The Marine Retailers Association of America is asking the Grow Boating board of directors for full funding to be restored to the program and the redirection of engine assessment funds to be halted.
The MRAA board made the motion at its April 23 meeting. The MRAA asked that the motion be passed along by the Grow Boating board to the National Marine Manufacturers Association's boat manufacturers board at its upcoming meeting scheduled for Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
The Grow Boating/Discover Boating marketing program had exceptional results, the MRAA says. Seventeen percent of the people requesting Discover Boating DVDs purchased a boat, a recent study revealed.
"MRAA feels the time has come to restore this program and put it back on its original course," the association said in a statement. "The program was an initiative targeted to promote the boating lifestyle and to increase participation in boating and not a short term sales promotion as the redirection of funds created."
"We agree with MRAA that Grow Boating has been very successful," Thom Dammrich, president of the NMMA and Grow Boating Inc., said in a statement to Soundings Trade Only. "These have been extraordinary times and this matter will be discussed during NMMA board meetings at ABC in Washington, D.C., this week."
The MRAA motion was supported by all the dealer members attending the Grow Boating board meeting, including Alan Bohling, Seattle Boat Co.; Rod Malone, Sail & Ski Centers; David Witty, MarineMax; Scott MacCrimman, Ed Huck Marine Ltd.; and Joe Lewis, Mount Dora Boating Center.
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