Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 4


INSIGHT

The Revolution Started Without Me
WE'VE WRITTEN ABOUT it often
enough and we have had all kinds of discussions amongst ourselves about bringing new people into boating.
Over the last few years, we have been
busy writing articles about the decline in
importance of the "baby boom generation" and the challenge of attracting new
people into boating, but it seems like the
revolution has already started.
The largely Anglo-Saxon baby
boomer population who grew up on the
coasts or at summertime camps and cottages on Québec and Ontario lakes, is a
diminishing factor for many companies
when they look at their marketing mix.
Valiant and professionally handled
efforts through the NMMA's Discover
Boating program have used summertime public events as well
as the winter season boat shows to reach out to (largely nonboating) ethnic and cultural groups, so perhaps that is part of
what's working.
Most likely, it's a factor of everything together but this year in
particular, we felt that we were seeing more and more nonAnglo-Saxon types at marinas, yacht clubs and out on the water.
Early on in the season, Canadian Yachting magazine's Greg
Nicoll and John Armstrong had joined me in Port Severn to do
one of our "tongue-in-cheek" Galley Guys articles.
While we were doing our photography and interviewing
Anna and Mario Ribeiro, the owners of lovely Rawley Resort
and Spa, a large late model express cruiser pulled into their
marina docks. The people on board tied the boat up and sat
down at one of the groupings of Muskoka chairs out on the
lawn to order a round of drinks.
To us, it was a remarkable sight because one of the people
was wearing a blue turban. Hoping to be both polite and tactful, Galley Guy Greg approached the group and struck up a
conversation. In fact the gentleman in the turban was very nice
about the whole thing, but he saw nothing unusual about
being out boating and neither did his friends. We didn't discuss the turban.

Whatever their ethnic or cultural background, people who
are living in Canada will eventually be exposed to a beautiful
day out boating on the water, even if they are just onlookers.
The summer weather has been remarkable and even
record-breaking in many areas with hot sunny days for literally weeks on end. Gravitating to the water is a natural thing
for almost everyone.
So, we feel positive about new people being attracted to
boating this past summer but take a minute to read the story
on page 20 about the Rail Yard Wake Park in Mount Albert,
Ontario.
This is an impressive, affordable and accessible way for
young people to learn how to wakeboard. We really support
the idea of wake parks to bring more young people (of any ethnic or cultural background) into wakeboarding and we feel
sure some young riders will wind up with a boat in the family.
So, I feel that we are seeing the revolution starting and as an
industry, we should support and encourage it. Now, we have the
"off-season" coming when we can gear up for new initiatives for
2017 and the boat show season is a great starting point.
Andy Adams - Editor

To read the digital version of Boating Industry Canada anytime visit www.BoatingIndustry.ca and click on Digital Magazine in the menu bar.

4

Boating Industry Canada

OCTOBER 2016


http://www.BoatingIndustry.ca

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Boating Industry Canada October 2016

IMPACT: CHARLIE BULMER
MARKETING: RAIL YARD WAKE PARK
MADE IN CANADA: TOMCAT BOATS
INSIGHT
INDUSTRY NEWS
AD NAUSEAM
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - Cover1
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - Cover2
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 3
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - INSIGHT
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 5
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - INDUSTRY NEWS
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 7
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 8
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 9
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 10
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 11
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 12
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 13
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - IMPACT: CHARLIE BULMER
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 15
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 16
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 17
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 18
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 19
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - MARKETING: RAIL YARD WAKE PARK
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 21
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 22
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 23
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 24
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 25
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - MADE IN CANADA: TOMCAT BOATS
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 27
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - AD NAUSEAM
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 29
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - 30
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - Cover3
Boating Industry Canada October 2016 - Cover4
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