Canadian Boaters Do The Nautical Nookie
 With the sweltering summer in full-swing, Canadian boaters are turning up the heat in the bedroom. According to a national Discover Boating survey, conducted by Angus Reid Strategies in June 2008, boaters report much higher levels of sexual satisfaction versus the general Canadian population.
The survey polled more than 1,000 boaters and non-boaters and compared their viewpoints on several quality of life aspects. When it comes to intimacy, participants were asked to rank their satisfaction with the quality of their sex lives. Two-thirds of boaters (63 percent) reported satisfaction with their sex lives, while only 54 percent of non-boaters held the same opinion.
While getting revved up in the bedroom may be reason enough for Canadians to chart a course to the nearest body of water this summer, the survey also found that a whopping 68 percent of Canadian boaters believe boating relieves stress.
Additional findings include:
- Anglophones are more likely to engage in watersports than Francophones (21 percent versus 14 percent).
- Those in Manitoba and Saskatchewan are most likely to go fishing while on a boat (31percent in MB/SK versus 20 percent across Canada).
- In Canada, the percentage of the population that has been on a boat in the year by province are: BC-75 percent; ON-50 percent; Atlantic-60 percent; AB-51 percent; PQ-26 percent and Praries-41percent.
- Among 18- to 34-year-olds, 43 percent prefer to fish while boating versus 34 percent of 34- to 55-year-olds and 35 percent of Canadians over the age of 55.
Canada's Tourism Competitiveness
The Tourism Industry Association recently released a report on Canada's Tourism Competitiveness. The report's findings can be summed up in the first paragraph:
"After years of complacency and neglect by governments, the Canadian tourism industry is on the precipice of an unprecedented decline which could have a massive impact on the 1.6 million Canadians whose jobs depend on this sector. Canada's tourism industry is on the verge of a crisis."
Sara Anghel, NMMA Canada's vice president of Government Relations, notes that one of her primary focuses is tourism and promoting our industry as a key player.
"As our Economic Impact Study findings show, our industry contributed $6 billion to Canada's tourism industry in 2006, a significant figure," Anghel says. "I've met with officials in Ottawa in an effort to raise our industry's profile. Any tourism plan for Canada needs to take into account the impact of recreational boating."
The report also refers to cross-border travel by sea and how we can make the process easier for travelers. It also mentions the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) is the best organization to deal with some of the issues. Anghel met with the executive director of CTC in May, who is very keen to work with our industry.
Cabinet Shuffles
Federally, the House of Commons wrapped up on June 20th and is in recess for the summer. With recess came the Prime Minister's announcement of the much-anticipated Cabinet shuffle. David Emerson becomes Minister of Foreign Affairs, leaving his post of International Trade, which will be headed by Michael Fortier, who served as the Minister of Public Works and Government Services.
Fortier is not an elected Member of Parliament, but rather a Senator from Quebec who is expected to give up his Senate seat to run in the next election.
Provincially, in Ontario, there was a small Cabinet shuffle, moving the long-standing Minister of Health, George Smitherman to a newly-created super ministry called Energy and Infrastructure.
The merger of the ministries will help streamline decisions required for much-needed energy infrastructure development in Ontario and will impact the environment, which could, in turn, affect how our industry does business in Ontario.
If you would like any details on these changes, contact Sara Anghel at 905.951.4048 or sanghel@nmma.org.
Reel in the Big One!
Here's your chance to 'reel in the big one' and support your industry at the same time!
The 4th Annual Industry Pro-Am will once again be held at Goreski's Lakeview Resort on Lake Scugog in Port Perry, ON Wednesday, August 13, 2008. Jointly hosted by the National Marine Manufacturers Association, Canada (NMMA Canada), the Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association (CSIA) and the Competitive Sport Fishing League (CSFL), proceeds of the event support the CSIA's programs and NMMA Canada's Discover Boating program.
NMMA Canada wants to encourage ALL members of the Canadian boating industry to sign up and take part in this fun and worthwhile event. It's not only a great way to introduce your staff and clients to fishing, but just one more way to connect and network while having fun on the water!
Registration for the event is $200 (including taxes) per co-angler, which includes a barbeque lunch, pairing with a professional tournament angler for the afternoon, steak dinner and awards banquet.
Come out and enjoy a day of fishing and a day on the water with colleagues from the boating and fishing industries. Click here for a registration form or contact Robyn Connolly at 905.951.4047 or rconnolly@nmma.org
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Photo Contest for Halifax International Boat Show
 Advertised in this month's Atlantic Boating News is the brand new Halifax International Boat Show Photo Contest.
The contest is looking for photographs of the Atlantic region that capture what the boating lifestyle is all about. Click here for more information and to download the entry form.
Prizes will be supplied by Discover Boating and Fairway Insurance and winners will be announced during the 2009 Halifax International Boat Show.
Waterfront Challenge to Award $60K in Grants at Miami Boat Show
Interlux Yacht Finishes is challenging boaters to take steps to help improve their local waterfront, and is giving them a $60,000 incentive to do it!
The Waterfront Challenge will award eight grants of $5,000 to $25,000 to support grassroots efforts by boaters to create sustainable, waterfront environmental improvements in their communities.
Small groups, including organized clubs, groups of friends or families, can apply now for the grants, which will be awarded at the Miami International Boat Show in February 2009. A six-judge panel will award seven regional grants of $5,000 each and one grant of $25,000 to the best overall waterfront project.
The deadline to submit applications is Wednesday, November 5. Click here for more information.
ABYC Announces Largest Revision to Standards
The American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) recently announced that 16 of its 66 Standards and Technical Information Reports have gone through their review cycle, have been updated, and will now be available as part of the 2008/2009 edition of the ABYC Standards and Technical Information Reports for Small Craft. These 16 standards total 322 pages of revisions and represent almost 25 percent of the documents.
Documents that have been updated include: A-4 Fire Fighting Equipment; A-28 Galvanic Isolators; E-2 Cathodic Protection; E-11 AC & DC Electrical Systems on Boats; H-2 Ventilation of Boats using Gasoline; H-3 Exterior Windows, Windshields, Hatches, Doors, Port Lights and Glazing Materials; H-4 Cockpit Drainage Systems; H-23 Installation of Potable Water Systems for Use on Boats; H-27 Seacocks, Thru-Hull Fittings and Drain Plugs; H-32 Ventilation of Boats Using Diesel Fuel; H-40 Anchoring, Mooring and Strong Points; P-14 Mechanical Propulsion Control Systems; P-17 Mechanical Steering Systems; P-18 Cable Over Pulley Steering Systems for Outboard Engines; P-22 Steering Wheels; and TH-22 Educational Information about Carbon Monoxide.
All current and future ABYC members will receive a new, soft cover archival manual each year that includes a complete set of all ABYC Standards. Members will no longer have to spend time updating the previous three-ring binder format with the revised documents.
The updated ABYC Standards and Technical Information Reports for Small Craft in the CD and online formats are also available for purchase by ABYC members. In addition to the updated documents, the electronic versions also include the following free features: Comparison Reports;, all five Compliance Guidelines; the Rules & Regulations for Recreational Boats (CFR); and access to the standards revised in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
METS Catalogue Goes Digital
 METS organizer Amsterdam RAI and METS' official magazine, IBI, will send out advance digital copies of the show catalogue this year instead of the usual hard copies that were formerly packaged with the October issue of IBI magazine.
The digital catalogue offers multiple search and weblink options to help visitors plan their visit to METS and increase efficiency of distribution. The catalogue will include links to exhibitor 'MyPages' on metstrade.com, enabling viewers to easily access additional information and will be PDA-compatible to make it easy for readers who are traveling.
The decision to move the catalogue online supports Amsterdam RAI's recently-defined corporate social responsibility strategy aimed at helping to protect the environment. Hard copies of the pull-out floor plan will be sent to all IBI magazine readers worldwide in October, one month before METS opens, and printed copies of the catalogue and floor plan will be available on site during METS.
NMMA Wraps Up Another Successful MAATS
 The 2008 installment of the Marine Aftermarket Accessories Trade Show (MAATS) wrapped up last week inside the Las Vegas Convention Center on a positive note, with the aftermarket industry looking forward to the show's change of venue in 2009. Next year's MAATS will take place July 15-17 in Orlando, Fla.
MAATS 2008 featured 293 exhibiting companies (with more than 300 brands represented) and shared an open show floor with the 400-plus companies exhibiting at ICAST, the world's largest sportfishing show owned and managed by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA).
Canadian exhibitors played an active role in the show, and MAATS was pleased to see some new Canadian exhibitors display their innovative products.
The National Marine Distributors Association's S.T.E.P. Conference was held in conjunction with MAATS, and took place July 14-15 at the Las Vegas Hilton.
Registration numbers are still being verified, and post-show results will be announced this week.
For more information, contact NMMA trade events manager Kathleen Clickett at (312) 946-6252; kclickett@.nmma.org.
IBEX 2008 Technical Seminar Series Unveiled
 The International BoatBuilders' Exhibition & Conference (IBEX) recently unveiled details of its much-anticipated 2008 seminar series. IBEX will once again offer unparalleled educational opportunities to the international boatbuilding and repair industries.
The 2008 schedule offers 53 in-depth sessions in 10 professional tracks, with topics ranging from Design and Compliance of Boat Fuel Systems to Advanced Wood-Composite Construction.
Click here for more information about IBEX 2008 or to register for the seminar series.
Career Opportunities in the Boating Industry
Do you have job opportunities available? NMMA Canada member can link their career pages or list available opportunities in the Career Opportunities section of the NMMA Canada website.
For more information, contact Robyn Connolly at 905.951.4047 or rconnolly@nmma.org.
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