Boat show season has drawn to a close. The phones have begun ringing with customers anxious to get their boats launched. So begins yet another season of fun on the water. I know we will all be busy during the next several months but the officers and directors of your association will continue to serve your needs as they arise.

The planning continues for the boat show committee. They have another sold-out show to put the finishing touches on. The show will be ready and rarin’ to go when September rolls around.

Our new directory will be in your hands very shortly. I am pleased to report an ever-increasing number of marine industry firms have joined our ranks during the past year.

Education has been a prime focus of yournboard’s attention so far this year as we continue to work on bringing the the top ranked manufacturer’s service schools to the area. We hope to have some word on that exciting program by mid-summer. Our Executive director, Ray Gaffey, and our Past President, Ed Lofgren, have been working on a program to begin this fall at Massasoit Community College for the training of prospective boat yard employees.

How has your firm been doing with the Marine Certification program? The Mass. Marine Trades Association has held several all-day sessions around the state resulting in over one hundred of our employees being trained in the Code of Conduct and Hassle-free Boating courses. These courses were taught by “professor” Ray Gaffey. Don’t worry if you missed the chance to participate; we have planned another round for this fall.

Our counsel, John Spillane, has been hard at work reading all the various marine-related bills that have been filed with this year’s session of the state legislature. He keeps our legislative committee informed on what’s happening “up on the Hill”.

The Massachusetts Marine Trades Association has been successful in getting a clarification from the Division of Lay Enforcement on when, where and how we can use our dealer numbers on the boats we test run and on the boats we take to shows for demonstration purposes. This clarification should be followed by all our members so that we can continue to be in compliance with the rules and policies of the Division.

Plans are beginning to take shape for our annual meeting which seems like a long way off in November, but time flies and we are lining up some exciting dynamic speakers for the event. We are also narrowing down the location, which most likely will be the sandy shores of Cape Cod at the newly renovated Cape Codder Resort in Hyannis. We will have more details as the time draws closer.