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TABLE OF
Contents
NEWS
8 The big online boat listing sites Yacht
World.com and Boats.com are partner-
ing with two other companies to make
boat loans easier to find on the Web.
13 Dealers react — some with enthusi-
asm, some with skepticism — to the di-
version of Grow Boating ad money to
help them ride out the slump.
22
14 The boat business historically has trailed the RV industry by six months in reversing down
cycles. This time, there are indications the two may be on the same timetable to recovery.
21 The marina industry gears up for its principal networking event, the International Marina
and Boatyard Conference, Jan. 25-28 in Fort Lauderdale.
14
22 For 30 years, The Landing School in Arundel,
Maine, has been turning out skilled workers for
the marine industry.
24 Business may be slow at home, but Florida
marine manufacturers continue to export at a
record pace.
31 A Long Island, N. Y., dispute over mooring
rights leads to lawsuits totaling $36 million.
DEPARTMENTS AND COLUMNS
6 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Even in the worst of times, there’s opportunity for those
determined to find it.
7 FEEDBACK: Trade blogger Norm Schultz’s view on redirecting Grow Boating ad money
to dealerships draws some responses.
30 IN BRIEF: A motorcycle accident kills Jim Cress, one-time
sales manager at Nordic Tugs who left to start a Nordic Tugs
dealership, then returned to buy the company.
32 MARKET WATCH: The first in a series of periodic looks at
sales trends within a particular region or category of boat. This
month: South Florida.
49 FOR THE RECORD: Three more boatbuilding companies
scale back operations to cope with depressed sales.
30
50 MANAGEMENT: Business is built on relationships, and opportunities for forming them
are everywhere, writes Mary Elston.
51 MARKETING: The industry is passing up lucrative opportunities by not marketing to
women and minorities. That’s long been the view of Wanda Kenton Smith, and she’s de-
lighted the issue got attention at the Fort Lauderdale show.
54 MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Peter Hamilton returns as CFO at
Brunswick Corp. after eight years heading up various company di-
visions. He also becomes senior vice president.
56 NEW TO THE PIPELINE: Four innovative products for boating.
57 CALENDAR: For the first time in recent years, the New York
National Boat Show (Dec. 13-21) gets preholiday dates.
56
61 BY THE NUMBERS: Aluminum boats fare better than fiberglass in preliminary Septem-
ber sales figures, but both lose ground.
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