacific Right Whale.
Upon receiving the petition, NMFS is required under Federal Law to conduct a review of the petition, evaluate the best available information and then decide to move forward with the designation of new critical habitat. The last instance of a critical habitat designation for the North Pacific right whale under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was in 2008 for 37,000 square miles in the Gulf of Alaska and Bearing Sea.
After reviewing the petition and best available information, NMFS agreed with the petitioners and is now determining how to expand the critical habitat of the North Pacific right whale. NMFS will revise critical habitat by analyzing available acoustic detections, sightings and relevant habitat data. After it evaluates the best available information, NMFS will announce a proposed rule that is open for public comment.
This proposal is significant to marine retailers and the recreational boating community because it may now allow vessel speed restrictions to spread to the West Coast. Currently, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NMFS are in the process of expanding a vessel speed zone for boats 35 feet and longer along the East Coast to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale. The proposed speed zone would create a massive restriction to access for recreational boaters while harming recreational boating businesses and coastal communities along the Eastern Seaboard.
“If you were to recommend three courses for a service department, what would you suggest?” This recent question popped up in one of the MRAA internal Slack conversations asking our entire team for their suggestions.
We get regular questions about top courses from our our dealer members and MRAA staff for a couple of reasons. First, MRAATraining.com, has more than 240 courses, so there are plenty of available options to sort through. Second, we understand that dealers have limited time and need some guidance – quick and easy shortcuts – from our team to help steer them in the right direction and stay focused on addressing current obstacles they are facing at their business.
That’s why we’ve established some programs like MRAA’s monthly Spotlight pages, theTraining ‘N’ Tactics (TNT) series and course packages on MRAATraining.com to highlight valuable courses to match timely topics and some of the current pain points you’re facing at your dealership. To gauge your needs and market concerns, the MRAA team also attends dealer meetings and sends a monthly MRAA Pulse Report and additional surveys.
On top of that, we have weekly conversations with the dealer body to learn more about obstacles with hiring, inventory management and sales and service efficiency, to name only a few.
Now, let’s address that question.
We have a custom 7-part training course for dealership service advisors called “Take Your Service Writing Skills to the Next Level.” It features several videos and subject matter experts who help service writers improve their skills and abilities to excel at your dealership, boost customer loyalty, grow revenue and help enhance the dealership’s performance and stability.
Valerie Ziebron, VRZ Consulting and subject matter expert.
The Service Writing package includes three popular sessions from proven industry educators as well as four courses from service guru Valerie Ziebron of VRZ Consulting. They are:
“Increase the Profit of What’s Already on Your Lift Package” with Jordon Schoolmeester, Garage Composites
“Service CSI & Upselling: Not an Either/Or Proposition” with Ziebron
“3 Ways to Earn Your Service Customer’s Trust” with Chris Collins
“Turn Upset Customers Into Loyal Ones” with Ziebron
“Master the Write-Up” with Ziebron
“3 Tactics to Turn Your Shop into a Customer Loyalty Machine” with Bob Clements
“Fix It Right: Then and Now” with Ziebron
We also believe in providing you with implementable solutions to improve your dealership. This Service Writing package is loaded with tactics and resources to take your performance as a Service Writer to the next level, but here’s a baker’s dozen in tasty takeaways.
13 key learnings you’ll get:
Implementable sales processes to improve service sales and profits
Top strategies to improve upselling and customer satisfaction
Critical elements within your control to ensure your customers keep on loving you with each service and parts experience.
Ten things required on every work order
Advice to overcome common service objections
Focus on one write-up at a time to identify needs, make recommendations, address concerns, build rapport and reach an agreement with your customers.
Role-playing tactics to improve relationships with customers
Avenues to collect, share and leverage customer info
How to turn upset customers into loyal ones
Ideal questions to ask during the customer drop-off
Examine and improve your processes for scheduling, write-up, repair, quality control and delivery to fix it right the first time.
Steps to create a high-capacity day in your service department
How and when to implement triage to improve efficiency and the customer experience
As an MRAA Silver and Gold Member, you have access to MRAATraining and this course package listed here, as well as more than 200 others helping your team improve, grow and find more success.
Prefer In-Person Learning? You also have the opportunity to learn how to improve your service department’s abilities and performance by attending MRAA’s Dealer Week 2023, Dec. 4-7, in Tampa, Fla. The annual conference and expo — boating’s only event focused on dealer growth — will again include a Service & Parts Pathway with five educational sessions. The topics include updated communication tactics, parts obsolescence, solving customers’ problems, incorporating action leadership and best service practices to be an “A-list” dealership.
Need recommended courses to help your team improve in areas other than service? Reach out to me at jerrod@mraa.com. The MRAA is here to help. When you are more successful, the marine industry is more successful.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announces the addition of three new consultants within the Dealership Certification program, to meet participation demands and growth.
Kurt Von Ahnen, Paula Crosbie and Dixie Morrow have partnered with the MRAA to facilitate Dealership Certification webinar series sessions. The consultants were selected because of their experience in working with dealerships and their eagerness to share that knowledge with dealers participating in the Certification program.
Kurt Von AhnenPaula CrosbieDixie Morrow
“We are thrilled to welcome Kurt, Paula and Dixie into the MRAA Dealership Certification program,” said Liz Keener, MRAA Certification Manager. “Each of these individuals has exhibited their passion for helping dealers learn and grow, and they’re all devoted to contributing to MRAA’s Certification efforts.”
Adding Von Ahnen, Crosbie and Morrow has nearly doubled MRAA’s team of consultants, all of whom distribute best practices, tools, resources and provide sound advice to the dealers within Certification. Existing program consultants include Steve Jones, Zane Stevenson and Rallee Chupich. They’re led by Bob McCann, Lead Certification Consultant and industry veteran.
Von Ahnen, who has nearly 30 years of experience in powersports and automotive, has created the “Mañana No Mas!” membership, a learning and community-based platform service, as well as his Powersports Academy education portal. A certified speaker, trainer and coach, Von Ahnen has spoken at marine dealer events and looks forward to expanding his marine industry reach. Additionally, he will speak on leadership and service and parts in two Dealer Week 2023 educational sessions in December.
Crosbie and Morrow, partners at PCLM Business Solutions, each have nearly 20 years of experience as Lightspeed dealer management system (DMS) trainers. At PCLM, they help dealers with DMS optimization, financials, remote accounting, departmental training and more. Their combined skillsets are a natural fit with the Dealership Certification program because they’re well-versed in process mapping and operational improvements. Serving as subject matter experts, both will speak about communications for a changing customer in the Service and Parts Pathway at Dealer Week 2023.
Moreover, in early 2022, MRAA introduced the seven-week Certification webinar series, working with groups of dealerships to help them complete Certification in a concentrated, seven-week period. The webinar series launch, and additional support from several boat and engine manufacturers, helped Dealership Certification enrollment double from 2021 to 2022 and Certification completion rise to 97 percent. MRAA added Von Ahnen, Crosbie and Morrow to its team to accommodate this recent successful growth in the Dealership Certification program.
“Dealership Certification has seen a surge of growth since establishing our seven-week program, which offers dealers the blueprint to success,” said Keener. “Certification guides all dealers – from newcomers to decades-old businesses – through improvements in customer experience, employee engagement and dealership operations.”
Certification webinar series sessions are now open for enrollment in October and January. Dealership Certification is available to dealers of all sizes, locations and experience. MRAA Members receive a discount on program pricing.
About the Marine Industry Certified Dealer Program The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program covers a broad range of requirements designed to cultivate a high level of customer satisfaction through communication, appearance and quality, enhance the customer experience by implementing processes for overall dealership functionality and establish organizational procedures to ensure smooth operations and happy customers. To learn more about Certification, visit www.mraa.com/get-certified.
About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.
• Boating content you can use to educate, inform and improve boat owners’ on-the-water experiences
Despite having a staff of boating enthusiasts and experts at your disposal, it’s not easy for a dealership to find additional time in the day to devote to writing boating stories that help improve your customers’ individual boating experiences. Designating an author, editor and content or social media manager may not be in the cards either. And, hiring freelance writers, videographers and agencies to produce these articles, boating tips-and-tricks and “how-to” stories is probably not in your budget, especially while you’ve been trying to reduce expenses due to a softer market.
It’s a good thing you have Discover Boating, powered by MRAA and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), in your corner. The mission of Discover Boating is to increase boating participation and enhance the experience for current boaters. And because of this, Discover Boating has made a determined effort to create and provide new and seasoned boaters with timely content that supports their on-the-water endeavors and promotes the boating lifestyle. It has also upgraded its consumer site to enhance user navigation.
This relevant content is easy to share and works well as bonus content in your e-newsletter or within customized follow-up emails with customers. And there’s a wide variety of topics, from recreational getaways to safety-and-operation, to help nearly every person listed in your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database.
Image by Discover Boating
To help you touch base with your customers, check out this recent list of articles and some of the most popular stories below.
These three stories have experienced year-to-year growth in number of page views from 2022 to 2023. They include a true tale about the “Loopers” quest of waterways in the Eastern U.S. and Canada,
Again, from education to safety to adventure, Discover Boating can supply you with resources to help you improve your customers’ ownership experience. As an industry stakeholder, you can access the Discover Boating Resource Centerto find tools, videos, research and education to help your with your messaging and delivery. You can also explore the entire library of Discover Boating articles and resources to share with your customer base, potential buyers and your online audiences.
Recently, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA), National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the Lake Havasu Marine Association (LHMA) met with elected officials from the Arizona State Legislature and the Lake Havasu City community to discuss various recreational boating priorities and highlight the impact recreational boating has on the local Lake Havasu City economy.
Lake Havasu City, Ariz., lies on the shores of Lake Havasu, a popular boating destination that draws in boaters from all around the state as well as California and Nevada. Boating events like the Desert Storm Poker Run, Lake Havasu Boat Show and various other happenings are held on the lake. Lake Havasu is known for its clear water, abundant fisheries, terrific boating and the vibrant-and-supportive recreational boating community.
Mark Curry, President, Just 4 Fun Powersports, provided a pontoon boat for the on-the-water tour of Lake Havasu.
This Lake Havasu event kicked off with a pontoon ride with Representative Leo Biasiucci (R-30), a Lake Havasu native who represents District 30 in the Arizona House of Representatives. The boat ride was made possible by Just 4 Fun Powersports President Mark Curry, an MRAA Member who has operated in Lake Havasu for more than 8 years and is a resolute supporter of MRAA Advocacy.
“The entire Just 4 Fun Powersports Team is passionate about the lake and the people that boat on it,” said Curry. “We see the frustrations that first time boat owners and veterans alike experience that is most often a result of lack of boating experience or lack of experience on a new boat they may have just purchased. We believe the importance of good boating training — whether it is during a delivery orientation or giving them an opportunity to take an online course — is on par with having quality service after the sale. It is a measurable importance.”
While touring the lake, the group highlighted several opportunities for Biasiucci such as needed recreational boating infrastructure repairs, issues with competing user groups and opportunities to increase state-funded education to strengthen boater safety. Our group also shared the magnitude of Arizona’s recreational boating industry, which contributes $2.2 billion to the state, has more than 125,000 registered boats and supports more than 7,000 jobs at 239 businesses.
“Aside from being the lifeblood of our community, this lake represents the heritage of many of our founding families and lifetimes of memories for many others,” said Rick Riegler, Executive Director, LHMA. “We’ll do everything we can to preserve the beauty and vibrance of Lake Havasu for the enjoyment of generations to come.”
After touring the lake, we attended a small reception at the London Bridge Resort where Cal Sheehy, the Lake Havasu City Mayor, Lake Havasu City Council members, Mohave County Sheriff Department officers and local dealers gathered to discuss recreational boating issues on Lake Havasu as well as collaborative opportunities and improvements. Because Lake Havasu is one of the busiest lakes in Arizona, boater education was also a major focal point.
(From left) Rick Riegler, LHMA President, Representative Leo Biasiucci, Rachel Fischer, NMMA Western Policy and Engagement Manager and Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager, toured Lake Havasu, one of Arizona’s most popular recreational boating destinations.
“It was a wonderful experience being in Lake Havasu City, seeing all the boating opportunities the city has to offer and talking to locals and government representation about how impactful boating is for the area,” said Rachel Fischer, Western Policy and Engagement Manager, NMMA. “We want to continue protecting boating access while advancing boating safety and education across Arizona. Getting the opportunity to talk about these topics helps us localize issues as the state legislature moves towards the 2024 session.”
Our get-together at the lake reinforced the ongoing need for cooperation between businesses, law enforcement, user groups and state and local government to ensure Lake Havasu remains a top boating destination in the West. These connections help pave the way for a successful 2024 legislative session in Phoenix, where the recreational boating industries and its allies will again be advocating for infrastructure funding to fix boat ramps and improve recreational access in the state. We can then continue conversations about boater education with legislators to create safe experiences for everyone on Arizona’s lakes and rivers.
Boating advocacyand events like this are integral to highlighting the importance of boating and our industry to local elected officials and others within the community. Making the effort to build these relationships is priceless, as you never know when you might need them. If you are interested in hosting an event like this, or engaging in MRAA advocacy email me at chad@mraa.com, or Mike Sayre (sayre@mraa.com), MRAA Government Relations Director.
• How simple changes to your inventory listings can garner more prospect attention, sell more boats and generate more cash flow.
By Drew Mick, MRAA Research Specialist
Drew Mick
Excess inventory. For many, this is a painful reality. But what if a few strategic steps could turn that around?
In the fast-paced world of boat sales, capturing customer attention is the first crucial step towards boosting sales figures. Yet, often, we find ourselves not giving our inventory listings the spotlight they deserve. It’s time to start a new movement – an “Inventory Movement” Movement, if you will – to change how we think of our listings.
Consider this: A study done by Boats Group on YachtWorld delved into the impact of visual content on generating leads. The results were eye-opening. Boat listings featuring 11 to 25 photos garnered the most leads. This statistic alone underscores the power of presentation in driving sales success.
Graphic courtesy of Boats Group, an MRAA Strategic Partner
With this in mind, we present the following tips to elevate your boat inventory listing game. These actionable steps are designed to breathe new life into your listings, attracting customers and maximizing sales potential.
Let’s march forward into the world of optimizing boat inventory listings and unleash their true potential. Your next sale might be just a click away.
Pictures: It has already been established that 11-25 picture for your listings is that sweet spot. But what else can you be doing to enhance those visuals? According to an article written by Boats Group titled “How to Improve Your Listing Score,” it is important that your pictures are of the highest quality possible, which starts with the camera you are using. Be sure your settings are set to the high resolution for HD-quality images. And of course, the first image shown should be the best picture you have of the boat, displaying the whole unit and at the best angle.
Video: The YachtWorld study also suggested at least 1 video per listing. Typically, this would be a walkaround video. Furthermore, this might be an area that is worth thinking about differently. Can you get this boat out on the water for some action shots? Potential buyers might appreciate a look into how it runs. Is there an opportunity to be upfront with them about the flaws? Marcus Sheridan recently had a newsletter post titled “The Secret to Gaining IMMEDIATE Trust Online” where he talked about how he recently bought a new van. The short of it is, he bought the van without having seen it in person based solely on the fact that the video began by displaying the flaws first. This illustrated immediate candor and helped to fill in what Marcus called the “Trust Gap.” It helped Marcus drop any defenses and hesitation he had because it cut right to it. This way of outside-the-box thinking may be worth considering for your pre-owned boat listings.
Detail: When it comes to the writing on your listings, there is no room for error. That earlier article by Boats Group stated how vital it is to list all basic details about the boat. What class is it? What about the HIN? The engine hours? Are there any important deadlines that need to be expressed such as “Limited time offer” or “Only while supplies last?” Everything a buyer might want to know should be there at a glance, even the price. Showing the price, rather than a “Call for Price” option has been shown to lead to more traffic. This all may seem like the basics, but it’s extremely important and cannot be stated enough.
Description: According to Samantha Scott, APR in her presentation “Closing the Deal: Moving Inventory Through Positioning and Promotion,” be sure to paint a picture in your listing’s descriptions. Tell them how close they are to a lake time vacation. Ask them to imagine themselves soaking in the sun from the deck of their new boat. Be excited, and the customer will be excited right back. Don’t forget to explain why features are beneficial. Finally, and most importantly, you must use searchable keywords. Put yourself in the prospect’s shoes, and ask yourself “what words would I type into a search engine to find my perfect boat?” This harkens back to being detailed in your descriptions as well. If you do this, your listings will be sure to pop to the top of any search engine.
Rethinking your inventory listing approach holds the key to transformative sales outcomes. Through the inclusion of captivating visuals and strategic presentation, your listings gain the ability to unlock untapped potential, effectively capturing attention and driving sales. By incorporating these subtle adjustments and additions into your listings, you enhance their visibility, increasing the likelihood of your inventory finding its rightful place in the hands of your loyal customers.
Hey Drew! How have you altered your dealership’s inventory listings? Got any success stories to share? Let me know, by dropping me an email at drew@mraa.com.
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 13 – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) and leading outdoor recreation organizations are backing Senator Michael Bennet and Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury’s newly-introduced Rural Outdoor Investment (ROI) Act. This bill provides much-needed support for rural communities seeking to build and plan for recreation economies.
If passed, the ROI Act’s funding is ideally timed. Outdoor recreation participation skyrocketed during the pandemic as millions of Americans flocked toward local and federal public lands and waters. For the gateway communities alongside these treasured destinations, this new interest presents excellent opportunities for economic diversification and stability, as well as new challenges to manage around stewardship, housing and visitor management. The ROI Act would direct resources to help communities strategically integrate outdoor recreation into their plans.
“As evidenced by the hundreds of rural communities who have applied for federal technical assistance to support economic development through outdoor recreation in recent years, as well as the unprecedented numbers of Americans flocking to the outdoors, we have an outstanding opportunity to meet the moment through the Rural Outdoor Investment Act,” said Jessica Wahl Turner, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable President. “The ROI Act is aptly named as it will help bring rural communities a big return on outdoor recreation investments in the form of social, economic and environmental benefits for locals and visitors alike.”
The ROI Act will provide:
$30 million for public works through the Economic Development Administration (EDA). To fund necessary infrastructure improvements from signage to boat ramps and new trails.
$5 million for grants through EDA for communities to create recreation economy plans that optimize their natural spaces including marketing, branding, business development, fundraising and tourism management.
$2.5 million in university partnerships to promote place-based research, education and technical assistance to local stakeholders and businesses for this high-growth sector.
$12.5 million for the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC) grants program for main street revitalization through outdoor recreation.
Jeff Strong, MRAA Board Chair
“The Rural Outdoor Investment Act will create common-sense changes to pre-existing programs and direct money to communities to help bolster and grow their outdoor recreation economies,” says Jeff Strong, MRAA Board Chair and President, Strong’s Marine. “From additional funding to improve boat ramps to money aimed at helping communities’ market their recreational offerings, this bill will benefit the recreational boating industry, boaters and anglers and rural communities alike.”
Read more about the ROI Act here. Read the full ROI Act bill language here.
If you have further questions, email Mike Sayre, MRAA Director of Government Relations or Chad Tokowicz, Government Relations Manager.
About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 13 – The MRAA Educational Foundation has announced the call for nominations and applications for the 2023 Annual Scholarships and the 2023 Darlene Briggs Marine Woman of the Year Award. Scholarship recipients and the award winner will be presented this December at MRAA’s Dealer Week Conference and Expo in Tampa, Fla. Award information and applications may be found at the MRAA Educational Foundation website.
The educational scholarships are intended to financially assist career development for marine industry professionals. The Darlene Briggs Award is given annually to an outstanding woman who is actively involved in the marine industry at any level. The deadline to submit a scholarship or award nomination/application is Friday, Oct. 13.
“In a diligent effort to grow and maintain a more robust workforce for our dealers, the MRAA Education Foundation scholarships adapt to meet the current and future needs within the marine industry,” said Jeff Siems, MRAA Educational Foundation President. “The scholarships play a vital role as supportive elements within our mission to expand the workforce and continually improve the boating industry.”
Online applications and nominations are being accepted for the Duane Spader Leadership Development Scholarship and Kevin Lodder Scholarship. Marine Trades Associations can also apply for the Foundation’s Marine Trades Association Scholarship.
The prestigious Darlene Briggs Woman of the Year Award is open for application submissions and nominations for women within the boating industry. The annual award, continuously presented each year since 1987 and sponsored by MRAA and Boating Industry, recognizes an outstanding woman in the industry who is making a difference, no matter her position within the company.
Click the links below to learn more about each of these offerings and to nominate or apply:
About MRAA Educational Foundation A nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization, the MRAA Educational Foundation has awarded more than 85 scholarships and awards collectively worth more than $194,000 over the past 18 years. Donations from independent donors and corporate partners make all scholarships provided by the MRAA Educational Foundation possible. To learn more about donating, or to find more information about the MRAA Educational Foundation, visit www.marineedfoundation.org.
About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.
MINNEAPOLIS, — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) announces the addition of 15 new Partner Members in August, establishing an all-time high for a single month.
Marine manufacturers, suppliers and service providers, through Partner Membership, commit to aligning their brands with the programs and opportunities that MRAA offers in its efforts to fuel the success of the marine industry. Support from Partners allows the Association to expand its offerings and create a positive, long-term impact on MRAA members’ business.
50 State DMV, Las Cruces, N.M., is a trusted resource for out-of-state title and registration processing across the nation.
Accelerate2Compliance, St. Louis Park, Minn., was founded to help small- and medium-sized businesses protect themselves from the risks associated with cyber security attacks, personal information leaks and non-compliance.
Bob’s Machine, Tampa, Fla., has brought quality and innovation to the jack plate market since 1978.
Capone & Associates, Wilmington, N.C., serves its clients’ finances clearly and confidently with bookkeeping, financial planning, forensic and M&A accounting and exit strategies.
Dealership Performance 360 CRM, Wilsonville, Ore., produces CRMs that line up with dealerships’ best practices, and is supported by a team of dedicated experts to guide dealers every step of the way.
Defiance Boats, Bremerton, Wash., uses only the finest in composite materials to assemble the ultimate sportfishing machine.
Everglades Boats, Edgewater, Fla., builds performance fishing boats with patented features, quality craftsmanship and innovations that are “intelligent by design.”
ezDrive Thrusters, Coral Gables, Fla., constructs external boat thrusters that are designed specifically for active wake surfing, wakeboard, watersports, and more.
GatorStep, Lenoir City, Tenn., manufactures premium boat flooring and decking, adding a layer of comfort, style, and customization to boats.
Highfield Boats USA, Ball Ground, Ga., focuses on performance and strength when constructing its offshore high-performance RIBs.
Red Oak Inventory Finance, Alpharetta, Ga., is a one-stop shop for inventory and retail finance needs.
Spectrum Color, Augustine, Fla., creates specialty gel coat protection for every kind of boat on the market.
Varatti Boats, McGregor, Minn., designs its boats for all watersports and programmatically adds them to its software, affirming the tagline “Varatti is Variety.”
Wet Sounds, Rosenberg, Texas, brings a level of performance, style and durability to the audio industry that’s designed to be heard in the toughest environments.
“The MRAA has never-before seen so many companies sign on as Partner Members in a single month,” says Allison Gruhn, MRAA Vice President of Business Development. “We are overjoyed to see such a variety of industries supporting our cause as well as exhibiting at Dealer Week this year. Thanks to the commitment from these organizations, the MRAA is able to strengthen our resources, educational offerings, advocacy efforts and coordination of Dealer Week and the dealer meetings that are hosted there. For our retail members, make sure to stop by and visit these new partners while you are at Dealer Week 2023!”
To view the complete list of all MRAA Partners at every level, click here.
About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.
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