2025 Boat Show Update

• First Winter Boat Shows of 2025 Attract Buyers, Bring Optimism for Early Signs of Return to Sales Growth

The Discover Boating Atlanta, Chicago and New England boat shows, in partnership with Progressive Insurance®, drew in more than 65,000 buyers and boating enthusiasts last weekend, eager to shop deals on thousands of new boats, accessories and the latest marine innovations. Despite continued headwinds after years of record growth in recreational boat unit sales and Winter Storm Cora’s impact in Atlanta, exhibitors expressed optimism with reports of sales and a steady stream of attendees, reinforcing the 2025 market assessment issued by the NMMA last week.

The Discover Boating Chicago Boat Show®, in partnership with Progressive Insurance®, made its debut at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill. with resounding positive feedback from both exhibitors and attendees. Attendance on Saturday was the highest Saturday attendance since pre-pandemic in January 2020.

“We saw a very positive response from our customers on the new location in Rosemont, with an increase in attendance and improved results for Gordy’s and Cobalt Boats year-over-year,” said Steele Johnson, Gordy’s Lakefront Marine. “We are also honored to have been awarded Best Display and Marketing Partner of the Year, which serve as great recognition for our team who worked extremely hard to make this year’s show a success!”

“The 2025 Chicago Boat Show was a big success! We’ve seen growth across all key metrics – leads, deals written and pro-shop sales,” echoed Terry Anderson, SkipperBud’s. “The crowds were steady every day, and we had good traffic right up until closing time. The overall sentiment from attendees was very positive, and we observed a larger presence from clients located near the lakes we primarily service.”

Crowds showed up throughout the five-day Discover Boating New England Boat Show®, in partnership with Progressive Insurance®, with many exhibitors yielding promising sales with returning customers and new buyers alike.

“The New England Boat Show has produced more quality leads this year than in the past. Our team of dealers have sold several boats to repeat buyers and new boaters. This show continues to draw customers from all over New England,” said Aaron Krenzer, Chaparral Boats.

The Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, Kim Driscoll, attended the 2025 New England Boat Show’s Opening Night Party benefiting Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, addressing a crowd of more than 125 boaters and industry stakeholders about the importance of recreational boating to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and how critical the boat show is to the industry as the NMMA looks to restore the show’s Feb. dates.

“We are really dedicated to making sure that this show is successful, for all of you, but certainly it makes a huge part of our economy,” noted Lt. Gov. Driscoll. “Last year, we had 372 jobs we attributed directly to the show’s five-day run, garnered $13.8 million in labor income, and brought in over $28 million to the state’s annual gross delivery. This boat show is meaningful.”

Lt. Gov. Driscoll also celebrated the Hanson-Milone Safe Boating Act that was signed into law on Jan. 8 by Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey.

And while Winter Storm Cora deterred typical crowds in Atlanta on Friday and Saturday, attendance was strong and steady on Thursday and Sunday, with several exhibitors reporting sales and quality buyers.

“We had a great show and sold a few boats which is great for a first-time exhibitor at the show. We can’t wait to come back next year,” said Erik Forinash, Impact Marine.

“While the weather on Friday kept us from exhibiting, Saturday and Sunday were great! We want to expand in 2026,” said Aline Barrett, Viking Boat & Fiberglass Repair.

2025 Winter Boat Show Update
Image courtesy of Discover Boating Boat Show Toolkit

Next up: 

Marketing Assets for Dealers/Manufacturers
Don’t miss the boat to market to your show involvement to customers! The Discover Boating Boat Show Partner Toolkit includes a host of marketing assets for dealers and manufacturers. Make sure to also follow and engage with Discover Boating shows on social media across Facebook and Instagram. Contact Sarah Salvatori for more information and media requests, ssalvatori@nmma.org.

MRAA Announces 2025 Board of Directors

MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 21, 2025) – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announces Joe Lewis as Chairman and four new additions to its board of directors.

Lewis of Mount Dora Boating Center and Marina in Mount Dora, Florida, is the longest serving board member, having been on the MRAA Board since 2009. He previously served as Chair of the board from 2017-2018, and was asked by his board colleagues to remain on the board after his term. Lewis returns as Chairman in 2025, replacing Jeff Strong, Strong’s Marine in New York, who moves into the Immediate Past Chair position.

MRAA Announces 2025 Board of Directors
(From left) Joe Lewis of Mount Dora Boating Center is the new MRAA Board Chair, replacing Jeff Strong, President at Strong’s Marine, who moves to Past Chairman for 2025.

“It’s been a real privilege to serve, having a front-row seat to MRAA’s stellar growth, fueling our members’ business success while taking on a larger industry leadership role,” says Lewis. “What is really exciting is knowing what is yet to come. Working with this exceptional MRAA team, my fellow dealer board members and our industry partners, we have tremendous opportunities as we continue the work of elevating our customer buying and ownership experience. I’m looking forward to working with everyone and another great year.”  

Craig Brosenne, President of Hagadone Marine Group in Coeur D Alene, Idaho, who joined the board in 2014, has been named Vice Chair. Buckeye Marine Operations Manager Carly Poole has been named the new Secretary/Treasurer and has served on the board for a dozen years. Lewis, Brosenne, Poole and Strong will comprise the MRAA’s Executive Committee.

New additions to the MRAA Board of Directors include Sean Horsfall, President of Len’s Cove Marina in Ontario, Canada (Region 11 Canada), Eric Smith, General Manager at Colorado Boat Center (Region 8 – CO, IA, KS, MO, MT, NE, NM, WY), Chris Butler, President at Butler Marine in South Carolina (Region 4 – KY, NC, SC, TN), and Wendy Ramsey, General Manager at Pirate Cove Marina in Ontario, Canada, is the new Director At Large, representing MRAA’s Young Leaders Advisory Council.

In addition to the newly appointed board members, returning MRAA Regional Directors include:

  • Region 1 (ME, MA, NH, VT) – Craig LeBlanc, Allen Harbor Marine Service
  • Region 2 (CT, NJ, NY, RI) – Bob Petzold, Petzold’s Marine Center
  • Region 3 (DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV) – Bryan Buckland, Chessie Marine Sales
  • Region 5 (AL, FL, GA, MS) – Paul Berube, Boaters Exchange
  • Region 6 (IL, IN, MI, OH) – Chad Taylor, Taylor’s South Shore Marine
  • Region 7 (MN, SD, ND, WI) – Jason Shallcross, Reed’s Marine
  • Region 9 (AR, LA, OK, TX) – Brandon Sharpe, Arrowhead Boat Sales
  • Region 10 (AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, NV, OR, UT, WA): Bob Bense, Superior Boat Repair & Sales
  • Director At Large – Susan Duquette, Lakeview Marine

“We accomplished many things under Jeff’s impactful leadership. We will be in good hands with Joe and are grateful for this dedicated and passionate group of marine industry professionals,” says MRAA President Matt Gruhn. “Their combined expertise and vast knowledge of the marine industry will help keep the MRAA focused on achieving our mission to fuel dealer success through furthering our drive for continuous improvement. Our new members, who are accomplished business leaders, can help us achieve more by advancing our efforts to help boat dealers and the industry at large.”

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.

Use High-Value Content to Generate Leads Before the Boat Show

You can create flow for your dealership’s sales team with HVCO. What? It may sound like something a heating-and-air technician may know something about, but HVCO actually stands for high-value content in the marketing world. By implementing this marketing strategy in your business plan, you can help generate a refreshing movement of hot leads and add more potential customers to your database.

High-value content essentially provides consumers (your targeted audience) with free information and guidance in exchange for their contact details. So when Len’s Cove Marina, an MRAA Member and Certified Dealership, released its new Ultimate Boat Show Shopping Guide, it also built a landing page with a form boating enthusiasts could fill out to receive the free 28-page resource. With every submission, Len’s Cove Marina will add contacts to its CRM and also then target to that audience in the form of a follow-up message in future campaigns. Read more about that in this MRAA blog.

Use High-Value Content to Generate Leads Before the Boat Show
Image courtesy of Len’s Cove Marina

Since lead management, especially at boat shows, includes follow-up, we reconnected with Len’s Cove Marina to dig deeper into its latest HVCO project. We had a short question-and-answer session with Sean Horsfall, the third-generation owner, and Robin Magee, the Marketing & Events Manager. These two comprise the Canadian dealership’s marketing team.

Objective Behind the Guide
“The goal from a business perspective is to offer high-value content (HVCO) for free for the opportunity to then market to them going forward and to stay top of mind as their trusted boating source when they next need something,” said Horsfall. Their database of contacts within their CRM has grown substantially since Len’s Cove shifted gears to earmarking a high percentage of its ad spend and social to HVCOs.

“We are passionate about boating education, and this guide aims to help consumers confidently navigate large events like boat shows and make informed purchases they’re happy with. Happy boaters are the heart of what we do,” explained Magee. The free resource also helps demystify boat shows, making them more approachable for everyone – whether first-timers or seasoned boaters.

Production Timeline & Design
Len’s Cove has produced ebooks like its Ultimate Guide to Boats Shows for at least a decade. Much like it has displayed with its branded Len’s Cove Lessons in Boating on YouTube, the dealership has been an industry innovator with its e-book production. Having that baseline knowledge and existing product line helped to simplify the creative and design process, as Magee took the 2014 version and updated it for the 2024 version, estimating that effort to take roughly 20 hours. This included template creation and editing drafts based on Sean’s advice. “Because we made the guide comprehensive last year, I was able to completely refresh it with updated pictures and two brand new sections in 10 hours for the 2025 edition,” said Magee. To simplify the production timeline she compiled content from the Len’s Cove blog posts on similar topics.

The small-but-mighty duo calls the design a collaborative effort. Horsfall made the original e-book in 2014 and provides topical expertise and edits while Magee was in charge of repurposing the existing content. Most of the boat show guide was written in Horsfall’s words using various pieces of their existing content that Magee then reworked and spliced together.

“As a newbie to the industry, I heavily rely on our old content and other trusted industry resources like Discover Boating,” explained Magee. “Sean and AI play a role as well, mostly for brainstorming and refining ideas. For example, I asked ChatGPT to compile a list of dreams, hopes, fears and frustrations that prospective buyers are asking about when considering buying a boat.” She then used that list to connect the dots and hit on all of the right topics to build the comprehensive guide. 

Use High-Value Content to Generate Leads Before the Boat Show
Robin Magee, Len’s Cove Marina Marketing and Events Manager (Image courtesy Len’s Cove Marina)

Magee also creates the templates in Canva for all of Len’s Cove’s HVCOs. This tactical approach ensures the products are visually cohesive and match their brand standards. 

Downloads, Educational Opportunities and Savings
The same day Len’s Cove Marina’s newsletter “A Look Through the Lens” campaign went out with the secondary story about the free boat show guide and download, Magee reported eight people filled out the form to download it. Those eight people, me included, also received a follow-up campaign email, or as Magee described it, a supplementary resource offering more value for those who submitted the form.

Those additional resources was entitled “Don’t miss these resources to become an expert at boat buying,” and arrived in the form of a personalized email letter from Horsfall that provided me with two additional resources. The first is a specialized “Buying a Boat” playlist from his Len’s Cove Lessons in Boating series. The bonus item was a one-page checklist the customer can use when buying a boat. They also shared with me their goals to build trust with me and to empower me by providing me with the knowledge to make informed decisions during my personal boat buying.

Again, the Len’s Cove Marina team always brings an educational approach to whatever they create. Sure, they want to sell boats, but they create meaning, connection and trust using boater education as a foundational connector pin, not just sales.

“By focusing on education and addressing common questions and frustrations, we aim to build trust rather than a hard sell,” said Magee. “Sean’s passion for education has inspired me to adopt it as well, and it’s a cornerstone of our marketing strategy.”

This particular guide also featured an Ottawa Boat and Outdoors Show coupon (a $3 savings) for those who downloaded it. The discount ticket was something created by the boat show’s marketing team and generously given to Len’s Cove Marina for promotional use. Added value at zero cost is always a plus!

Challenges?
The biggest challenge to creating your own HVOC products is simply starting. Finding the time to prioritize and focus on developing content requires a conscious effort said Magee, adding, “Once you commit and set aside dedicated time, the process becomes more manageable. Content like this guide can be repurposed by us across various formats – blogs, emails or social posts – making it a valuable investment of time.” 

For dealers looking to launch similar initiatives, the key is to focus on simplicity and leverage what you already have. “If they aren’t doing marketing emails, there are free email services out there, so send a link to the guide to your email list with a personal note about how it can enhance their boat show experience, boating lifestyle, whatever it may be,” noted Magee. “If you have a storefront or showroom that gets a lot of foot traffic, put up a QR code that sends people to the resource. Something Sean always says to me, ‘Don’t reinvent the wheel.’”

Access the Len’s Cove Marina Ultimate Boat Show Shopping Guide here.

Missed part 1 of this mini-case study with Len’s Cove Marina?

Read Part 1


For additional insights and resources to help your team maximize your ROI at boat shows, visit the MRAA Spotlight Page.

Guide Your Customers’ Boat Show Journey

Let’s play a game of “Would you rather?” Would you rather your customers have to rely on the radio ad spot to understand a boat show or create a custom publication that walks them through a boat-show journey?

Would you answer change if I told you that the custom publication could go a long way toward earning customers’ trust, while increasing the odds their journey ends with them doing business with YOU? A lot of dealers engage their customers only AFTER they arrive at the show. By adding value to their path to purchase beforehand, you gain a competitive advantage before the show even starts.

Industry innovator and MRAA member Len’s Cove Marina of Ontario, Canada, understands that many consumers have questions about not only attending a boat show, but how to maximize their time and energy while attending one.

Guide Your Customers’ Boat Show Journey
Image courtesy of Len’s Cove Marina.

“Ultimate Guide to North American Boat Shows”
To do this, Len’s Cove Marina just released for 2025 “The Boat Show Buyer’s Guide: Ultimate Guide to North American Boat Shows” as part of its Len’s Cove Lessons in Boating content initiative to educate its customers about boating. A section of the intro copy reads: “This isn’t a sales pitch. We created this free resource because we believe everyone deserves to enjoy the thrill of boating.”

After advancing through the free 28-page digital publication they hosted through HubSpot, I firmly believe that statement because this resource answers a lot of frequently asked questions. And this statement, “Think of it as your compass on this journey,” reinforces their belief.

The Len’s Cove marketing team has built an impressive resource that addresses many topics and touches on boat show experiences from their customers’ perspectives. The table of contents addresses many questions. They begin with how the guide can help a boat buyer/shopper and what they need to know to find success. From there, they dive deeper into the dealers who attend the show and what separates them from the crowd, before jumping into boat buying.

And they don’t stop there. The Len’s Cove team shares common missteps made by buyers and helps them understand why a boat show is a prime place to make a purchase and why the boating dream is worth it. They conclude with a call to action, sharing their YouTube channel and Len’s Cove Lessons in Boating series, as well as a button and link to the Ottawa Boat and Outdoors Show and a reduced admission coupon.

Len’s Cove included “pro tips” to provide further guidance and more successful results and a couple “did you know?” sections. The common sense and fun advise, combined with their industry expertise, help the reader gain confidence with their boat show adventure(s) and decision-making.

To access the Len’s Cove Marina Boat Show Guide, click here. (NOTE: There is a form to fill out to access the free resource).

How to Get Started?
Your team has the expertise, as boating enthusiasts living the daily boating life, and insights to share with your customers. You can collect a few of your blogs (or write new ones) that meet your customers where they are and address their needs and answer their questions.

If you don’t have writers on staff, you can always borrow boat show articles from Discover Boating that help your customers understand what a boat show is and isn’t, sharing tips and best practices to make their visit enjoyable and memorable. This goes for photography within the guide, too. Len’s Cove used some of its own images, but also shared source attributions (Example: Photo Courtesy of Atlanta Boat Show) for photos they used from Discover Boating, the Toronto International Boat Show and other sources.

To advance your team’s expertise, use artificial intelligence to your advantage. You can certainly use it to create an outline for your own article or guide, depending how deep you want to go. If a full-blown guide or boat show resource is too much for your team, an alternative step for you might be to create a blog. You can then email your customers and leads your blog that offers tips to enjoy a boat show and that answers common questions. Should you desire to jump in with both feet, like Len’s Cove Marina, you can combine your knowledge and advice with free industry articles and AI-driven content to produce a helpful guide.

Ultimately, this marketing and sales effort is to create an opportunity for your team to serve as a guide in your customer’s journey. You’re simply taking a proactive step in answering their questions before your boat show, so when they do arrive they have a better understanding of how things work and how they can maximize their time to focus on having fun and shopping for a boat that best fits their needs. At the same time, because you made the effort to help them, you’ve also helped your team engage customers in a way that makes them feel appreciated and cared for, regardless if they end of buying from you or not. Through education and building industry connections like these, you can become a champion of boating and a resource for many boating enthusiasts.

Steps to Build a Guide

1. Define the Purpose of the Guide

  • Provide an educational resource for boating enthusiasts and your customers.

2. Plan the Content

  • Address most common boat show questions from consumers and supply tips and fun info.

3. Gather Information and Resources

  • Engage your team, or vendor, to collect the information and artwork (photos, vidoes) necessary to include in the digital guide.

4. Draft the Content

  • Produce the content: Write the content yourself, hire a freelancer or use AI to assist you.

5. Review and Edit

  • Proof the copy for brevity, errors and your brand’s voice. Remember, storytelling and giving AI-content your voice and a human touch are important, too.

6. Design the Guide

  • Assign or hire someone to layout and format the guide, keeping it reader friendly.

7. Finalize the Content

  • This is time for your final proofing of the entire contents, from cover to back page. Ensure your table of contents and page numbers align, all the fonts match and formatting is precise, while also editing the guide one last time.

8. Prepare for Distribution

  • Determine where and when you will distribute the guide, ideally before your boat show. You will need to generate short-form titles and copy for your newsletter and social accounts.

9. Share the Guide

  • Provide the link to the guide’s sign-up form. This ensures you capture vital information like name, email, phone number and also generate leads for your dealership.

10. Follow-Up and Update

  • Create a follow-up plan for those who download the guide. This could be anything from a simple automated “thank-you” follow-up email to a stronger lead engagement effort from your sales team to those consumers who match up with your region.


Want to know who Len’s Cove Marina’s small two-person team pulled off this project? Read our follow-up blog where we dig in to things like design, time commitments and more.

Read Part 2

MRAA Announces 2025 Young Leaders Advisory Council

MINNEAPOLIS, (Jan. 16, 2025) – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today the Young Leaders Advisory Council has new leadership and new members.

Wendy Ramsey, of Pirate Cove Marina in Kemptville, Ontario, Canada has taken to the helm as the YLAC Chair. Ramsey, who has a passion for workforce development and serves as a Director At Large on the MRAA Board of Directors, is a young marine professional making moves throughout her region and the industry. J Hurless, from Reeder-Trausch Marine in Rockville, Ind., is the new Co-Chair. J has been actively involved in the MRAA for years and continues to leave his mark with his industry leadership.

Young Leaders Advisory Council Chair
Wendy Ramsey, GM at Pirate Cove Marina in Canada, will serve as YLAC Chair.

“We are delighted to welcome our new members to the Young Leaders Advisory Council,” says Ramsey. “Their commitment to dedicating their valuable time and expertise to our marine industry initiatives demonstrates the kind of forward-thinking leadership we need. In an increasingly demanding business environment, their willingness to contribute to our upcoming projects speaks volumes about their dedication to advancing our industry. I look forward to collaborating with these dynamic young leaders as we work together to create meaningful impact in the year ahead.”

New YLAC Members:

  • Hayden Hall, Sales Manager, Hall’s Sports Center, Muskegon, Mich.
  • Andrew Schraedly, Co-Owner/Business Development Manager, Schraedly Marine Inc./Charles Mill Marina, Mansfield, Ohio
  • Ally Stacy, Marketing Manager, Strong’s Marine, Mattituck, N.Y.
  • Miranda Doan, Marketing Manager, Avalon & Tahoe Pontoons, Alma, Mich.


Additional Returning YLAC Members:

  • James Cimino, Owner, Sierra Hills Mobile Marine, Auburn, Calif.
  • Justin Dysert, Sales & Finance Manager, Taylor’s South Shore Marina, Waynesville, Ohio
  • Christian Hansen, General Manager, Idaho Water Sports, Idaho Falls, Idaho
  • Ashlynn LaLonde Olson, Vice President, Hutchinson’s Boat Works, Inc., Alexandria Bay, N.Y.
  • Heather Mess, National Marina Manager, MarineMax, Inc., Clearwater, Fla.
  • Will Monson, General Sales Manager, Moose Landing Marina, Naples, Maine
  • Braden Panasiuk, General Manager, Gibbons Motor Toys, Salmon Arm, B.C., Canada
  • Jon Stovall, Sales Associate/Licensed Broker, MarineMax- Lake Lanier, Cumming, Ga.
  • Kenda Kennard, Business Development Representative, Huntington Distribution Finance (Industry Representative), Schaumburg, Ill.
  • Sarah Korbel, Events and Operations Manager, MRAA, Minneapolis, Minn.

The mission of the YLAC is to supplement and support the mission of the Board of Directors of the MRAA. YLAC provides guidance as to the current state of the marine retailers’ day-to-day operations, both in challenges and opportunities. YLAC strives to set the example in identifying, inspiring, recruiting and onboarding key younger generation members to participate in the association, facilitating the future growth and success of MRAA.

The MRAA will hold a call for applications from young marine professionals in the fall of 2025. Learn more about YLAC, or email Korbel at sarah@mraa.com.

NMFS Rescinds Proposed Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule, Maintaining Access for Recreational Boaters and Anglers

WASHINGTON (Jan. 15, 2024) – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that the National Marine Fisheries Service officially withdrew the proposed North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule. Initially proposed in August of 2022, this rule would have put in place a 10-knot speed limit on almost the entire East Coast and would have limited access for recreational anglers and boaters while shuddering marine retailers and businesses in coastal communities along the Eastern Seaboard.

“After working tirelessly to educate decisionmakers on the flawed logic of the proposed Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule and the negative impact it would have on marine retailers and the recreational boating industry at large, we are pleased to see that the rule has ultimately been withdrawn,” said Matt Gruhn, President of the MRAA. “We hope that the withdrawal of this rule will provide the industry with the opportunity to work with the federal government to develop and invest in technological solutions to ensure that recreational boaters and anglers can co-exist with marine mammals while on America’s oceans, protecting both access to our marine resources and endangered aquatic species.”

The recreational marine industry stood united in opposition to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s proposed rule as it relied on incorrect assumptions and questionable data, did not differentiate between large oceangoing vessels and small recreational boats, and put forth the proposed rule without conducting an in-depth economic impact analysis on the recreational marine industry or the affected small businesses. While the withdrawal of the rule ensures that access is maintained for recreational anglers and boaters who ply the waters off the Eastern Seaboard, the MRAA and recreational marine industry at large continue to stay focused on working with the federal government to develop and deploy technological solutions that will minimize boater-whale interactions, ensure boater safety and support the conservation of the endangered Right Whale.

“This is a huge step forward for American boat manufacturers, coastal economies, and outdoor enthusiasts across the U.S.,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, President and CEO of the National Marine Manufacturers Association, the largest trade association in North America for the recreational boating industry. “The way this rule was drafted gave rulemaking a bad name and created an entirely preventable dynamic. Coastal communities are part of the fabric of this nation, and their livelihoods should never be put at risk by the federal government.” 

Proposed Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule Background
In August of 2022, NOAA proposed a substantial expansion of its North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule that significantly curtailed recreational boating access along the East Coast. The existing rule mandates that boats measuring 65 feet in length and greater adhere to a 10 kts speed limit in locations like breeding and calving areas, as well as heavily trafficked ports, where risk to the North Atlantic Right Whale is highest. Under the proposed rule, however, all boats 35 feet in length and larger would be limited to a speed of 10 knots (11 mph) within a vast area of the U.S. Eastern Seaboard, extending from Massachusetts to central Florida, for up to 8 months out of the year and in some places up to 90 miles offshore.

NMFS Rescinds Proposed Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule

While the map above outlines the newly proposed boundaries of the proposed regulations, it does not include additional zones that may be classified as a Dynamic Speed Zone (DSZ). A DSZ is put in place only after NOAA confirms that there are whales in a certain area and that there is more than a 50 percent chance the right whales remain in the area.

For a more in-depth background on this issue, please read our background blog here.

Looking Back – Advocacy Efforts and Fighting for Marine Retailers
Since the proposed rule was initially introduced, the MRAA and our partners in the recreational boating and angling industries have sought every opportunity to push back against the proposed rule, highlighting the impact it would have on recreational boaters and anglers and most importantly for our members, marine retailers. Below is a breakdown of how the MRAA has engaged on the Right Whale Vessel Speed rule since 2022, taking every opportunity to fight for our members and protect access for recreational boaters on the East Coast.

  • October 7, 2022: The MRAA and other leading organizations representing recreational fishing and boating in the United States urged the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to pause its proposed North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule. Click here for the full update.
  • April 17, 2023: The MRAA and 17 State and National marine trade associations submit a letter to members of the House and Senate Subcommittees on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) to stall proposed changes to the onerous Right Whale Rule. Click here to read more.
  • November 15, 2023: Congressional Boating Caucus hosted a briefing on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s proposed expansion of the North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule. The briefing outlined how the proposal would devastate the recreational boating and fishing industries on the Atlantic coast and the communities that depend on them. Click here to for the full update.
  • February 2, 2024: The NMMA hosted Janet Coit, Assistant Administrator for NOAA fisheries, at the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show to express concerns about the agency’s proposed expansion of the North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction rule. Click here to learn more.
  • March 15, 2024: The MRAA’s Mike Sayre joined other recreational marine and fishing industry advocates to make the case that technology-based solutions are viable options to protect the NARW while allowing for safe operation of recreational vessels. Click here for the full update.
  • May 28, 2024: In a meeting with the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, the MRAA and the Association of Marina Industries (AMI) formally requested the National Marine Fisheries Service withdraw its proposed amendments to the North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule. Click here for the full update.
  • June 27, 2024: Jeff Strong, MRAA Board Chair and President of Strong’s Marine, testified before Congress on Capitol Hill regarding the MAPOceans Act and the Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule, highlighting the shortcomings of the proposed Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule and the impact it stands to have on marine retailers. Click here for the full update.
  • August 7, 2024: The MRAA applauds the work of Senators Manchin (I-WV) and Graham (R-SC) for introducing S.4948, the bipartisan Protecting Whales, Human Safety, and the Economy Act of 2024 and continuing to be champions of the recreational boating industry. Click here for the full update.

“Throughout the entirety of the regulatory process the MRAA was laser focused on highlighting to decisionmakers how the proposed Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule would negatively impact our members on the East Coast, as it would have threatened coastal communities and shuttered small businesses whose customers rely on access to our nation’s oceans,” said Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager. “We could not have done this alone, and I want to thank and acknowledge all of the MRAA members who joined us at the American Boating Congress, authored op-eds, met with their members of Congress, and submitted comments and more, as your engagement on this issue was instrumental in highlighting the widespread negative impacts of the proposed rule.”

Moving Forward – Focus on Technological Solutions
The recreational boating industry thrives on clean water, healthy fisheries, and access to both, and that is why as we move forward, we are committed to focusing on how we can support the conservation of endangered marine mammals like the North Atlantic Right Whale. Currently, there are a variety of promising technologies including satellite imaging, passive acoustic monitoring, infrared sensors, and more that can help detect the North Atlantic Right Whale and provide important data to boaters. Furthermore, the marine industry is interested in leveraging whale location data that could be aggregated and disseminated to mariners to help them avoid marine mammals when they are detected. The MRAA and recreational boating industry at large plans to build on our previous work on technological solutions, with the goal of giving mariners the ability to make boating decisions based on real-time location data for marine mammals.

“While we are glad to see access for East Coast boaters maintained and the immediate threat to marine retailers overcome, we now will shift our focus to supporting technological solutions to help ensure that negative interactions between endangered Right Whale and recreational boaters are reduced,” said Mike Sayre, MRAA Government Relations Director. “It is no secret that a variety of technological solutions currently exist which could be leveraged and paired with advancements in real-time monitoring technology to provide mariners with a variety of tools to reduce the likelihood of marine mammal interactions. Now is the time to turn our focus on making this technology a reality as we understand that clean, healthy and strong marine ecosystems are what draws many recreational boaters and anglers to our nation’s oceans.”

One of the biggest victories in the name of technology occurred in May of 2024, when the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation unveiled the Vessel Strike Avoidance Fund. This fund supports the development and adoption of innovative technology solutions to provide mariners with tools to more effectively avoid collisions with large whales. This grant program is a prime example of the type of work that the MRAA and recreational marine industry at large will continue to support, as this program is facilitating investment in much needed technologies, and we hope to support the expansion and continuation of this work.

As the MRAA and recreational boating industry at large continue to support technology solutions, we will be sure to keep our members in the loop, so be sure to be on the lookout for updates. Should you have any questions or want to learn more or get engaged in marine industry advocacy, please reach out to the MRAA Government Relations team and Manager Chad Tokowicz, at Chad@mraa.com.

MRAA Introduces AI-powered Content Delivery

Updated Jan. 15, 2025

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas introduced a marine sector AI solution that will revolutionize how MRAA Members can find answers to their most pressing challenges and opportunities — and will do so faster than ever before.

Introduced Tuesday at Dealer Week as part of MRAA President Matt Gruhn’s state of the association presentation, the platform — known as AIMIE, an acronym representing AI for Marine Industry Education — has been trained on MRAA’s vast catalog of dealership-specific content. This means that AIMIE can access MRAA’s online courses, blogs, publications, webinars and websites in order to answer dealer questions and share insights, strategies and best practices.

Check Out AIMIE, our AI-powered Assistant
People in front of large monitor learning about a new marine industry artificial intelligence system, AIMIE, from MRAA.
Dealer Week attendees experiencing the power of AIMIE.

“At the MRAA, our No. 1 challenge is our ability to connect, individually, the thousands of dealership teams out there to the most meaningful tools, resources and educational programs that can help them solve their problems and take advantage of the opportunities in front of them,” explains Gruhn. “With AIMIE, we can now deliver on our mission to meet dealers where they are at, on their schedule, and in their greatest time of need. Additionally, this platform allows dealership employees to gather ideas and insights without having to always rely on someone else in their dealership to know the answers.”

Dealership employees searching for marine insights from AI can ask AIMIE any questions they would like, such as, “How do I overcome objections to today’s high interest rates?” or “How do we better manage our inventory levels?” Similarly, dealership employees can instruct AIMIE to create something on their behalf such as a social media post or a job description for a new position. AIMIE, then responds by delivering a written answer or by following instructions in response.

Perhaps AIMIE’s best feature is that it then also provides direct links to the resources she references so dealerships can dive deeper and learn more about the topic they asked about.

All attendees of Dealer Week 2023, including those participating in Dealer Week Online (which kicks off next week), will have access to AIMIE through the end of December. As of January, AIMIE will be made available for free to all MRAA Silver- and Gold-level retail members.

“Every day, our team works with dealers to understand their pain points and the opportunities they are seeking to pursue,” Gruhn explains. “Based on those insights, we build the industry’s leading educational programs and resources, and today, with the introduction of AIMIE, we have introduced the most powerful platform available to deliver real-world solutions straight into today’s dealerships.” 

MRAA partnered with BettyBot.ai to bring AIMIE to life. To find out more about Betty Bot visit her website here – bettybot.ai

Not a member of the MRAA? Get your MRAA membership today to get access to AIMIE and other educational resources to level up your dealership.

Hanson-Milone Safe Boating Act Signed into Law After 13-Year Push

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 13, 2024 – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas announced today that after more than a decade of advocacy and legislative effort, the Hanson-Milone Safe Boating Act (H.4941) was signed into law on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, by Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, marking a monumental step in improving boating safety across the state. This legislation establishes a mandatory boater education program, requiring all boat operators in the Commonwealth to obtain a boater safety certificate. With its passage, Massachusetts joins 45 other states in mandating boater education, a move celebrated by the recreational boating community.

Hanson-Milone Safe Boating Act Signed into Law After 13-Year Push
Massachusetts governor Maura Healey signed the Hanson-Milone Safe Boating Act (H.4941) into law on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025.

“The MRAA applauds the dedication and hard work of all those responsible for passing the Hanson-Milone Act in the final hours of the 193rd session and ultimately creating a safer environment for recreational boaters on Massachusetts waters,” said Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager. “With more than 129,000 registered boats throughout the Bay State and the long history of and heritage on the water, we are pleased to see steps being taken to ensure the continued safety of our recreational boaters and their families.”

A Safer Future on Massachusetts Waters
Initially drafted more than a decade ago by former Rep. Thomas Calter, the bill was championed in recent years by Rep. Kathleen LaNatra (12th Plymouth) and former Sen. Susan Moran. The law, named in honor of David Hanson, a young man who tragically lost his life in a boating accident in 2010, and Paul Milone, a longtime Weymouth Harbormaster and boating safety advocate, aims to create a safer environment on Massachusetts’ waterways.
“I am so proud to see the Hanson-Milone Act finally become law,” said Rep. LaNatra. “Massachusetts is home to some of the most beautiful waterways in the world. Unfortunately, too often, a day of fun on the water ends in tragedy because someone operates a boat without proper safety training. This legislation ensures anyone operating a boat in the Commonwealth has the necessary knowledge to keep themselves and others safe.”

Hanson-Milone Safe Boating Act Signed into Law After 13-Year Push
(From left) Eric Hanson, David’s brother, and Lisa Milone, Paul’s Widow, were presented the signed bill by Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll.

Advocacy and Support
The MRAA, alongside organizations such as the Massachusetts Marine Trades Association (MMTA), National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), BoatUS and the Association of Marina Industries (AMI), played a pivotal role in advocating for the legislation. The combined efforts demonstrated the recreational boating industry’s commitment to safety and were instrumental in helping the legislation get past the finish line.

“The signing of the Hanson-Milone Safe Boating Bill provides a gateway to further education for the recreational boating industry in Massachusetts, leading to lives saved on the waterways for years to come. Thank you to many involved in passing the bill, especially Rep. LaNatra and Christopher Jean, her Chief of Staff, for their many years of working on this bill,” said Randall Lyons, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Marine Trades Association. “Thank you also to Governor Healey, Lt. Governor Driscoll, Chairman Aaron Michlewitz, and Chairman Michael Rodrigues for their support and final approval of the bill. An element of the new law can be directly related to a recent statistic released by the US Coast Guard – ‘Where instruction was known, 75% of deaths occurred on boats where the operator did not receive boating safety education.’ As the late great Paul Milone frequently said – ‘Safe Boating is no Accident.’”

Key Provisions of the Hanson-Milone Act
The law mandates that boat operators pass a boater safety education program and examination to obtain a safety certificate. This certificate must be present on the vessel during operation. While the law provides exemptions for certain groups, such as merchant mariners and qualified members of the Armed Forces, it emphasizes inclusivity by recognizing certificates from other states and prior certifications.

Additional updates to Massachusetts boating regulations include requiring the use of engine cutoff switches provided by manufacturers and mandating that vessels like kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards carry at least one U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device.

The timeline for implementation is as follows:

  • Guidance will be published by the office of law enforcement no later than October 1, 2025.
  • Boaters born after January 1, 1989, must obtain certificates by April 1, 2026, with enforcement beginning on September 1, 2026.
  • Boaters born on or before January 1, 1989, must comply by April 1, 2028.

Honoring Hanson and Milone
The act pays tribute to the lives and legacies of David Hanson and Paul Milone. Hanson, who tragically died in a 2010 boating accident at the age of 20, was remembered as a young man dedicated to the safety of others, aspiring to become a firefighter. Milone, who passed in 2020 at age 74, served as Weymouth’s Harbormaster for 29 years and taught over 30,000 people boating safety throughout his career. Their families, who were instrumental in advocating for the act, joined state officials at the Discover Boating New England Boat Show to commemorate the signing.

Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll presented the signed bill to Lisa Milone, Paul’s widow, and Eric Hanson, David’s brother. “This legislation stands as a testament to their passion for ensuring safer waters for all,” said Lyons.

Looking Ahead
The passage of the Hanson-Milone Act underscores the importance of collaboration and perseverance in achieving legislative milestones. As implementation progresses, the MRAA and other organizations will work to educate boaters and promote compliance with the new safety measures.

For further details on the Hanson-Milone Safe Boating Act, visit Amendment S.3011. Questions about boater education and the legislative process can be directed to Chad Tokowicz at Chad@mraa.com.

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.

Dealers Share Boat Show Best Practices & Strategies

As an owner, GM or decision-maker, hoping for the best this boat-show season isn’t a business strategy or a sin. Many people are driven by fear AND hope, so it’s easy to make a quick critique of someone who says, “I hope our boat show season goes well.” Just because they utter these words doesn’t mean they don’t have a necessary plan of attack in place or haven’t made a strong enough of a commitment. No! In reality, having hope is one aspect of making decisions and comprising a plan, whether that’s for boat shows, marketing or how you approach sales at your dealership.

After you’ve built your schedules, set your objectives and created your plan, you often hope all will work out as it should or better. Your confidence in your team to overcome show challenges produces faith in your plan and reinforces your hope for success. That’s why strategic planning and team coordination is so important with boat shows.

Over the years, you’ve learned the key steps to enhance your boat show success, but it’s also nice to know what others are doing and additional tactics so you can try some yourself. We understand that what works for Dealership A may not work for Dealership B. And that Dealership C may need to borrow ideas from both, but then customize their boat show strategies to fit their size and needs. That’s why we recently asked dealers to share their insights involving boat show strategies and tactics.
 

3 Common Best Practices for Boat Show Sales Success
At Dealer Week 2024, dealers shared with us responses to this question: “What one practice before, during or after the boat show is most effective for your team in driving maximum sales results (both at the show and afterwards)?”

Here are three common best practices identified from the responses and a few approaches you can explore:

  1. Consistent and Timely Follow-Up:
    This one seems like a common sense tactic and it is, but it’s often overlooked or lost within the shuffle of other tasks within a dealership. Following up with leads quickly and correctly is vital for your success and your ROI from boat show participation. The responses shared tips such as:
    • Make the follow-up (calls/texts/letters) personalized!
    • Make immediate post-event contact to engage customers when they are still warm!
    • Hold follow-up events at your dealership (onsite or virtual) to continue to engage leads and customers.
    • Schedule your reminders so you don’t lose sight of lead management.
    • Maintain consistent outreach. You’d rather contact leads and keep that boat in their thoughts than have them move on due to a lack of proper engagement.
  2. Customer-Centric Engagement:
    The purchasing process and shopping experience is tied to emotions, so be sure to build upon those connections with your customers. Try holding:
    • Demo days tailored to only your new leads and show visitors. Give them a VIP treatment if it helps.
    • Include your existing customers because they may upgrade, of course, but more importantly for their loyalty and the role they play as a dealership ambassador.
    • Remember to make it about the experience NOT the product. Make this part of their journey memorable by taking care of them.
  3. Structured Processes and Preparation:
    Converting your leads into sales is what your striving for, but you also want to build stronger bonds with most of these contacts because some may not be ready to buy just yet. That’s why it’s vital to have structured workflows and plans in place so you don’t miss steps or leave a customer hanging if a co-worker is out sick, etc. You want to have in place a plan for your introductions and handoffs and maintain a level of consistency from your entire team.
Dealers Share Boat Show Best Practices & Strategies

Boat Show Strategies for 2025
In the most recent MRAA Pulse Report, we asked dealers about their boat show budgeting for 2025 compared to last year. The majority of responses revealed that most dealers favor matching last year’s budget or to slightly increase their spending, from 1-10% YOY. As with any decision-making, there are few outliers, those businesses that will boost spending more than 11% and those that will reduce their boat show budgets even more in 025.

In response to a second question, “How are you adjusting your boat show strategies based upon the changing market conditions?,” they shared nearly two pages of answers. We’ve broken them into five top themes:

  1. Cost Management and Space Reduction: Many dealers seek to reduce costs by decreasing the show space they occupy. Others will opt for smaller, more efficient setups, like smaller spaces or smaller shows to help reduce costs and move existing stock.
  2. Pricing Strategies: Despite having lower margins, dealers will continue their aggressive pricing efforts, including lowering prices and offering more discounts to move product. Focusing more on price-point boats at shows was also mentioned as a way to attract buyers.
  3. Inventory Management: In an effort to liquidate old products and make room for new stock, dealers suggested bringing more non-current inventory to the shows.
  4. Selective Participation: Being more selective with boat shows will also play a factor for certain dealerships, as they focus on shows with the higher returns on investment or that best align with their target audience. For example, surf boats may not be the ideal product to showcase at a boating and fishing show.  
  5. Alternative and In-House Events: One of the emerging trends is in-house boat shows. This could be single-dealer shows or group shows (multiple locations under one brand or a few competitors joining forces to move products). Participating in alternative events, (like lawn-and-garden events or wine shows), aside from traditional boat shows is another shared strategy because they would be more than just another dealer in a crowded show.

These five themes and three best practices point to a strategic shift among some marine retailers and those businesses that still want to maintain a boat show presence but do so in a the most cost-effective and efficient manner possible.

Are you doing anything different at your dealership? Reach out to me at jerrod@mraa.com and let us know.

Discover Boating Boat Show Media Investment Increases

The 2025 winter boat show season begins this week, and the NMMA is working at full throttle with a board-approved 30% year-over-year increase in its media investment. The additional spend comes as NMMA aims to support the industry in navigating today’s evolving economic landscape and meet consumers where they are.

Discover Boating Boat Show Media Investment Increases

While current economic conditions have impacted discretionary spending across many sectors, NMMA is taking proactive steps to ensure boating remains an accessible and attractive lifestyle choice. With the increased media investment, this season’s strategy focuses on being out earlier in the market, maximizing visibility and building excitement by reaching our target audience as many times as possible in every Discover Boating show market.

By targeting the highest-performing media channels and delivering inspiring, value-driven messages, NMMA is focused on maximizing impact and attracting show goers—all while showcasing the unique joy and long-term value of life on the water.

The expanded media buy spans a mix of channels including:

  • Traditional TV and radio
  • Streaming and digital TV and radio
  • Print
  • Billboards
  • New outdoor/out of home (ex. transportation hubs like trains, buses, & commuter areas)
  • Social media
  • Digital/web ads
  • Search
  • Activations (ex. expanded influencer campaigns, partners & promos)

Additionally, public relations efforts began earlier this year to generate awareness for boat shows, with strong news momentum to kick off the boat show selling season. To date, PR has generated more than 175 news hits for Discover Boating Boat Shows across the country, generating $297,000 in publicity value and 286 million impressions (think of impressions like the number of people who see your message or for example, like foot traffic in a busy shopping mall — it would be akin to how many people passed by and had the chance to see your storefront. While not everyone stops to look closely, the more foot traffic, the more likely you are to capture attention). Here are a few news highlights:

For questions about exhibiting in Discover Boating Boat Shows, please contact NMMA Senior Vice President of Shows and Events, Jennifer Thompson, at jthompson@nmma.org. For questions about Discover Boating and NMMA’s consumer marketing efforts, please contact NMMA Chief Brand Officer and Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Ellen Bradley, at ebradley@nmma.org.

Visit DiscoverBoating.com/boat-shows for a comprehensive 2025 show calendar.