Nautical News

From the Helm

Dear MRA Members and Friends;

As I sit in my home office staring out at my swimming pool, I wonder how long we can continue to keep everyone at home? The natives are restless and we as an industry have the perfect product to help them out. The problem is a lot of us are closed.

I have talked to many of you throughout the state and there seems to be no rime or reason as to why some marinas are open and others not. In northern California lakes, the best I can tell, my lake, Bullardsbar Reservoir and Shasta Lake are the only two lakes open for business. All the other lakes have been closed by their landlords, whether it be Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps, State Parks, Southern California Edison or the local water agency who controls the lake, eleven lakes in all. Most of the lakes closed are in rural California. There is concern folks visiting those facilities will come from more metropolitan areas and bring with them the virus and the local communities don't have the resources to deal with outbreak. I understand but the natives are getting restless.

The coastal marinas seem to be fairing better. Many of the marina's are open and allowing their boaters access to their slip and the open water. San Diego bay was closed a few weeks back, which in essence shut down the marinas unless you just wanted to visit your boat.

Whether you're open or not have your virus protocol done and educate your crew. CDC provides good guidance on procedures. We went so far as to have the county health officer weigh in on our procedures. It is a nice selling point. Remember the natives are restless and they are going to come in mass when stay at home is lifted or maybe sooner, be prepared.

Don't hesitate to contact us, we are here for you.

Scott Robertson

What our Members are Facing During COVID-19

Your Board of Directors held their April 1st Board Meeting via a conference call. At the beginning of the meeting, each board member was asked how their marina, boatyard or business was handling the current COVID-19 situation. It was very interesting to hear how everyone was affected in different ways and we shared tips to navigate the current situation. On April 17th, I sent out an email to the membership requesting what impact their businesses were having. While only a few responded, below is what they shared:

Brad & Jeanne Howard, Kaweah Marina, Lemon Cove, CA
We are actually doing really well. The Corp of Engineer closed the lake down. They are still letting us work repairing boats. I just come up 3 days a week and answer the phones and do paper work for reserving slips. When we open, the paper work will be done. We are losing boat rental revenue. But hopefully we will catch up.    

Kim Korth, Korth's Pirates Lair Marina, Isleton, CA
At Korth's Pirates Lair, we have temporarily closed our Café and computer Lounge due to the Coronavirus. We still have our Fuel Dock, Launch Ramp and Marina Office Open. We are not letting customers enter our marina office but instead we greet them at the door and conduct business 6 feet away. Last March 20th, when we put these new conditions in place, we also gave FREE launching and told new prospective slip rental customers to hold off and we would call them back in two weeks. We have done that now and have proceeded to rent slips again. We also started to charge for our Launch Ramp use again.
One major new development we are noticing is that fishermen with boats, towed on trailers, are flooding into our area to launch their boats since so many State and City boat launch ramps are closed. Obviously, FISHING wins over staying at home!

Richard Markie, Paradise Village Marina, Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico
Things are going pretty good. We are 89% full with boats and about 8 % with people. Our dry storage yard is 100% full. We are not discounting anything and that is different from the rest of the local marinas they have all started lowering their prices. We never get involved with the price wars.
We have made a great effort training our employees both office and dock crew regarding the health and safety of everyone clients, contractors, and employees. Our workers are temperature checked on arrival and several times a day. Our guards are equipped with infrared thermometers and check everyone on the docks several times a day. They also check Oxygen proliferation and pulse rate with the finger monitor. Our clients have nothing but praise for our concern about them and our employees. We do not allow anyone on the docks without a mask which is about all we can do at this time. We are the only Marina in the world that has a fully certified hospital attached to the marina and that helps a lot. The hotel is closed so it is very quiet which is nice.

Stephen Orosz, Marina Bay Yacht Harbor, Richmond, CA
On the one hand, at Marina Bay Yacht Harbor we continue to operate somewhat normally but on the other it has created a lot of additional work with changing protocols, updating signage and adapting to the changing circumstances.  In the office we have evolved to adapt to the social distancing requirements.  We are fortunate to have a foyer and inner door to the office so we put a table across the doorway as a barrier and also all our communications with current and prospective tenants has been to exhort them to do as much of the paperwork as possible via e-mail.  In the office and with the maintenance staff we have added sanitizing steps to the routine cleaning which includes using garden sprayers with bleach solution on all the hard surfaces in the boater's restrooms.  We also have placed spray bottles with bleach solution on the counter in each restroom for the boaters to use if they wish.  In the office we use the sanitizing solution to wipe down the counters and table where the customers interact.
Getting PPE for the staff is a challenge.  We had a limited supply of N95 masks and cartridges for respirators left over from the fire season and we were able to equip all the staff with several bandannas each.  As they need to reuse PPE we have gone over the reports from Stanford on how to sterilizing the masks.  We normally have plenty of gloves in stock for use so that has not been an issue.  For the staff outside, the biggest risk factor seems to be the restrooms and fortunately it seems many of the boaters also recognize that and have heeded our advice to avoid the public areas wherever possible.  Going forward, the new requirement to wear face coverings in public will be a challenge as that will require everyone to wear them even on the dock.
As one of the few launch ramps still open we have been getting a huge volume of calls asking if we are still open.  Traffic has been relatively light but increasing.  We have signage up at the launch ramp gate entrance, on the boarding floats and washdown stations encouraging boaters to maintain social distancing and so far it appears that most people are abiding by it.  Otherwise, there is noticeably reduced activity on the docks.  We have some traffic from prospective tenants although there have been a number of postponements or outright cancellations as people have discovered they can't move their boat to bring it here.
While several of our tenants have already contacted us to let us know that they will be having difficulty with paying rent in the coming months collections have not been off too much.  We are expecting that as this continues the situation will only get worse and we expect that in the coming year or two we will see more marginal boats abandoned.

Michael Aaker, King Harbor Marina, Redondo Beach, CA
Interesting times at King Harbor Marina. After nearly 50 years of owning and operating King Harbor Marina, the Guthrie family has sold their business. At about the same time the governor shut down all non-essential businesses, a new owner closed escrow on the purchase. Please welcome Majestic KHM LLC dba as King Harbor Marina. Needless to say the timing for this has created a great amount of work for everyone involved. We are very fortunate to have been listed as an essential business as Property Managers during the pandemic so it has been "business as usual" however, many businesses on our leasehold are closed at this time. With the exception of ourselves and The King Harbor Marine Center(Boatyard) the closed businesses are  The Redondo Beach Yacht Club, The King Harbor Yacht Club, Bluewater Grill, The Bay Club, and a few small mom and pop businesses. As you would expect, our revenues are down and past due accounts are climbing. We having been working with our great tenants to get them as well as ourselves through this very difficult time. Our goal right now is to meet with any tenant requiring financial assistance and work out a plan that they can manage. We anticipate increasing numbers over the next several months and are determined to get through this the best we can.
We are trying to promote boating as the perfect activity for families to participate while the shut down order is in place. Our Marina business has seen increase activity at this time especially with the warm weather. There appears to be more people working on their boats, getting out on the water, or just relaxing while sunbathing. Our hope is that this activity remains open as long as we can control crowds for the proper social distancing and maintain a sterilized facility.
Lastly, we realize THAT THINGS MAY NEVER GET BACK TO THE WAY THEY WERE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC and we may need to adjust the way we do business in order to be part of the solution rather than lengthening the problem.

Michelle LaPointe, Vintage Marina & Channel Islands Harbor Marina, Oxnard, CA
Notes to Tenants
Due to the current Covid-19 restrictions- If you are NOT a Live Aboard in the Marina, Please Stay Home.
Our marina staff is trying our best to continue to provide the maintenance and office services necessary, but we need everyone to do their part to help keep us safe while we do so! We have added additional janitorial shifts to help keep the facilities safe.  Boat service vendors are being allowed to continue work following social distancing guidelines.  Boat owners are being allowed to come check on vessels or do necessary work (maintenance/repairs that are necessary for the seaworthy integrity of the vessel).  Please DO NOT bring family & friends to the marina with you if you need to check on your vessel.
We understand that this is inconvenient.  We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this time.  If we all work together and make the sacrifices required to keep ourselves and our community safe, we hope this will end sooner than later.
PLEASE STAY HOME. If not to protect yourselves, then to protect your family and friends and all of the strangers you could infect.

Gary Jones, County of Los Angeles, Department of Beaches and Harbors, Marina del Rey
All offices for the Department of Beaches and Harbors are closed to the public; however, staff members are available at each facility to answer questions via telephone. At this time, Anchorage 47 is not approving new vessels or taking new applications. The public launch ramp, Anchorage 47 docks, transient docks, pump-outs, restrooms, laundry room, and parking lots remain open to boaters. The Marina del Rey Farmers Market is operational with additional restrictions on the number of customers and physical distancing. The Marina del Rey Summer Concert Series at Burton W. Chace Park has been canceled, and the Department is still evaluating whether other events will proceed. With County beaches closed, we continue to monitor for any crowds visiting Marina del Rey. While they have increased with the warmer weather, generally people are well behaved and follow public health guidelines.

Mark and Gina Winton, Success Lake Marina, Porterville, CA
We are all doing very well.  We closed our business on March 20th, when all non-essential businesses were mandated to close.  We have been staying home, together as a family, and very much appreciating the time; getting some much needed rest and lots of good family time together.  We have plenty of paperwork to keep us busy, which we do at home.  We answer our marina phone seven days a week.  It is a cell phone and we turn it on during business hours.  We have cameras at the marina that we can use to keep an eye on it remotely.  We also go to the marina nearly every day to check on it, adjust the docks according to the water level, and do any projects or maintenance that need to be done.  We are also homeschooling now, as are some of our employees.
At the beginning of the shelter in place, our business was closed, but the lake was not.  People were flocking to the lake.  We essentially needed to stay there to monitor the docks and the many fisherman who were trespassing; pulling in, tying up, wandering the docks, fishing off the docks and using our bathroom.  We were closed, not making any money, but needed to be on the docks to manage the public.  That was not fun.
Since then, our lake has completely closed.  We are located on an Army Corps lake, and they have mandated that their lakes be closed at this time.  The closure has eased the pressure and given us time to focus on the tasks at hand.
We are answering the phone seven days a week talking with the public calmly and kindly.  Sometimes it feels like we are an outreach hotline for the public.  Some people are feeling really lonely and are happy just to have another person to to talk to briefly.  Many people are itching to go fishing, boating, kayaking, be in nature, and Socialize.  We tell them that we do not have clear answers about the timeline for reopening, we are waiting just as they are, and everything will be fine.  From the phone calls we receive, it is apparent that as soon as the lake opens it will be flooded with visitors from all over the state.  We have received phone calls from up and down California, and people are ready to travel.
While this closure is not good for our business financially, we are also wary of how we, and our community, will handle the influx of visitors.  We have thought about ways to handle our reopening, such as only opening to slip renters initially, letting only one person onto the docks to rent the boat for their party, loading the rest of the boating party at the boat ramps (which is opposite of our normal policy), allowing less rentals in a day, keeping the bathroom open to only those with a key to it, and regular disinfecting ( which is our usual policy anyhow).  We are also concerned about how we are supposed to open and be at work full time when we are expected to be at home schooling and caring for our children 24/7.  That will pose a problem for us and our staff.  We continue to talk things through and take each day as it comes.
For now, we are doing well, appreciating the slow down, and breathing deeply. 

Dagene't Stern, Scribble Software
Scribble Software implemented a precise plan to ensure 100% of our employees could work remotely from the safety of their own home prior to the order to shelter in place. Using remote tools and applications, all company networks and phone systems were redirected to appropriate personnel and all operations and procedures are business as normal.  In addition, to ensure our team remains strong, Scribble Software has sustained a high level of communication through the company, with each department holding daily video conference calls and weekly company video conference calls.
Scribble Software, our teams, and our employees, all remain strong as we face the challenges of this situation, not alone, but together.  And, together, we are running our operations as normal and doing everything we can to ensure our customers receive the availability, quality, and speed of our customer service they have grown accustomed to at Scribble Software.
We also sent out a survey to the membership. Below are the results of that survey.

Boatyard Survey Results - 20% Responded

Is your company considered an essential business?
Yes - 2
No - 0
Comments:
-For liveaboards and govt boats 

Is your company still open for business? Check all that apply.
Yes, with no changes in our regular office(s) - 0
Yes, with some or most staff working from home - 2
Yes, with some employees working reduced hours - 2
Yes, with some employees furloughed - 2
No, temporarily closed - 0
Other - 0 

Do you estimate that your annual revenue has been impacted?
No - 0
10 - 20% - 0
20 - 30% - 0
30+% - 0
Too early to say - 2

Is your supply chain impacted?
Yes - 1
No answer - 1

What are your top three concerns with respect to Covid-19? Select three.
Financial impact - 2
Supply chain disrupted - 0
Not having enough information to make informed decisions - 1
Decrease in consumer confidence - 2
Effects on workforce/reduced productivity - 0

At this time, do you plan on attending the 2020 MRA Conference, currently scheduled for September 28-30 in Santa Barbara?
Yes - 2
No - 0
Too early to say - 0 

How can the MRA support you during the crisis?
Marketing - 0
Education - 1
Networking - 0
Advocacy - 1
Government & Small Business Support Information - 0
All of the Above - 1

Additional Comments?
BRAVO for MRA taking on this survey. Great job!

Marina Survey Results - 29% Responded

Is your company considered an essential business?
Yes - 22
No - 7
Comments:
-Since we have live aboard tenants we have concluded that we are covered under section 13 of the Order.
-Some of the businesses located on the property are considered essential as well as commercial fishing.
-We have boaters that live aboard and get their mail and packages delivered to our office. We also have to take care of cleaning and trash.
-There are a number of reasons but top among them are 1) We have liveaboards and 2)we provide a free pumpout service to the public.
-Property Management
-Due to liveaboard contingent, we do have essential services to provide: Restroom/Shower cleaning/sanitizing; mail and packages, emergency maintenance and basic security.
-Unclear, we do provide housing, and for safety reasons we must maintain the Marina. Less clear about staffing office, renting future slips, etc.
-We have liveaboards so maintaining the facilities is still needed.
-We have about 40 liveaboards, and public first-responder boats and facilities.
-Boat rentals and cafe are non-essential but our marine service center, pump out facilities, fuel stations, and fresh water is considered essential.
-Not to sure, cruiser access to island for food and supplies.
-We have clients that call our harbor their permanent home receiving mail and packages.
-How would I know?
-Corps of Engineers closed us down.
-DON'T KNOW.
-We could find nothing definitive at State/County/City saying 'Marinas' are essential but saw references to Property Management considered essential and custodians so we stayed open for business behind locked doors w/ signage stating we're 'working from behind the glass' - please call or email. AND we are 'private' whereas some of the local marinas are municipal or on leased county land and their operations are restricted.
-We have commercial office space that has essential businesses and liveaboards who are sheltering in place on their boats, so our Marina is able to operate under limited capacity to maintain these essential functions.
-Department staff, as county employees, are deemed essential workers. 

Is your marina still open for business? Check all that apply.
Yes, with no changes in our regular office(s) - 6
Yes, with some or most staff working from home - 16
Yes, with some employees working reduced hours - 12
Yes, with some employees furloughed - 7
No, temporarily closed - 4
Other:
Some modifications.
Cafe is closed.
Comments:
-Our office is staffed with one person each day of the week on a limited schedule. Only employees are allowed into the office.
-Our entire maintenance crew is still working full time. Our administrative staff is working from home and office.
- One staff member at the marina at a time. Reduced hours (no weekends and closing at 4pm each day). Part time help has reduced hours, full time (2 employees) work remotely when not at the marina.
- Essential services still being provided, but office closed.
- We had two employees who were high-risk category (over 65) who are furloughed. Our accountant is able to work from home most of the week while for the rest of the staff we working in the office and on the dock with social distancing in place.
- Office is staffed daily, but closed to public access. All office communication via email and telephone, and the dropbox.
- We are maintaining all services but restricted access and exposure. Closed to the public and open to tenants only.
- Shortened work day and limited number of staff in marina.
- Owner working reduced hours and employees paid to stay shelter in place.
- Our store is closed off to customers, but purchases can be made through a walk-up fuel sales window. Everything else is operating normal. We have a bookkeeper that is working from home, due to a family member who is considered to be vulnerable.
- Until the Corps of Engineers opens Us back up.
- THIS DID NOT HAVE AN OPTION THAT IS RELEVANT TO OUR MARINA.
- Office staff in office only 1 at a time as too small to distance within the office. Custodial staff all working regular hours.

What steps has your marina taken to support boaters while observing Covid-19 restrictions?
Allowing extended stay boaters (other than your Live Aboards) - 8
Allowing guest boats in your marina - 7
Other (Please comment below)
-Continue to accept applications for new tenants while other marinas have suspended accepting new applications.
- San Diego County has ordered all waterways closed. We are allowing access to slip renters with no overnights allowed. Maximum of 4 people on a vessel, no congregation on fingers or docks.
- We are not accepting guests or new tenants at this time. Some people who are not LAB are needing to stay on their boats because they can't get home.
- Anyone not able/allowed to travel to their home or other location are being allowed to stay on their vessel for now.
- None of the above.
- No guest boats, promote stay at home for non-liveaboards and social distancing for all.
- Relaxing rules regarding contractor check ins.
- We had several guests who came before this started that we are currently "stuck" with. We also are currently unable to evict sneakaboards so there are some who are effectively staying aboard without authorization.
- Large antiseptic dispensers at offices, disinfecting facilities three times per day, closed marina to public access.
- No changes all policies and Rules are in effect.
- Eliminated late fees for monthly rent.
- No Changes made to the daily operations.
- No changes, with the exception of not allowing any guest boats at this time.
- Working with tenants with work hardships to accommodate slip fees payment difficulties.
- Allowing guests so long as social distancing and sheltering in place.
- Keeping our launch ramp open although no one has asked us to close it!
- Current slip customers are allowed to use their boat but have to walk in.
-Additonal security on property. More personal attention and assistance. Detailed inspection of vessels for boatowners unable to visit.
- THIS QUESTION DID NOT PRESENT AN OPTION THAT WAS RELEVANT.
- We do not permit extended stay and ONLY permit regular transients that we know/trust, for the safety of our permanent boaters. NOT permitting people to come to 'party' b/c they are bored at home. We have a problem as it is with the public guest-docks where folks pre-arranged a 'meeting' w/ their boats and set up beach chairs blocking the entrance to one of the boater docks and a couple of our valued boaters told us they were going back home so as to not have to walk thru a group of strangers.
- Launch ramp open. Boat owners can still access and use vessels. No charters.

Do you estimate that your annual revenue has been impacted?

No - 6
10 - 20% - 5
20 - 30% - 2
30+% - 1
Too early to say - 18
Comments:
- Initial impact is in the 10-20% range, we expect this may increase the longer the stay at home order lasts. We have restaurant and rental shops that are tenants who are severely impacted which in turn impacts our revenue.
- We expect it will in the coming months/year. We are also expecting to see an uptick in marginal vessels being abandoned.
- Currently no changes. Anticipating 5% lost next month and 10% for June.
- A large part of my revenue comes from houseboat and power boat rentals while the largest is wet slips.
- More launch revenue.
- We aren't able to rent out boats.
- We have been very fortunate.
- No way to tell at this point how many 'evictions' or voluntary re-po's there might be and of course there will be no income for those slips so could be brutal.
- We are currently communicating with all tenants that have not paid April rent to see what their situations are.

Are you currently receiving inquiries for slip leasing?

Yes - 28
No - 3
Comments:
- We are answering questions and taking names but not accepting any new boats except for the yacht broker or an application that was in progress.
- We are 100% full and continue to receive slip inquiries. Mostly people wanting to get their vessels out of Mexico and back to the US. There are a few who are buying boats right now and in need of a slip.
- We are at our highest occupancy and new boats are applying. Go figure.
- Few are coming in.
- We had a 4-6 week period where we had quite a few cancellations; however, as of last week we are picking back up and we're booked to capacity for this upcoming weekend.
- Yes I am I have been reserving them for people when we open up I will call them.
- People are optimistic that restrictions will be eased soon.
- We have received and are processing wait list applications and are assigning slips to new tenants.

Have your Live Aboards been impacted?
No - 15
Yes - 10
We don't have live Aboards - 6
Comments:
- No access to the office or boater's lounge.
- They have full access to all services.
- Our property has been overrun by people fishing and walking.
- It is hard for us to tell the extent of the impact. We have had a couple who have told us they may need a deferral of rent or some kind of assistance as their business has shut down. One is a captain and yacht broker. Another is a self proprietor whose work has dried up.
- Required to wear face coverings, large packages re-directed.
- Boater's lounge and gym closed, social distancing stressed, office closed.
- The main impact seems to be loss or reduction of income. Most seem to be choosing to self-isolate and are minimizing their use of shared facilities like restrooms and laundry.
- Most are staying aboard, and we have lots of food deliveries and Amazon practically lives here.
- Corps of Engineers and we don't allow live aboards.
- We have very few -under 10 - and a couple of them that work have had their hours cut. Some NON LABs have tested positive for CV and quarantined at home but no LABs, yet.
- Some have lost their jobs and have asked about payment deferrals. Others are having trouble receiving packages since our office is closed and "working from home" on their boats with limited space and internet access.

Have you had difficulty maintaining security? Or keeping people for violating shelter in place rules?
Yes - 13
No - 18
Comments:
- In the beginning yes, it has since subsided. Harbor Police handle this issue.
- Too many people from outside Alameda coming to our property to hang out, fish and walk.
- With only one person at the marina it is hard to maintain security. Our marina has a public promenade running through the middle of it. We have had more transient people requiring us to lock areas at night and sometimes during the day. It is also a challenge to keep tenants from taking paddle boards out onto the bay. The better the weather gets the more violations of the shelter in place we see.
- Obviously any non liveaboard on the premises violates the shelter at home edict. Mostly they are here to take boat out since harbor has not been closed.
- Our security issues are due to the City temporally housing homeless people next to the Marina.
- Launch ramp open, and has been very busy. Lots of people not social distancing.
- A small percentage of people continue to try to enter the marina and use facilities. So our security measures have been tested. For the first time, some theft too.
- Majority of customers are practicing safe distancing and being mindful of rules.
- Appears bus loads of homeless are being deposited locally.
-We always have 24/7 security, but we have increased the staff until further notice.
- Homeless people who acquire boats attempting to come into anchorage and we have to keep close track of their movements ashore.
- We don't police our tenants to shelter in place.
- People are getting carried away and doing whatever they darn well please. But we see it on camera and are going to take care of that.
- Security has been a challenge because we are located within a large city park with public walkaways and facilities on our shoreline.
- Only 'outsiders'-see response to #6. Another incident occurred this week here the day after our City CLOSED the 'Mother's Beaches', a couple of Moms in Duffy brought kids to the guest docks with water wings on to SWIM in the Marina. When they were approached to explain that kids and propellers don't mix and the public guest docks were not for 'camping out for the day' to swim. A man from another boat in the guest slips yelled at Security to 'leave them alone! What's the problem?(expletive *^#)
- We have had two break ins to office tenants since the Shelter In Place started. Our local police department has increased patrols in our area.
- Increased security and enforcement measures necessary throughout the harbor.

Do you think that the Covid-19 crisis will continue into summer?
Yes - 21
No - 2
I don't know - 7
Comments:
- I think we will be opening up in stages thus the crisis will continue for months but hopefully it will lessen as the summer goes on. Sportfishing and restaurants will continue to feel the crisis for months.
- Unfortunately.
- Next year and beyond.
- I think it will wind down in May-June with social distancing practices in place.
- Of course!
- Especially in California we don't think the governor is going to open anything up.
- I believe conditions will begin to normalize before the end of May.
- If the lockdown DOES continue, I think boaters will start relaxing a bit and will continue to enjoy their boats IF THEY ARE FINANCIALLY SECURE. If the lockdown continues and folks don't have jobs, income, food, shelter it will definitely affect us all.
- I believe there will be some impacts until a reliable vaccine is widely available.

What are your top three concerns with respect to Covid-19? Select three.
Financial Impact - 28
Supply chain disruptions - 13
Not having enough information to make informed decisions - 14
Decrease in consumer confidence - 9
Effects on workforce/reduced productivity - 20
Comments:
- I'm concerned that the public is going to relax their precautions which may increase the likelihood of a second serge of the virus.
- What??? No question about health concern? My main concern is not wanting to be infected with COVID-19 and possibly infecting others.
- No other concerns.
We have not been affected at work with supply chain shortages, yet, but I'm personally uncomfortable and have been since the beginning and just this week BIG meat suppliers shut down with illness and can happen in ANY chain and truckers are at risk and longshoremen. I'm almost MORE afraid of having TOO MUCH INFO that conflicts ... it's difficult to process and our boaters are turning to US to filter, compile, and explain clearly.
- Decreased future demand for office space as people shift to working from home.

At this time, do you plan on attending the 2020 MRA Conference, currently scheduled for September 28-30 in Santa Barbara?
Yes - 14
No - 6
Too early to say - 11
Comments:
- The City will not allow any travel/conferences for 2020/2021 budget.
- I would love to but it is too early to know.
- Assuming we're out of this of course!
- I think the conference should proceed. HMPC is still on. We will need to make accommodations to insure everyone's safety, which will take some planning, and maybe a new kind of social events.
- But still early to say.
- However, I would probably be unable to attend even without the current conditions.
- God willing and the Creek don't rise.

How can the MRA support you during the crisis?
Marketing - 4
Education - 11
Networking - 8
Advocacy - 18
Government & Small Business Support Information - 14
All of the Above - 4
Other, please comment below:
- Please provide the outcome of this survey to all members. I have a survey we completed on Marinas in San Diego County with different questions that I can share with you.
- I have been keeping my office staff busy with training modules they can do from home.
- We are all in this together. It is very helpful to know what other marinas are doing/experiencing and we definitely need an advocate for recreational boating.
-I don't think anyone has even considered the current crisis since 1918. There is going to be a learning curve no doubt, but to its up to the individual operators who actually have direct daily contact with facility they represent to use their best judgment in providing a safe and effective operation. In other words i think it would be foolish to think someone has the right answer.
- Keep doing the great job you do keeping all of us informed.
- Just keep us informed.
- Informing our elected officials and public health decision makers that socially responsible recreational boating does not pose health risks.
- Providing resources ... even if just for contact with our boaters... I'm trying to stay in contact without 'bugging' them but encouraging to take the class to get the California Boating Card and have multiple generations take together via Skype or Zoom. Also suggesting YouTube videos that are instructional re boating skills or maintenance. Even something like learning the birds in the region or what constellation they might see in the night sky in their own back yard.

Trade Survey Results - 17% Responded

Is your company considered an essential business?
Yes - 11
No - 2
Comments:
- It appears as if cleaning up harbors, marinas, lakes and oceans isn't considered "essential".
- Insurance Brokerage
- MO stay at home order allowed manufacturers to remain open. However, some of our marina construction sites in other states were deemed non-essential and were shut down.
- Our manufacturing facilities, located in Georgia, Oklahoma, and New York have continued all operations and have been determined to be "essential" due to our supporting business activities tied to the maritime industry, law enforcement, and numerous other government agency projects.
- To some.
- To some. 

Is your company still open for business? Check all that apply.
Yes, with no changes in our regular office(s) - 9
Yes, with some or most staff working from home - 4
Yes, with some employees working reduced hours - 0
Yes, with some employees furloughed - 0
No, temporarily closed - 1
Other - 0
Comments:
-Other than we're keeping the front door locked and no one, without wearing a face mask, is allowed to enter the office(s).
- Several employees chose not to work. Because of this, our workforce is diminished. We are now running 2 additional shifts per week trying to keep up using the reduced manpower. Despite this, we are getting behind on the manufacturing end.
- All of our manufacturing facilities are currently operational with split shifts to enable appropriate safety and social distancing protocol. Office and management staff is working mostly from home. On-site construction / installations are still progressing in some states depending on varying restrictions.

Do you estimate that your annual revenue has been impacted?
No - 0
10 - 20% - 0
20 - 30% - 0
30+% - 3
Too early to say - 10
Comments:
-We will not know until we see if the number of contracts for the year goes down. We typically book the majority of our business between July and December.

How is the impact of not being able to travel affecting your sales?
Greatly - 2
Somewhat - 7
Not at all - 2
Comments:
- We don't know for certain. But Sale reps cannot make site visits and it is likely to have some impact.
- No plane or other public transportation is currently being used by our sales or construction personnel. Travel involving over-night stays is restricted based on local policies

Is your supply chain impacted?
Yes - 6
No - 4
Too early to say - 4
Comments:
- Not at this time . . . Deliveries from our factories has continued with very little impact on quality or timeliness.

What are your top three concerns with respect to Covid-19? Select three.
Financial impact - 9
Supply chain disrupted - 5
Not having enough information to make informed decisions - 5
Decrease in consumer confidence - 6
Effects on workforce/reduced productivity - 4
Comments:
- Financial impact is still unknown, but will probably result in some short-term reductions in sales depending on economic conditions

At this time, do you plan on attending the 2020 MRA Conference, currently scheduled for September 28-30 in Santa Barbara?
Yes - 8
No - 1
Too early to say - 2 

How can the MRA support you during the crisis?
Marketing - 3
Education - 2
Networking - 2
Advocacy - 3
Government & Small Business Support Information - 2
All of the Above - 6

Additional Comments?
-We hope no one is suffering a loss of a loved one.

                                                                                                               
                                                                                                               
Participate in the 2020 Virtual American Boating Congress 
May 13-14, 2020 

The National Marine Manufacturers Association invites you to participate in the virtual American Boating Congress, where they will provide more information on how they are pursuing these outreach and advocacy efforts, particularly as this COVID-19 pandemic continues to strain businesses across the country and threaten the broader economy. The virtual ABC will be held on Wednesday, May 13 and Thursday, May 14 from 1:00-2:30pm ET on both days.

Even though this year's annual advocacy summit is unable to take place in person, there are several pressing issues that require the recreational boating community's full attention, particularly as COVID-19 continues to create challenges for boating, manufacturing and the broader economy. NMMA announced that United States Secretary of the Interior, David Bernhardt will deliver remarks during day two (Thursday, May 14) of the virtual 2020 American Boating Congress (ABC). Secretary Bernhardt will outline steps the Trump administration is taking to reopen our nation's public lands and waters - a top priority of the community.

As Secretary of the Interior, Bernhardt leads an agency with more than 70,000 employees who are stewards for 20 percent of the nation's lands, including national parks, monuments, wildlife refuges and other public lands. The department oversees the responsible development of conventional and renewable energy supplies on public lands and waters, is the largest supplier and manager of water in the 17 Western states and upholds trust responsibilities to the 574 federally recognized American Indian tribes and Alaska Natives.

REGISTER FREE AT: 
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8773133426355089676
From the economic impact of COVID-19 to state access issues, this event will cover the most pressing concerns and opportunities with leaders from across the country.

SCHEDULE:
http://www.nmma.org/advocacy/abc/events

Blood Borne Pathogens

Blood Borne Pathogens: the unseen danger.
As many marinas begin to staff up for the 2020 boating season, employers must be ensure to update the written blood borne pathogen program, train all employees in the facility on the dangers of blood borne pathogens, and ensure the maintain the proper records related to occupational exposure. A key element for any marina owner or operator is to have knowledge related to the types of blood borne pathogens. In order to maximize employee protection, employers should know the likely sources or exposures each employee may face as part of their job.

What is a BBP?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defines a Blood Borne Pathogen as a "pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and can cause disease in humans". The Center for Disease control also states that bodily fluids such as urine, vomit, or feces can be a source of BBPs. OSHA's requirements for employers related to BBP can be found in 29.CFR.1910.1030 which applies to all occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials. Blood Borne Pathogens can lead to illnesses such as Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV) or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Other dangers may include exposures to bacterium that can be a source of MRSA or other forms of Staphylococcus.

Where employees may be exposed.
In the marina setting, a common source for exposure to BBPs comes during the pump out process. Very often, the black tank on a vessel may be pressurized and may expel waste during the opening of the tank. Other times, the pump out hose may not be properly attached to the vessel causing employees to the sprayed with waste. Other areas of exposure may include cleaning the restrooms or perhaps cleaning up behind the customer that consumed too much alcohol and has vomited on a dock. With the rise in the opioid crisis, it is quite possible to have an exposure from a used needle that was improperly discarded in a trash can.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Employees conducting pump out procedures should be required to wear disposable gloves and eye protection. In this case, even though they may not be chemical or impact resistant, sunglasses as eye protection would be better than no eye protection. After the pump out, employees should be required to wash hands with antibacterial soap and warm water or use hand sanitizer. Employers should consider cleaning pump out attachments and hoses. Fittings can be placed in a bucket of water/bleach solution and then the solution can be pumped through the hose. As a best practice, employees should be encouraged to keep a change of clothes at work in case of exposure. With proper PPE, employees may only need to shower and change clothing. PPE should be considered for other areas as well. Leather gloves are a good solution to avoid sharp objects that may be discarded in the trash can. Marinas should consider installing a 'sharps' disposal unit in the restrooms and having a third party service handle disposal.

Exposed Employee
In the event an employee is exposed, there a several specific actions required by the employer. First, it is imperative to document the circumstances of the exposure and the source where possible. The employer must offer a post exposure medical evaluation by a healthcare professional. With employee permission, this evaluation may include testing the exposed employee's blood for BBPs. Additionally, the employer is required to make available the Hepatitis B vaccine. Should the employee decline the vaccine, the employer should document the offer and decline. The employer is responsible for the any post exposure medical cost.

Final Thoughts.
When it comes to BBPs, employers often fail to have a written exposure control program, fail to enforce the use of PPE, and fail to comply with requirements after an exposure. Training is often overlooked as well. Training is required upon hiring a new employee and then annually thereafter. Training must cover topics such as a copy of the 29.CFR.1910.1030 standard, types and symptoms of BBPs, employer's exposure control plan, safe work practices and PPE, information on the Hepatitis B vaccine, what to do if exposed, and information on post exposure medical care. Lastly, one caveat of the BBP program relates to the 'good samaritan' rule. For example, if an employee is assisting another employee with first aid this would not be considered an Occupational Exposure.

For The Marina Bulletin Board

BoatUS: 8 Ways to Love Boating While Safely Waiting Out Coronavirus

Offshore Sailing School's Learn to Sail, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary's Modern Marine Navigation courses free through May 15

For recreational boaters who are staying off the water during the coronavirus pandemic, there's certainly more free time during what should be the busy spring launch season. So if boaters can't get to their boats, what are they to do? Here are eight ways from Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) to keep the love of boating alive that could also make you a better, safer boat operator.

1. Become a smarter sailor while saving big bucks by taking Offshore Sailing School's Learn to Sail or the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary's Modern Marine Navigation courses free any time through May 15. Use the coupon code "learnfree" at BoatUS.org/Courses at registration.
2. Checklists are great when you really need them - just ask the person at the boat ramp who forgot to install the hull drain plug. What kind of printed, laminated checklist would be helpful to have aboard? Ideas include: pre-launch checklist, trailering checklist (did you remember to cross the safety chains?), and safety checklist.
3. Whether you're an inshore day cruiser, offshore angler, or cruising sailor, you always need to be prepared to abandon ship. Here's what to pack in a ditch kit.
4. Docking can be a spectator sport. The BoatUS How to Dock a Boat YouTube playlist  includes a range of docking scenarios that show you how, from outboard to inboard powered boats. It also includes 'How to Back a Single Engine Inboard Boat Into a Slip' - the single most impressive recreational boat docking maneuver of them all.
5. If the boat and trailer are safely in the garage or driveway, now may be the time to look at all the things you never have enough time to, such as replacing outdrive anodes, changing trailer bearings or restoring the shine to gelcoat. It's all in one place at BoatUS Trailer Boat YouTube playlist, including small boat handling tips such as ''How to Use Trim Tabs,' the most-watched BoatUS video ever.
6. Learn how to tie up your family, pets or anything else around the house with help from the BoatUS Essential Boating Knots YouTube playlist. Practicing at home now will make these knots easier to remember aboard the boat when the pandemic is over.
7. Consider supporting the waterfront businesses you enjoy and do business with - restaurants, chandleries, prop shops, sail lofts or other service providers - by purchasing a gift certificate. You can start by going to the local businesses' website to see if they are available.
8. Help protect the water you love and take the free, online BoatUS Foundation Clean Boating course, which offers simple steps you can take to reduce the impact boating activities on our waterways.

About Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS):
Celebrating more than 50 years, BoatUS is the nation's largest organization of recreational boaters with more than a half-million members. We are the boat owners' voice on Capitol Hill and fight for their rights. We are The Boat Owners Auto Club and help ensure a roadside trailer breakdown doesn't end a boating or fishing trip before it begins. When boats break down on the water, TowBoatUS brings them safely back to the launch ramp or dock, 24/7. The BoatUS Marine Insurance Program offers policies that give boat owners affordable, specialized coverage and superior service they need. We help keep boaters safe and our waters clean with assistance from the nonprofit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water. Visit BoatUS.com.

Construction Corner

USCG YERBA BUENA EMERGENCY CASREP REPAIRS

United States Coast Guard Sector San Francisco, Yerba Buena Island

The United States Coast Guard recently awarded a CASREP Emergency Repair RFP for the floating dock system at USCG Sector San Francisco, Yerba Buena Island. The emergency repairs were required due to the large wave energy that enters the site and also from the lack of maintenance performed on the dock system. The Coast Guard's floating infrastructure is a mission essential asset, critically needed for their waterway access to ensure our Nation's maritime safety, security and stewardship. Availability of local crews and quick response time was a major factor contributing to the subcontract being awarded to Bellingham Marine (BMI).

Time was of the essence in order to reinstate the Coast Guard's operation. BMI utilized in-house drafting and engineering in order to fast-tract the submittal, material procurement and fabrication process. BMI's project managers inspected the condition of all floats and components to assess the damage and verify availability of salvageable components. The 3-month project entailed a fast-tracked, phased construction effort. BMI's scope included evaluation and re-energizing of electrical utilities for safety. Nearly all structural steel frame connections ere replaced as well as cleaning and patching the existing piling. BMI also provided in-house certified dive services to locate and retrieve underwater debris and install additional flotation to correct buoyancy issues.

The engineering and construction team considered multiple factors when determining how to best repair another manufacturer's failed float-to-float bolted connections. Bellingham Marine designed and manufactured connections with larger steel members which improved positive connections between the fingers and mainwalk float sections. In addition to the structural work, BMI added new rebar, hardware and galvanized steel thru-rods to completely rebuild and reform the concrete deck corners along the wave wall pier. BMI's decades of experience in concrete float manufacturing allowed us to assess the damage and repair the structural connections for the existing concrete docks, originally manufactured by others. The existing pile guide frames were replaced with a redesigned two-piece heavy-duty steel frame which resulted in a better connection to the float system. In addition to the steel frames, BMI upgraded the roller system with its current standard design which includes a single UHMW precision-cut panel. This design allows a custom fit and a tighter tolerance for each pile guide, which reduces movement in the docks that occurs between the frame and the piling. Both innovations contribute to a longer lifespan and reduced cycle of repair.

When Bellingham Manager of Project Development, Bryce Fisher, was asked about the unique Emergency Repair Project, he said "The USCG Yerba Buena repair project was a challenging project that required Bellingham Marine's unique floating dock repair expertise and experience. The site's current design is innately insufficient to provide an optimal level of protection and service life. Proper site-specific design and annual maintenance are the two greatest factors that contribute to system performance and longevity. Stressors like corrosive sea air, repeated wave impact forces and changing water levels create challenging and dynamic environments inherent in all marina installations. Bellingham Marine offers an annual inspection and maintenance program that manages the maintenance needs of marinas and offers clients a lot of value to protect their long-term investment."

The Last Word  

To all of our MRA Members and Future Members;

Well it looks like another month of "Stay in Place" for May although there is talk of loosening things up a bit. Here at the MRA office, it seems so quiet as the phones hardly ring unless it's a robo call! I look forward to the time when the activity starts up again when the day seems to go so much faster.

The 49th Annual MRA Educational Conference and Trade Show will be held September 28 - 30, 2020 at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. The board has worked diligently on a program that is sure to enlighten and educate attendees. Once again we are playing the wait and see game. Hopefully, we will know more by the end of May. As soon as it is up, we will send you a notification. Stay tuned!

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 Timms
Operations Administrator
Email: timms@marina.org

* From the Helm

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From the Helm

Dear MRA Members and Friends;

We had a great conference this past October. You can read more about that in this month's newsletter.

California Boating Congress (CBC) dates have been set. The reception/meet and greet will be Monday evening March 30, 2020 at the Hyatt Regency in Sacramento, details to follow. CBC will take place Tuesday March 31, 2020. Mark your calendar as this is a very important and fun event for our industry. If you are not sure what this is, don't hesitate to contact me.

We are excited to announce our association has new lobbying representation in Sacramento, Platinum Advisors. Specifically, Beau Biller from Platinum Advisors will represent us, welcome aboard Beau. At our CBC this year Platinum will have one of their advisors introduce us to our legislators, a change from the past, but I suspect a positive one for most of us. Personally it is welcomed as I am never quite sure how to get past those few awkward moments up front when you meet an elected official.

Finally we thank Apex Group for their 25+ year representation of our group. They shaped and helped us grow as an organization, thank you and we wish you the best in the future.

I'll leave you with this; we are so fortunate to be involved in an industry that allows us to be on the water on a daily basis, don't take it for granted and don't fail to recognize it.

Scott Robertson

530.913.7440

48th Annual MRA Educational Conference & Trade Show took everyone's 'Imagination' to a new level this year . . .

Right from the get-go, the 2019 MRA Conference had an enhanced excitement and anticipation of future innovation, potential, and growth fostered in part by the expanding industry and economy, as well as some new technical innovations employed at this year's event.

Among other things, this year's Conference featured the new MRA Conference App, which provided all attendees with access to an online Conference Program and Schedule, and all of the educational seminar materials, as well as opportunities to interact with other attendees on several social media platforms.

As usual, the three day conference teed off on Monday, October 21st with three events for a record number of attendees to choose from. Fifty golfers participated in the 25th Annual MRA Golf Tournament, playing through a warm and sunny day along the spectacular Pacific Ocean coast at the Torrey Pines Resort North Golf Course in La Jolla, CA.

A number of other industry professionals attended the educational "Introduction to Basic Marina Operations" seminar, designed to provide new marine operations owners and other staff with an overview of Best Management Practices to enhance marina and boatyard operations, safety, customer service, and fiscal results.

And, a third group of thirty-five conference attendees took advantage of the 7th Annual Marina and Boatyard Tour visiting four San Diego area operations, including the Half Moon Marina and Point Loma Marina on Shelter Island, the Sun Harbor Marina in America's Cup Harbor, and the Marine Group Boat Works located in the southern part of San Diego Harbor featuring their unique operations and services.

Monday night's Welcome Reception in the Trade Show Pavilion was well attended with libations and hors d'oeuvres provided by sponsoring Trade Show Exhibitors, and attendees were given an early opportunity to mingle and browse the latest industry innovations and information. The golf tournament results were also announced and various awards presented to the lucky players.

Tuesday morning's breakfast in the Trade Show pavilion was followed by MRA President, Mark Sandoval's welcome and opening remarks to attendees. President Sandoval also presented the 'Darrell McConnell Award', to Everett Babbit, President of Bellingham Marine, who received the traditional ship's wheel plaque in recognition of his many years of dedicated service to the recreational boating and marine industry. The MRA's '2019 Innovation Awards' were also announced, and winners, Bellingham Marine, MarineSync, and Sandy Purdon, founder of Clean Marine, awarded their gleaming trophies.

Scott Robertson, MRA Vice-President then led the MRA General Membership Meeting, announcing the election of new Board members and other Association business and plans for the coming year, including the upcoming California Boating Congress.

Bret Gladfelty, MRA Legislative Advocate, The Apex Group, followed Jim with a review of California state legislation and issues facing the industry in the future. And NMMA president, Thom Dammrich, provided attendees with a review of national legislative and regulatory issues facing the industry.

After a brief break for attendees to relax in the Trade Show exhibit hall, Robert Newsome, Sr. Vice President, NMMA closed out the morning with an overview of the State of the Marine Industry, and the economic and cultural impact of recreational boating in California and other areas of the country.

Tuesday afternoon's conference was broken into three hour-long sessions, each featuring several different seminar topics for attendees to choose from. Session 1 offered a discussion of the Status of California Salt-Water Marinas & Boatyards, and a discussion of The Status of California Inland Marinas / Resorts. Session 2 covered strategies for enhancing the growth and organizational innovation of marine operations; Planning, Designing, and Paying for Capital Improvement Projects; and a Boatyard Business Roundtable. The final sessions included topics ranging from The Evolution of West Coast Sailing and the SF Bay Area; Phil Weiss' digest of 30 Years as a maritime lawyer; and discussion on the TMDL Conundrum raised by new regulations affecting many coastal marinas.

The MRA's Wine Tasting & Craft Beer Reception in the Trade Show exhibit hall capped off Tuesday's conference events. All 49 of the exhibiting Trade Show vendors provided top notch wine or craft beer selections at their booths for attendees to enjoy with fresh carved roast turkey, roast pork, and Prime Rib, served with various side dishes.

Wednesday morning kicked off with another breakfast in the Trade Show pavilion, followed by Dr. Lynn Reaser, Ph.D., Chief Economist at Fermanian Business & Economic Institute, who provided everyone with a very insightful Economic Forecast and data on the economy. Joe Ueberroth, President of Bellwether Financial Group, closed the morning out with a keynote presentation offering some interesting observations and predictions about the direction of the marine industry in the future.

After the morning break in the Trade Show pavilion, more educational seminars convened on topics covering CARB Commercial Harbor Requirements; Workers Compensation Insurance Costs and Concerns; and how Yacht Clubs are influencing the future of Recreational boating.

After an outdoor lunch, overlooking the sunny Pacific Ocean and Torrey Pines Golf Course, the Conference's final sessions were again broken into two 1-hour periods with Session 1 featuring topics covering the National Electrical Code 2017 vs 2020; How to use Social Media Marketing effectively; strategies for attracting the next generation of boaters; Marina Property Management issues; and the process and importance to achieving Clean Marina or Boatyard Certification.

The 48th Annual MRA Educational Conference & Trade Show was an important and informative marine industry event put together by a dedicated group of industry owners, managers, vendors, and MRA staff . . . Coming next is the 5th Annual California Boating Congress on March 31, 2020 with a Welcome Reception planned for March 30th . Now is the time to begin thinking about your boating and marine industry legislative / regulatory concerns, and add the up-coming CBC to your calendar.

Gold Anchor Expands into USA Marina Sector

The West Coast USA based Marine Recreation Association (MRA) and the Marina Industries Association (MIA) based in Australia have entered into a collaborative agreement to launch the Global Gold Anchor program in North America.

Gold Anchor was first developed in the United Kingdom in 1988 by The Yacht Harbours Association (TYHA). In 2009 the MIA launched its own program and in 2013 the two associations launched the single Global Gold Anchor program. The program is analogous with star ratings for accommodation with a strong focus on customer service.            

The first two California marinas are already participating. Westpoint Harbor Marina San Francisco and Safe Harbor Cabrillo Isle San Diego are now Gold Anchor accredited marinas and a half-dozen more are in line for assessment. Over the next two years there are expected to be a steady stream of marinas entering the program and a pool of trained assessors to deliver the program.   

MIA President Andrew Chapman said the collaboration is a particularly exciting development for the global industry. "MIA and TYHA are very pleased to have MRA providing the structure to expand the program into the US and beyond. MIA will be working closely with MRA and participating members over the coming two years to ensure the program is successfully rolled out and fully aligned with the global program that is established across 27 countries."

MRA President Scott Robertson said the recent MRA Educational and Trade Conference in La Jolla, California provided an excellent platform to promote the program. "We have both coastal and in-land marinas wishing to participate. MRA recognise the many industry development and promotional benefits the Gold Anchor program can deliver for our industry."

TYHA General Manager Jonathan White commented that the involvement of MRA will fast track a truly global roll-out of the program. "From Gold Anchors infancy back in 1988, it is very pleasing to now have this plan that will ensure rapid expansion of this already well-established accreditation program beyond UK/Europe; the Middle East, Asia, South Pacific and the Caribbean."      

For further information - Colin Bransgrove, MIA, CEO ceo@marinas.net.au +61 2 94395806; Scott Robertson, scottr@abacus7.com +1 530 6923200; Jonathan White,jwhite@britishmarine.co.uk +44 (0)7717 683107 

Tell Congress to Support USMCA

Congressional leaders just said a deal on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is "imminent." Now we need your help to get this critical trade deal across the finish line! 

Tell Congress to pass USMCA NOW!

With 40% of annual U.S. boat and engine exports going to Canada and Mexico and 20% of our industry's imports coming from them, our industry needs good trade deals, strong relationships, and smart policies governing North American trade.
 
Supporting USMCA means supporting the recreational boating industry. Tell your members of Congress to pass USMCA!

Boating United is the grassroots platform of the recreational boating industry. It is comprised of boating manufacturers, businesses and supporters who share the common goal of protecting and promoting the industry. Take action, learn about the issues and more at

 http://boatingunited.com   

Division of Boating and Waterways Marina Loan Program Survey

The Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) would like to assess the future need for loan funding for marina rehabilitation and development from the Public and Private Marina Loan programs offered by DBW. 

Please click on the link below to begin the survey. It will take approximately 4 minutes to complete and will be available through December 13, 2019.

Save the Date-Boating topics that matter to you! Join us on December 5th

Dear Boating Partners:

Join the California Clean Boating Network on Thursday, December 5th for a FREE educational meeting from 9:15 a.m. to approx. 1 p.m. at the Martinez Yacht Club

Come and learn about: 

* a comprehensive regional study of microplastic pollution in the Bay Area showing a staggering 7 trillion pieces of microplastic emitted to SF Bay every single year, through both wastewater and stormwater.
* the Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange (SAVE) Program for the state;
* the results from the San Francisco and Alameda County marine flare pilot collection events;
* the Pumpout Nav App and how CA is doing in terms of the sewage pumpouts

To attend you must RSVP by emailing Vivian Matuk at vmatuk@coastal.ca.gov

Location: Martinez Yacht Club 111 Tarantino Dr, Martinez, CA 94553) (Thanks to the club).
Parking: Free!

Map

We hope for your enthusiastic participation and offer plenty of time to ask questions of the experts.

If you have questions about attendance, email Vivian Matuk at vmatuk@coastal.ca.gov

Construction Corner

New Wave Attenuator Protects Local Homeowner's Association

The Ballena Bay Townhome Association is a close-knit community on the Alameda coast. Situated directly on the San Francisco Bay, the Ballena Bay Townhome Association decided to replace their outdated tire breakwater with a new state-of-the-art match-cast, post-tensioned concrete wave attenuation system.

The San Francisco Bay is renowned for its choppy boating atmosphere. The site experiences sustained wind speeds of up to 55 mph, that results in a wave height of 2.67' with a period of 3.1 seconds. The existing tire attenuator at the site was not effectively protecting the interior floating infrastructure in the canal.

Acting as a floating "breakwater," wave attenuators are site-specifically designed and engineered to significantly reduce wave energy entering a marina basin. Wave energy is a combination of waves of different heights, directions, and periods. Wave energy can manifest in reflections bouncing off barriers and refractions passing between mediums throughout the bay. Wave energy can bend around corners and "squeeze" through openings without a significant reduction in energy. Floating wave attenuators help reduce wave heights and ensure protection from large wave events. Wave attenuators require the most site specific engineering of any marina structure. Properly designed and sited, an attenuator will create a safe, tranquil harbor for your boaters, protect your investment and your bottom line.

According to Eric Noegel, Senior Manager of Project Development at Bellingham Marine Industries, "Site specific data regarding wind and boat waves helped determine the mass, width, depth, and configuration of the Ballena Bay wave attenuation system. We decided concrete, match-cast floats would offer the best protection for this marina. The inherent mass of the floating concrete modules along with the match-cast interconnection system made it a natural choice for the Ballena Bay Townhome Association."

One contributing factor to the effectiveness of a wave attenuator is the structure's ability to move as a rigid, single unit. Motion in the structure can transmit wave energy and cause havoc on moored vessels in the marina. When asked about the decision to use match-cast floats Senior Project Manager Ron Mock said "Wave attenuation is about mass, breadth and depth. In our experience, lightweight systems are ineffective in anything but the mildest of wave motions. They may appear to break surface chop, but a long wave will pass directly under the surface system and head straight for the marina. To adequately perform in a high wind and wave environment, attenuators need to be as solid as possible."

The new wave attenuator system creates a tranquil harbor for the Ballena Bay Townhome Association tenants. Sheltered from destructive waves and damaging wakes, the Bellena Bay boaters can be confident that their waterfront investment will be protected for decades to come.

*** Bellingham Marine was the design/build contractor for the Ballena Bay Townhome Association project. All of the concrete wave attenuators were built in their southwest division's plant in Dixon, California. ***

Trade Member Highlight

Exciting Developments for Compass Consulting

	Gian Salvini

Brian Simmons

As if this wasn't enough October excitement, for the third consecutive year Compass Consulting was a proud exhibitor at the 48th annual Marine Recreation Association conference and trade show, October 21-23. At this year's event, Compass showcased two distinctive products for our marina partners: a virtual Desktop as a Service (DaaS) solution that moves workstations and network infrastructure into the award-winning Microsoft Azure cloud, and also Search Engine Optimization (SEO)/Social Media Marketing (SMM) tools to improve vacancy rates, direct boating enthusiasts to a specific website, and educate customers about marina amenities.

The marina industry really seems to be embracing "cloud first" technology and Compass Consulting is honored to be leading the way with innovative client solutions. We proudly work with marinas and management companies alike and look forward to continuing this discussion with you! Please visit our website or call today at (805) 389-0229.

Trade Member Highlight

RON BAILEY JOINS SMARTPLUG SYSTEMS

SmartPlug Systems, the leading manufacturer of safety-focused shore power delivery systems for the recreational and commercial marine, RV and specialty vehicle markets, has hired Ron Bailey as its new global VP of sales and marketing. He joins the company during a transitional period as incumbent Terry Gilliland prepares his retirement in early 2020. Tony Barber, CEO, made the announcement.

Bailey brings decades of marine and RV manufacturing sales and marketing experience to SmartPlug. Most recently, he was VP of global marine sales and marketing at Dometic and president of Turning Point Propellers. Deeply committed to the industry, he is on the National Marine Manufacturers Association Board of Directors and Marine Accessories and Components Division (MACD). He holds a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Western Michigan University and an M.S. in science, business administration and management from Central Michigan University, and is a USCG-licensed captain.

"Ron has demonstrated leadership, vision and success throughout his career," said Barber. "He has a deep knowledge of our core markets and customers, and the ability to transform that insight into actionable results."

"Joining SmartPlug is an opportunity to work with a company that

places safety before industry stereotypes," said Bailey. "Plus, Tony Barber is an evangelist for his products with infectious enthusiasm."

SmartPlug Systems designs and manufactures safe alternatives to traditional twist-type AC shore power connections. Its state-of-the-art 16A, 30A, 32A and 50A plugs, inlets, cordsets and adapters offer a broad range of benefits, the most significant being reduced electrical resistance and overheating-common causes of boat and vehicle fires. The company holds Canadian CSA, Europe CE, Intertek ETL and US ETL certifications.

Contact SmartPlug Systems, 2500 Westlake Ave N., Ste. G, Seattle, WA 98109-2262. 206-285-2990; Fax: 206-285-2981. Sales@smartplug.com; www.smartplug.com; www.facebook.com/SmartPlug; twitter.com/smartplugs

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:

Lippert Enterprises, Inc.

The Last Word

To all of our MRA Members and Future Members 

I would like thank Mark Sandoval for the past four years; first as Vice President and then President. It was a pleasure working for you! You were always prompt with my requests and I look forward to your continued time on the board.

Welcome to Scott Robertson, our new President! You are coming in just as there are many changes happening in the association. I am sure you will be great at getting things done!

I'm excited to announce that we have set the dates for the 5th Annual California Boating Congress. Once again we will return to the Hyatt Regency Sacramento on March 31, 2020. There will be a welcome reception on March 30, 2020 for those who can make it.

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.

As the association continues to grow, we will be welcoming our new members who join in each issue. If you know any of the new members listed in this issue, please welcome them aboard!  

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.orgso they can be uploaded. You can now also add a YouTube video if you have one.

Wishing you Happy Holidays and a Prosperous New Year!

Mariann Timms

Operations Administrator

From the Helm

Dear MRA Members and Friends;

Thank you for allowing me to be your president, an honor for sure.

At our recent conference we elected Jim Behun - Sunroad Resort Marina, Barbara Galgiani - LP Insurance Services, Shelley Griffin - Bay Club Hotel & Marina, and Rusty Morgan - Oceanmax as new board of directors for our great organization. Congratulation's to all of you. I look forward to your leadership and working with you.

We just had another great conference but before we talk about that I want to thank our outgoing president Mark Sandoval. Mark had a great two year run of successful conferences and regional trainings, the back bone to our organization. On the legislative front we held our own despite challenges as state parks in essence absorbed department of boating and waterways. Mark thank you for all you have done for the MRA.

In thinking about Mark, I am struck by our similarities. We are both CPA's, enjoy boating and now we both can say we have led this great organization, MRA. Our similarities stop there though as Mark runs a coastal marina in Ventura, I run an inland marina, Bullards Bar, in Northern California. Mark is an avid Dodgers fan and I am a Giants fan, oh my.

Now, to the conference, if you missed it imagine a beautiful setting, great lunches on the veranda overlooking the ocean, great speakers and vendors and you imagined our conference in San Diego. I trust each one of you came away with at least one gem of an idea you can take to your marina or boat yard that you can implement right away to make a difference. Mark your calendar for the 2020 conference for September 28th thru 30th, 2020 in Santa Barbara. It just takes one great takeaway to pay for the conference. What will yours be?

The next big event will be the California Boating Congress (CBC) in Sacramento sometime in March of 2020. This is an important event for our organization to let our elected officials know who we are what we contribute to the California economy. As soon as we nail down the date we will get the word out.

If you liked what you saw at the conference and can imagine yourself being part of the future of your organization, Marina Recreation Association, don't hesitate to contact me.

Scott Robertson

scottr@abacus7.com

530-913-7440

Action Alert From Boating United

America's recreational boating industry has 31,000 vacant jobs right now, and there is a shortage of skilled workers to fill them.
 

But new, bipartisan legislation - the American Workforce Empowerment Act - will expand training, apprenticeships, and opportunities for American workers to enter the technical and skilled trades and fill these essential jobs.

Tell Congress to help build a 21st century workforce by supporting the American Workforce Empowerment Act today!
 

This commonsense legislation will have a positive impact on every type of marine business and the U.S. economy. Send Congress a message now!
 

Boating United is the grassroots platform of the recreational boating industry. It is comprised of boating manufacturers, businesses and supporters who share the common goal of protecting and promoting the industry. Take action, learn about the issues and more at http://boatingunited.com/

BoatUS Applauds Legislators for Helping to Ensure

Taxes Paid by Boaters Will Fund Boating Programs

Reps. Cunningham, Graves introduce bipartisan Sport Fish Restoration and Recreational Boating Safety Act of 2019

The explosive growth of paddlesports including stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking and canoeing has local, state and federal governments working to ensure there's plenty of paddler access, including paddlecraft-only launches that make it easy to launch a kayak, increasing efforts to ensure paddler safety, and minimizing user conflicts with traditional boaters.

The question is, who pays for it?

Under a nearly seven-decade-old federal funding mechanism, the answer is recreational power, sail, and fishing boat owners. A newly introduced bipartisan bill, the Sport Fish Restoration and Recreational Boating Safety Act of 2019, aims to give the Government Accountability Office an opportunity to examine and report on the increasing use of non-motorized vessels and their impacts on recreational boat launches, and look at user conflicts and how funds are used to support non-motorized boating safety programs. It will also look at boat recycling, a concern for some waterfront communities.

The nation's advocacy, services and safety group for recreational boat owners, BoatUS, applauds bill authors Rep. Joe Cunningham (D-SC) and Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) for their sponsorship.

"Any way you can get on the water is a good thing," said BoatUS Manager of Government Affairs David Kennedy. "However, we can't ignore the continued, successful growth of paddling participation in America and the need to have equitable funding for access and safety programs. Our thanks to Reps. Cunningham and Graves for looking to better understand today's waterway user and ensure everyone is investing in their future."

Created in 1950, the Sport Fish Restoration Program follows a "user pays - public benefit" model of funding that uses excise taxes paid on boat motors, motorboat fuel and fishing equipment to fund boating access sites, fishery and conservation programs, as well as state and local boating safety and clean water programs. The newly-introduced bill will also extend the authorization of the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund to 2024.

About Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS):

Celebrating more than 50 years, BoatUS is the nation's largest organization of recreational boaters with more than a half-million members. We are the boat owners' voice on Capitol Hill and fight for their rights. We are The Boat Owners Auto Club and help ensure a roadside trailer breakdown doesn't end a boating or fishing trip before it begins. When boats break down on the water, TowBoatUS brings them safely back to the launch ramp or dock, 24/7. The BoatUS Marine Insurance Program offers policies that give boat owners affordable, specialized coverage and superior service they need. We help keep boaters safe and our waters clean with assistance from the nonprofit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water. Visit BoatUS.com.

Save the Date for the San Mateo County Marine Flare Pilot Collection Event!

Save the Date for the Alameda County Marine Flare Collection Event!

Construction Corner

Innovative Kayak Launch Design Delights New Blu Harbor Community

Blu Harbor Marina (Redwood City, CA)

Bellingham Marine recently designed, engineered, manufactured, and installed a 64-slip concrete floating dock system for the new Blu Harbor community in Redwood City, California.

The new marina, built on approximately 3 acres of open water, offers double-berth slips ranging from 35' to 40' long.  Perhaps the dock system's most noticeable feature is the 50' x 5' low-freeboard kayak launch.  The kayak launch is equipped with an ADA compliant transition plate and enclosed by an 8' zinc-coated chain-link security fence.

According to Ron Mock, Bellingham Marine's Senior Project Manager, "the new kayak launch was a very interesting concept.  It was designed to allow water access for every person in the Blu Harbor community without sacrificing the security concerns of boaters who rent slips at the marina."

The kayak launch is located at the base of an 80' ADA compliant gangway.  This is the marina's only point of access.  When asked about placing the kayak launch here, Eric Noegel, Bellingham Marine's Manager of Project Development said, "whenever you are working with limited space, square-footage is at a premium.  The dock design and layout are as important as the construction of the structure itself.  Innovative design concepts allow marinas to maximize useable space without sacrificing slip count."

The security fence is mounted directly to the concrete dock system and surrounds the entire kayak launch.  Boaters who wish to access the neighboring slips may do so by entering their unique code on the keyless entry lock.    

The Blu Harbor community, which includes over 400 apartments on 10 acres of land, wanted to provide recreational kayak access to everyone, not just avid boaters who have the financial means to own a boat and rent a slip.  Blu Harbor's "single point of access" design nurtures a sense of community that radiates throughout the entire marina.  In an industry that is often defined by exclusivity, the Blu Harbor Marina is a welcomed change from the status quo.     

"This dock design allows everyone in the community to feel a sense of connection to the marina.  People get excited about the possibility of going out on the water with their friends, even if they don't rent a slip.  They really feel included in the marina experience," said Bellingham Marine's Eric Noegel.

In addition to the 50' long kayak launch, the Blu Harbor community enjoys a pool, spa, fitness/cardio studios and outdoor showers.  The Blu Harbor Marina has become the premier destination for social boaters in Redwood City.

Trade Member Highlight

Meeco Sullivan LLC recently completed the installation of a new 802' long floating wave attenuator at the Odgen-Pineview Yacht Club in Eden, Utah.

The existing 120-slip OPYC marina was installed by Meeco twelve years ago, and was increasingly suffering from heavy northwesterly wings across an open 2 mile fetch as well as the growing onslaught from newer wakeboard and wake-surfing boats.

"The project was complicated by a number of factors," according to J. Mills, Meeco Sullivan Western Region Sales Manager. "First, Pineview Reservoir is located at nearly 5,000 feet elevation in the Utah mountains and freezes over in winter, and second, the Army Corp of Engineers, and other agencies wanted to limit the number of anchors for the attenuator. Our Meeco engineers really needed to sharpen their pencils to cut the number of anchors nearly in half while still maintaining the attenuators ability to mitigate a 4' wave."

The 10' wide, heavy-duty, galvanized steel frame dock sections were engineered and manufactured at the Meeco factory in McAlester, OK, and delivered in a preassembled condition with floatation, steel front panel attenuator, and partial composite decking attached to 44' frame sections. Meeco's crew assembled the sections in the water adjacent to the marina, installing the concrete slab attenuator panels and winch cable anchoring system before moving larger assembled sections into place outside the marina and dropping 27 concrete anchor blocks to secure the massive attenuator dock.

"In addition to the installation, our crew also worked with the marina staff to relocate the existing old floating-tire attenuator that was no longer doing the job. The project went very smoothly, despite some challenging rain and early snow, and we finished the installation a week ahead of schedule," said J. Mills. "We have built a number of these attenuators in similar conditions so I'm confident it will hold up in the coming winter and do exactly what it's designed to do next summer."

Meeco Sullivan designs, manufactures and installs several different wave attenuator systems specially engineered to handle a broad range of design and environmental concerns in both coastal and inland locations. For more information contact James "J" Mills, Meeco Sullivan LLC, Western Region Sales Manager, RME at jmills@meecosullivan.com or call (209) 452-2475.

CA-CSLB General Engineering Contractor License #1043598.

OPYC Wave Attenuator Installed in Place

Ogden - Pineview Yacht Club Attenuator Under Construction, Pineview, UT

Lucerne Valley Marina, Flaming Gorge, UT

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:

Commercial Global Insurance Services

Maritime Program Group

The Last Word

To all of our MRA Members and Future Members 

Last week's 48th Annual MRA Educational Conference & Trade Show that was held at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines was a huge success! Besides your Board of Directors who helped with the planning of the topics and speakers, there are many others that need to be recognized. Pat Bagan and Megan Timms did a wonderful job of keeping the registration desk running smoothly so that I could deal with the items that tend to slow the process down in a separate area.

Bryan Plante from Marina Harbor Anchorage worked alongside RJ Lorenzi to learn the ins and outs of the annual golf tournament to make it a smooth transition and a wonderful day of golf for those who played! RJ, thank you for your many years of handling the tournament! Bryan, I look forward to all of your new ideas for future tournaments!

Barbara Galgiani from LP Insurance Services has been coordinating the Marina Tour for several years now and has a perfect record of not losing one attendee on the route! All kidding aside, I always hear great things about how she runs the tour and without her leadership, it would be impossible to include it in our pre conference events!

One of the new things at this year's Conference was the move to our New Conference App. Leith Thomas from California Yacht Marina (and MRA board member) worked diligently with the App company in creating the App. Without his many hours of work, the App would not have been as good as it turned out. I will admit that I am not very tech saavy and had a hard time during the process of it being put together, but once it was up and running could see the benefit! Thank you Leith!

There are many more that play a part in this event and to those I may have missed, I truly appreciate everything you have done to make the conference a success!

There are items being planned including California Boating Congress which will take place in March 2020. Once the dates have been set, we will send out the announcement. We are also working on Regional Training Seminars for Winter and Spring 2020.

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.

As the association continues to grow, we will be welcoming our new members who join in each issue. If you know any of the new members listed in this issue, please welcome them aboard!

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,

Mariann Timms

Operations Administrator

Email:timms@marina.org 

From the Helm

Dear MRA Members and Friends;

As we head into October, we are on the doorstep of San Diego. I am so excited for this conference for a number of reasons. Foremost, I will get to spend time with many of you, which is the best part of the conference for me. In our busy and geographically separated lives, it is the one time during the year where we socialize, discuss the ups and downs of the industry, and learn new ownership/management ideas along the way. In addition, it is in one of the best parts of the State - San Diego. While I have come to love the Channel Islands Harbor, San Diego is San Diego! Lastly, it gives me a chance to get out of "the office" and relax - a little. I hope you are planning to attend. There is still time to register, and in my case try to improve my golf game.

Another facet about the annual conference is the changing of the guard on the Board. You probably do not know, but the MRA presidency changes hands immediately after the annual conference, and I will be handing the gavel to Scott Robertson during the Board meeting immediately following the close of the conference. As is the progression in the by-laws, I have served for two years as the vice president, whose primary duty is planning the annual conference, and two years as the president. There is a lot of work involved, but it has been very enjoyable. I know Scott will do a great job, and I am so ready to take a step backwards into my role as immediate past president. That is an active position, so I will definitely stay engaged.

One of the areas I want to focus on in the next two years is the Division of Boating and Waterways. We as an Association have for many years fought to protect the boating funds, which we as an industry generate, from raids for non-boating purposes. This fight dates back to Governor Wilson. Unfortunately, the funds are drying up, and it is imperative that the industry stay involved to protect the valuable programs these funds provide.

It has been a pleasure serving as your president, and I want to stress, as I have throughout my presidency, the membership in our Association has a role in keeping the MRA as a first-class organization. While we have a fantastic Board, with a wealth of knowledge and a diversity of experience, your input is invaluable. Never hesitate to let the Board know what education you want to see, what industry problems you are experiencing, or what governmental regulations or programs you are struggling with or benefitting from, and it is very possible your Marine Recreation Association can be of assistance.  

Finally, I want to thank the Board and Mariann Timms. It is a comfort as the President knowing that you have such a professional Board behind you, and nothing happens in this Association without the knowledge, dedication and hard work of Mariann, the glue that holds it all together.

As always, may you have great navigating into the future.

Mark

The Power of WE - Growing and Investing in our Most Valuable Resources . . .

Growth in the marine industry manifests itself not only through investing in properties, marketing, and enhanced business practices, but also through our investment of time, training, and capital in our people assets.

The MRA Conference & Trade Show has always focused on strategies for improving customer service and satisfaction by enhancing employee performance, and this year's 48th annual Conference will continue that important focus on employee development.

Brad Alesi, Chief Marketing Officer, Safe Harbor Marinas, will present a seminar session on Tuesday, October 22nd, at 2:15 PM, covering Safe Harbor Marinas' focus and active strategy for investing in their employees as a key component of their company's growth. The organization's innovative perspective on growth manifests itself in the belief that their people are their most valuable asset, and Brad will cover some of the key initiatives implemented to enhance a company culture that actively supports employee development, career advancement, and compensation growth for all employees.

Safe Harbor Marinas is both the world's largest owner and operator of marinas and an industry trailblazer in their approach to fundamental business practices, and this seminar will provide some thought-provoking insight into employee training, development, and motivation.

The 2019, 48th Annual MRA Educational Conference & Trade Show will run for three days (October 21 - 23) with more than thirty educational seminars and special presentations focused on meeting the new challenges and potential facing the industry today. Strategies for enhancing guest services and customer satisfaction, improving operations and regulatory compliance, and optimizing fiscal results, will be featured in Conference seminars, and an expansive Trade Show featuring more than fifty industry vendors and services will provide additional information focused on innovation, growth, and profitability . . . all taking place at the beautiful Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines Hotel Conference Center in sunny San Diego.

Register Today At

It's NOT too late! Register Now!

Support USMCA, Support American Boat Building

Congress is back to work and they have an opportunity to ensure free and fair trade in North America continues. Let's make sure they do just that. Tell Congress it's time to approve the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
 
The continued success of the recreational boating industry depends on our critical North American partnerships - 40% of annual U.S. boat and engine exports go to Canada and Mexico, and nearly 20% of U.S. boat and engine imports come from those two countries.
 
USMCA is good for boating because it:

• Maintains rules of origin for boats and engines;
• Reduces burdensome regulations;
• Protects intellectual property and extends copyright terms;
• Ensures long-term stability for business planning;
• And more.

You are the boating industry's best advocate. And with your help, we can get this vital trade deal across the finish line.
 
Contact your members of Congress today and tell them to support USMCA.

Boating United is the grassroots platform of the recreational boating industry. It is comprised of boating manufacturers, businesses and supporters who share the common goal of protecting and promoting the industry. Take action, learn about the issues and more at http://boatingunited.com/

Take the 2019 Annual Marina/Boatyard Industry Survey

Have you taken the Annual Marina Industry Trends Survey?

We want to know how 2019 was for your business. What were your occupancy rates, revenues, expenses, and did you have a profitable year? Please take a few minutes to contribute to these important industry statistics.
 

The results will appear in the MDA December 2019 and the January / February 2020 issues.

Save the Date for the San Mateo County Marine Flare Pilot Collection Event!

Construction Corner

New State of the Art Match-Cast Platform, Home of the USCG Hawksbill

United States Coast Guard Station, Monterey

The United States Coast Guard recently updated a portion of their floating dock system at USCG Station Monterey. The dock will serve as the home of the HAWKSBILL, an 87' patrol boat designed for search and rescue, law enforcement, and fisheries patrols, as well as drug interdiction, illegal alien interdiction duties and homeland security duties up to 200 miles off shore.

Bellingham Marine supplied and installed their state-of-the-art concrete floating dock system. The new dock, measuring over 100' in length, utilized match-cast, post-tensioned floating concrete technology.

Match-cast refers to the process of casting one float and then casting its neighbor utilizing the side of the adjacent float as a form. Low-profile shear keys are cast into the concrete. Much like Legos®, the keys interlock when the platform is assembled. These keys provide perfect alignment and tremendous torsional strength. The result is impressive: all gaps are closed tight and everything fits with precision. Once assembled, the match-cast platform is essentially a single structural unit.

Eric Noegel, Bellingham Marine Manager of Project Development, SW Division, said "For versatility, it's hard to beat match-cast technology. It is the foundation of Bellingham's modern floating platforms. These are the most technologically advanced floating structures you can build in terms of stability, strength and longevity".

One of the more unique aspects of this project was the need for a marine grade aluminum mammal barrier. The floating dock system at USCG Station, Monterey resides in Monterey Bay. This area is renowned for its abundant marine mammal wildlife including California Sea Lions, Harbor Seals and Elephant Seals. These animals, though a fun site for observing tourists, can be a considerable nuisance for dock owners. Sea Lions and seals are notorious for impeding operations and causing damage to floating infrastructure. Additionally, the Marine Mammal Protection Act only allows port captains and harbormasters to "safely deter marine mammals, as long as such acts of deterrence do not result in the injury or mortality of a marine mammal." As such, the 4' 2" tall aluminum barrier is a viable solution to reduce extreme loads of gathering mammals.

Trade Member Highlight

Scribble Software Releases New Cloud-Based Point-of-Sale Solution

Award Winning Marina Management Solution Provider Introduces New Cloud-Based POS Solution

ScribbleSoftwareInc. , a leading provider of business management solutions for the marina industry, announced the release of  MARINAGOOfficePoint-of-Sale(POS) , the next phase of the MARINAGO Office next-generation cloud-based management solution for the marina industry. As a cloud-based platform utilizing a SaaS model, MARINAGO Office Point-of-Sale leverages the latest cloud technology and user interface (UI) techniques revolutionizing marina and property management.

Decades of experience and thousands of customers using Scribble Software's solutions have provided the knowledge and experience necessary to envision future needs and requirements for the marina industry. This solid foundation in marina management operations has provided the necessary experience to expand the features and functionality of the MARINAGO Office Suite to include a state-of-the-art full featured point-of-sale solution.

The MARINAGO Office Suite is a multi-phase project designed to completely manage all aspects of marinas. The new release expands the feature set to include a cloud-based touch-screen friendly point-of-sale module for marina operations offering a ships store, fuel dock, gift shop or other retail related environment. An enterprise level approach was taken, meeting the needs of all size properties including the smallest family owned marina to the corporate conglomerate operating numerous locations. Each property can be individually managed and operated while remaining within the central corporate company entity. This allows the use of a centralized customer and vessel list within the company where individual customers and vessels may be linked and used at specific company-owned properties.

The MARINAGO Office Point-of-Sale fully embraces cloud-based technology by utilizing the Star cloudPRNT technology that allows the printing of sales receipts from anywhere and from any device. Scribble Software and Star Micronics worked closely together to fulfill the goal for the MARINAGO Office Point-of-Sale to produce fully cloud-based receipt printing technology.

"We have continued to develop and expand the functionality of the MARINAGO Office Suite to include a full-featured point-of-sale module and are excited to release it to our customers," says Vance Young, Director of Technology at Scribble Software. "The release of the MARINAGO Office Point-of-Sale exemplifies our core philosophy of providing comprehensive solutions for the marina industry."

"We are thrilled that Scribble Software has chosen Star for their new MARINAGO Office Point-of-Sale solution," says Christophe Naasz, Director of Business Development for Star Micronics. "Scribble has been a long-time partner of Star Micronics and they continue to provide innovative and modern solutions to solve all the needs of their customers. With our CloudPRNT technology and mC-Print3, we are confident that MARINAGO Office Point-of-Sale will help marinas to operate with more efficiency."

Key features of the MARINAGO Office Point-of-Sale include:

• 100% cloud-based
• Multiple property support
• Touchscreen user interface
• Highly configurable
• Bar code scanner support
• House account ticket charges
• Print and email receipts
• Print receipts from any device with Star cloudPRNT
• Auto opening cash drawer
• Customized payment methods
• Integrated PCI / EMV credit card processing
• Multi-currency support

804-427-8100

Golden Boat Lifts Appoints CFO/COO

Following an extensive search, Golden Boat Lifts has appointed Jeff Wagner as its Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operations Officer. Bill Golden, CEO and president, made the announcement.

Wagner brings nearly three decades of manufacturing operations and plant management expertise to Golden Boat Lifts. Most recently, he served as operations manager at Munters Corporation, a global leader in energy-efficient air treatment and climate solutions. Prior, he was the senior program manager at UK-based Cabham plc, one of the largest defense firms in the world. He has a bachelor's degree in business and economics from Lakeland University and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

"Jeff's broad and extensive experience will serve Golden Boat Lifts and our customers well," said Golden. "He has a proven track record in business and manufacturing process improvement and brings the leadership, analytical and financial skills that will keep us on a strong growth trajectory."

For over 30 years, Golden Boat Lifts has engineered and built a wide range of safe, reliable and easy-to-operate lifts for vessels up to 240,000 lbs. It is the only aluminum frame boat lift manufacturer to hold quality management system-centric ISO 9001:2015 accreditation.

Contact Golden Boat Lifts, 17611 East St, North Fort Myers, FL 33917. 888-909-5438 or 239-337-4141. sales@goldenboatlifts.com; www.goldenboatlifts.com.

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:

2Way Supply

Aecorel

Jabba Communications

Marina Electrical Equipment

Oceanmax

Pine Flat Lake Marina

The Last Word

To all of our MRA Members and Future Members 

September has come to an end and Fall is finally here! I hope to see you next month in San Diego for the

48th Annual MRA Educational Conference & Trade Show that will be held at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines on October 21 - 23, 2019. Imagine the possibilities and potential for your marine operations and business as the marine industry continues to evolve in today's rapidly changing world.

One of the new things at this year's Conference is the move to our New Conference App. The APP will replace the 200 plus page programs that have been used in the past saving almost 45,000 pages of printing, all the while providing functionality and opportunities that wouldn't otherwise be available both during and after the Conference. Build a personalized schedule, find exhibitors and sessions and other events with an interactive map, schedule meetings, view and download speaker presentations and exhibitor collateral, digital surveys, leads generation with QR scanning, direct messaging and more!

The three day Conference will focus on meeting the new challenges and potential facing the industry today. Strategies for enhancing guest services and customer satisfaction, improving operations and regulatory compliance, and optimizing fiscal results, will be featured in Conference seminars and roundtable discussions covering key marine industry management, operations, and marketing concerns. An extensive Trade Show exhibiting the latest technology, products, and services from industry vendors and contractors will provide additional information focused on innovation, growth, and profitability.

Information is available on our website at http://www.marina.org/2019conference/.

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.

As the association continues to grow, we will be welcoming our new members who join in each issue. If you know any of the new members listed in this issue, please welcome them aboard!

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,

Mariann Timms

Operations Administrator

Email: timms@marina.org

From the Helm

Dear MRA Members and Friends;

And then the summer is gone...... Labor Day will be celebrated this weekend, which is the "official" end of summer. Thankfully, in most areas of the State, September and October can be the best months on the waterfront. It is still very warm, but not scorching hot, and for those of us on the coast, we are not fighting the June gloom, which seemed to hang on until the end of July this year - at least at the Channel Islands Harbor. I know from personal experience that those inland resorts counting on family visits are slowly closing down now, and the end of the season is real. I hope you had a great (profitable) year. We should all relax a little, take advantage of great weather and the kids back in school, and reflect on how great it is to be in the marine industry.

Not much to report this month. The Board did not meet as we are all concentrating on our properties, and the elected officials take time off in the summer, so legislative activity slows as well. We have been tying up the loose ends for the conference. As a reminder, our 48th Annual Educational Conference and Trade Show is October 21-23 at the beautiful Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines Resort in San Diego.

I have always relished the social component of the conference, as we are able to socialize with our many friends in the industry that we see only once a year, but it is also important that we recognize the educational component of the conference. In today's labor market, there are thousands of intelligent young adults who are trying to figure out what they want to do for their career. I have always believed that we can shape quality employees by getting them interested in the industry and then teaching them about the industry and how to succeed in the industry. Our annual conference is a golden opportunity to let young employees see how exciting the marine industry is and what a great industry it is for a career. Take advantage of the experts who speak at the conference, and take advantage of the peer interaction to "sell" your young employees on a career in the industry, and motivate them to learn as much as they can and excel in the marine industry.