FROM THE HELM
Dear MRA Members and Guests,
I wanted to begin this newsletter with thoughts and prayers for our colleagues in Fort Myers and Puerto Rico. They are cleaning up and starting again after the devastation of hurricanes Ian & Fiona. The boating industry is resilient and will build back; our best to all that have been impacted.
We are a week away from the 50th Anniversary of our annual conference, and I look forward to being together and celebrating this important milestone of our association.
New this year is the Marina Operations break-out session, Digital Sales & Management. This session is an excellent dive into digitally connecting with your existing and potential customers. A digital experience strategy requires brands to think differently about their customer engagement approach and identify how digital fits into the overall customer experience and customer experience journey.
It’s not too late to sign up; see you in Santa Barbara!
With thanks,
Kate Pearson
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Principals & Procedures for Workplace Investigations covered at 2022 MRA Conference
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The 50th Annual MRA Educational Conference & Trade Show scheduled for October 18 – 20, 2022 at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort in Santa Barbara, California, in partnership with the California Association of Harbor Masters & Port Captains will feature three days of Conference events and seminars covering a broad range of industry management, operations, and marketing concerns, including a seminar session on the principles and procedures of workplace investigations.
On Wednesday, October 19th at 1:30 pm, Robert Smith, Safety Consultant at Fisher Phillips, LLP, will discuss “How to Conduct A Workplace Investigation” focused on educating managers on the principles of conducting a successful internal incident investigation.
An experienced safety professional, Robert has a diverse background in the marine, construction, and manufacturing industries with a results-oriented approach to safety and personnel training programs and OSHA compliance.
In today’s business environment, how a company investigates safety related incidents and/or potential employee misconduct can affect the company’s reputation almost as much as the incident itself. Consistent principles and procedures must be followed during these investigations to help minimize both liability and regulatory impacts on the operations. This session will teach attendees the principles of completing a workplace investigation while reviewing three case studies involving a fuel dock fire, suspected drug use, and a sexual assault claim.
Meeting the challenges of regulatory compliance and enhancing workplace safety and customer service are critical business and operations considerations and especially relevant to the MRA Conference Theme this year – Creating a Sustainable Future.
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With APPRECIATION to our SPONSORS!
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CLEAN MARINE PROGRAM
PENDING CERTIFICATION REVIEWS:
UPCOMING NEW CERTIFICATIONS:
- Pleasure Cove Marina, Napa, Ca
- Lake Don Pedro Marina, La Grange, Ca
- Moccasin Point Marina, Jamestown, Ca
- Tahoe Keys Marina, East So Lake Tahoe, Ca
- Zephyr Cove, Zephyr Cove, NV
- Elk Point Marina, Stateline, NV
- Bullard’s Bar Reservoir, Dobbins, CA
- Lake Chabot, Castro Valley, CA
- Los Vaqueros, Byron, CA
- Pier 44 Marina, Marina del Rey, CA
- Sheraton San Diego Marina, Harbor Island, CA
UPCOMING RE-CERTIFICATIONS:
- Wahweap Marina, Page, AZ
- Hall's Crossing Marina, Halls Crossing, UT
- Bullfrog Marina, Bullfrog, UT
- Half Moon Marina, SD, CA
- Loews Coronado Bay Resort, SD
- Monterey Marina/Monterey Harbor Office, CA
- Emery Cove Yacht Harbor, CA
- Ventura Small Boat Marina, CA
- City of Morro Bay Harbor, CA
- Bidwell Canyon Marina, Oroville, CA
- Lake Oroville Marine, Oroville, CA
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FREE EXPIRED MARINE FLARE COLLECTION
EVENTS in NOVEMBER
Calling All Alameda, Contra Costa County, Humboldt, and Del Norte Recreational Boaters! Free Collection events. Bring unwanted marine flares for safe disposal check image above for specifics and requirements.
West Contra Costa County - October 5 to November 5, 2022, Wednesday to Saturday, 9 AM - 4 PM at 101 Pittsburg Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
Del Norte and Humboldt County - November 5, 2022, 10 AM to 2 PM at 1700 State Street, Crescent City, CA 95531
East Contra Costa County - November 6, 2022, 8 AM to 11 AM at 2550 Pittsburg-Antioch Hwy, Pittsburg, CA 94565
Alameda County - November 6, 2022, at 2100 E 7th St, Oakland, CA by appointment only. Make an appointment here or call (800) 606-6606.
For general disposal of expired marine flares information, please contact the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (800-728-6942) or your local Certified Unified Program Agency for assistance.
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MONTHLY RESERVOIR REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER 1, 2022
As we near the end of WY 2021-22, much of the central and southern State are heading into a blistering end-of-summer heat wave over the upcoming Labor Day weekend. This will certainly not help reservoir and river conditions. Over the month of August, reservoirs continued their late summer decline. Folsom Reservoir led the way losing some 144,000 acre-feet. Shasta was next, losing 91,000 acre-feet. San Luis, New Melones, and Trinity reservoirs lost 73,373, 69,100, and 56,000 acre-feet, respectively. Millerton and Lake Berryessa each lost about 34,000 acre-feet over the month.
Current reservoir storage for Shasta, Trinity, New Melones, Folsom, San Luis and Millerton reservoirs stand at 1,592,000, 608,000, 642,000, 447,000, 180,000 and 252,000 acre-feet, respectively. These storage levels are indeed low, yet relative to each of their longer-term averages, the current storage levels are not overly worrisome.
Total federal CVP water storage was 3.721 million acre-feet (MAF) as of yesterday. Current federal storage relative to total storage capacity is about 31.3%, or less than a third. As noted, however, relative to previous years, current federal storage is about 60% for this date of the WY.
No measurable precipitation occurred over the month. It looks as though end-of-WY precipitation totals will show the American River basin has having a normal precipitation year (e.g., 98% of average), but all other basins will show below average accumulations (e.g., the Stanislaus River basin at New Melones at 73%; Sacramento River at Shasta at 68%, Trinity River at the fish hatchery at 61% and the San Joaquin River at Huntington Lake at 61%).
Oroville Reservoir was storing 1.316 MAF as of yesterday (e.g., 37% of total storage capacity, but 77% of its 15-year average for this date).
Export pumping has averaged 5,372 acre-feet per day from the Tracy Pumps (federal CVP) and 1,205 acre-feet per day from the Banks Pumping Plant (SWP). Total Delta inflow for August averaged 10,530 cfs per day, with typical major contributions from the Sacramento River declining from about 11,000 cfs in early August to about 8,000 cfs by the end of the month, yesterday. Delta outflow 7-day average was about 3,300 cfs over the month. The E/I ratio averaged 31% for the month.
As of yesterday, reservoir releases from the four primary northern California reservoirs into the Sacramento River totaled 11,646 cfs from Trinity, Shasta, Oroville and Folsom reservoirs. For Trinity and Folsom reservoirs, these releases were above their 15-year median values for this time of year.
For September, projected hot temperatures will continue to deplete reservoir storage. End of WY carryover is expected to be alarmingly low. Numerous September EOM reservoir release and instream flow targets from ESA requirements will likely be missed this year. Fall and early storms and rains are very much in high anticipation.
Robert Shibatani, a physical hydrologist with over 35-years combined experience as an international expert witness on reservoir-operations, climate change hydrology, commercial flood damage litigation, and water supply development. He is Managing Partner for The SHIBATANI GROUP International, a division of The SHIBATANI GROUP Inc. and resides in Sacramento, California. robert@theshibatanigroup.com
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RED TowBoatUS RESPONSE VESSELS
Go Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness
When recreational boats break down on the water and need help getting home, the red boats of the TowBoatUS towing fleet responded more than 90,000 times last year. For the month of October, however, five red towboats across the United States are going pink to bring the issue of Breast Cancer Awareness to the water.
“It is a rare moment to see a pink boat on the water, let alone one that you have called to assist you with a routine breakdown,” said BoatUS vice president of Towing Services, John Condon. “We want to use our boats to bring a message of education and awareness of this disease to those on the water to help save lives and find a cure. It has caused so much pain and anguish, not only within our fleet but for our members as well.”
According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, one in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. The on-water recreational boat towing service from Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) encourages boaters to donate to the Susan G. Komen organization, which supports research, community health, and global outreach and public policy initiatives in order to make the biggest impact against this disease. Susan G. Komen offers a list of breast warning cancer signs and symptoms for women and men here.
The five local TowBoatUS companies that are running pink boats in October include TowBoatUS Long Beach, California; TowBoatUS Port Isabel, Texas; TowBoatUS Baltimore/Annapolis, Maryland; TowBoatUS Lake Wylie, South Carolina; and TowBoatUS Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The response vessels range in size from 20 to 31 feet. Each TowBoatUS company is also supporting local outreach efforts such as participating with their pink towboats in parades, fundraising at local boat shows, and getting the message out in their local communities.
For TowBoatUS Annapolis/Baltimore captain Michael Booher, this initiative hits close to home. “Breast cancer took my mother’s life,” said Booher, who will be piloting the company’s pink boat. “My grandmother fought and won her battle. My sister took precautions by getting a double mastectomy. That’s three generations of my own family affected by the disease. I have a personal mission to make sure people are thinking about how to prevent breast cancer.”
When Lou Ann Strader of TowBoatUS Port Isabel in Texas heard about the company’s initiative to bring awareness of breast cancer to local communities, she jumped at the opportunity to be involved. Her grandmother died from the disease in 1992. “I lost so many memories we would have had together, and that weighs on me,” Strader said. “I want people to remember that it’s not just the disease they are fighting, but the mental health problems that can come with it. When our towboat becomes pink, it becomes a vessel that could save lives through education of all different aspects of the disease.”
To help boaters learn more about the disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these tips:
- Keeping a healthy weight, exercise, limiting or staying away from alcohol and breastfeeding are some ways are some ways to reduce to the risk of breast cancer.
- Women should consult their health care provider to make an informed and shared decisions on screening options. Although breast cancer screening cannot prevent breast cancer, it can help find breast cancer early when it’s easiest to treat.
- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that women who are 50 to 74 years old and are at average risk for breast cancer get a mammogram every two years. Women who are 40 to 49 years old should talk to their doctor or other health care professional about when to start and how often to get a mammogram. Women should weigh the benefits and risks of screening tests when deciding whether to begin getting mammograms before age 50.
About TowBoatUS:
Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is the nation's leading advocacy, services and safety group for recreational boaters. We are the Boat Owners Auto Club™ and provide our more than 800,000 members with a wide array of helpful services, including 24-hour on-water towing that gets you safely home when your boat won’t, jump-starts, fuel delivery, and soft ungroundings. The TowBoatUS towing fleet is North America’s largest network of towing ports with more than 300 locations and over 600 red towing assistance vessels, responding to more than 90,000 requests for assistance each year. The BoatUS App makes it easy to summon water and road assistance 24/7 and can speed response times (BoatUS.com/App). For more information go to BoatUS.com/Towing.
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3 BOATING SAFETY TIPS
JUST RIGHT FOR FALL BOATING
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Having an emergency boarding ladder ready to go and easily reached from the water is important when water temperatures are cool and there are fewer other boaters on the water that could render help.
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Falls overboard can be deadly, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Something as simple as a rope with foothold loop, attached to cleats, can also easily function as an emergency boarding ladder.
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- A float plan is needed: A float plan is as simple as telling a responsible person where you will be going and when you’ll be back. With fewer other boats on the water (potential Good Samaritans) after Labor Day, a float plan ensures rescuers will be notified if you ever fail to check back in after your outing. Additionally, leaving a note under your vehicle’s windshield wiper at the launch ramp can help trigger an alarm.
- Got a way back into the boat? Falls overboard may be ranked #5 on the 2021 U.S. Coast Guard’s list of the “Top Five Primary Accident Types” with 273 accidents, but they also led the most number of deaths (170 fatal), as well as more fatalities than all the other 4 top accident types combined (#1 collision with vessel-1226 accidents/31 fatal; #2 collision with fixed object- 508 accidents/43 fatal; #3 flooding/swamping-461 accidents/55 fatal; #4 grounding-308 accidents/23 fatal). Your boarding ladder should be functional and accessible as cold water can quickly sap strength. If your boat doesn’t have a built in-ladder, a compact emergency ladder or even a looped line attached to a cleat, pre-rigged with foothold loops every few inches and hung over the transom, can substitute.
- For life jackets, camo styling hides a danger: Dark green, tan and black camo patterns are remarkable at doing exactly as designed, blending you into your surroundings. However, that’s not a benefit if you happen to be floating in the water and rescuers are searching. If possible, make their job easier and wear a life jacket with high visibility. For smaller vessels and paddlers, leaf peeping season is also a really good time to secure the life jacket to your body – that includes using buckle snaps.
About the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water:
The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is a national leader promoting safe, clean and responsible boating. Funded primarily by donations from the more than 800,000 members of Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), the nonprofit provides innovative educational outreach directly to boaters and anglers with the aim of reducing accidents and fatalities, increasing stewardship of America's waterways and keeping boating safe for all. A range of safe and clean boating courses – including the nation's largest free online boating safety course – can be found at BoatUS.org/Course
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TRADE MEMBER HIGHLIGHT: IMTRA
IMTRA, a 100% employee-owned company based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, is an importer and manufacturer of high-quality marine products, advanced LED solutions and integrated marine systems, as well as a key supplier to the OEM and aftermarket. With more than 70 years in the commercial, industrial and marine markets, IMTRA has sales and support teams throughout North America. The company’s extensive product knowledge is available to its customers through a renowned full-service department, a professional customer service group and an online Learning Center. Product categories include Lighting, Thrusters, Stabilizers, Anchoring Systems, Wipers, Seating, Controls, Doors, Hatches and other specialty products. IMTRA represents well-known international brands that include Sleipner (Side-Power), Norsap, Vimar, Lumishore, BCM Lighting, Lofrans, Muir, Exalto, Zipwake, Roca, Lilaas, DHR, Libra, Victron, KPM-Marine and many more.
Imtra has been working with boatyards and OEM’s across the west coast for many years. We are excited to announce that we are working with our partner KPM to support a new, battery-operated emergency pump system that adds a safe, effective and easy-to-use dewatering system to any marina or boatyard’s operations. Traditionally, operators have had to rely on gasoline powered pumps that require regular maintenance, are cumbersome and tricky to deploy in an emergency situation. KPM has built a system that utilizes their reliable Predator series pump [VIDEO], combined with a lightweight Lithium battery that can provide up to 3 hours of runtime on a charge and 60GPM of pump capacity, with a standby charge time of 3 hours. A Boat US study found that 69% of boats that sunk did so while moored at a dock, so being able to effectively dewater vessels quickly when every minute counts is a critical part of every marina or boatyard’s emergency action plan.
Imtra is proud to be a new member of the Marina Recreation Association and is there to support respected MRA members across the West Coast with a dedicated staff of knowledgeable technical field reps.
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
With Marine Recreation Association being the largest professional organization of marina, boatyard, hospitality, and other marine industry owners and operators located throughout the western United States with additional members in Canada, Mexico, and Australia, our mission is to provide a united voice in representing the interests of the boating industry, and to help educate and inform in all areas of recreational boating. MRA would like to welcome the following companies to our association:
City of Stockton Marine Division
GoldKey Boathouse & Marine
IADYS
Imtra Corporation
Marina Electrical Equipment
Oasis Marinas
Skippers Cove Marina
VillageSafety
Winslow Wharf Marina
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TO OUR MRA MEMBERS
AND FUTURE MEMBERS
We are just a week away from our 50th Anniversary conference. It’s not too late to register for the 50th Annual MRA Educational Conference and Trade Show in partnership with CAHMPC on October 18 – 20, 2022 at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. This year’s theme is Creating a Sustainable Future. Information is available at:
To our members, the website now requires an additional step when signing in. You will be prompted to provide confidential answers to questions before performing any other actions on the website. This will involve choosing four of nine possible questions to provide answers to. Once the questions and answers are set, you will then be able to proceed on the website as normal.
To our trade members, please send me your press releases on new products or services you might have. The Trade Member Highlight section is a free opportunity to advertise them! I am reaching out to all of you and asking you to send me a press release when you have a new product or service that you would like for us to highlight. There will be one each month and will be placed according to submission date. This is one more way for us to promote your support and dedication to the association. We would also like to be included in your list of press release recipients.
Many times the contact name for membership changes during the year and unless it is around renewal time, we may not be aware of the change. Please take a look at your profile and make sure to let us know if there are any changes in contact names, addresses, phone and fax numbers or email addresses so we can have the most up-to-date information for you. Also, if you do not have at least 1 logo and 1 photo (of your marina or product) please email them to mra@marina.org so they can be uploaded. You can now also add a YouTube video if you have one.
Thank you and stay safe!
Mariann
Mariann Timms
Operations Administrator
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