PROGRESSIONS & JOB POSTS…

JIM BOHART, FORMER HUNTER MARINE SALES EXEC, MOURNED

Jim Bohart, a marine industry veteran of nearly 30 years, died July 13 at the age of 57.

In 1991, Bohart joined Hunter Marine as regional sales manager, and at one time or another he covered the entire United States and Canada. In 2000 he moved to Marina del Rey, Calif., to work for one of the local dealers. He later joined and was instrumental in the rebuilding of Sailboats Inc.

Under his leadership Sailboats Inc. grew into one of the top dealers for Beneteau USA, receiving the ‘Top Gun’ Award and the ‘President’s Award.’ During his career, Bohart sailed all over the world to evangelize and grow sailboat ownership and loyalty.

In 2010 Bohart returned to the Gainesville, Fla., area, where he briefly rejoined Hunter Marine.

JOHNSON SAILS STORE CHANGES NAME

Johnson Sails Inc., better known as JSI, is rebranding its retail store with the name Island Nautical, while welcoming aboard new store manager Tim Stodola, formerly sales manager at Doyle Ploch Sailmakers.

“The renaming of the store comes with hope of attracting new boaters unfamiliar with the JSI name,” the St. Petersburg, Fla.-based company said in a statement. “Traditionally catering to the local sailboat industry and sailboat owners, Island Nautical will offer services and equipment for powerboaters as well. The manufacturing side of the business will retain the JSI name.”

Island Nautical marked the name change July 23 with a grand opening and open house.

ISLAND PACKET EXPANDS INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE

Scandinavia, Australia and Korea are new markets for Island Packet Yachts of Largo, FL, with new representatives recently named.

In Scandinavia, DBC Marine of Charlottenlund, Denmark, together with its affiliate dealer network in Norway, Sweden and Finland, are now authorized Island Packet distributors. Antill Marine in Newport, New South Wales now represents the Australian market, while HBS Yachts in Busan will introduce the Island Packet line in the Republic of Korea.

FIRST AMERICA’S CUP LEGACY PROGRAM AND SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY PARTNER ANNOUNCED

With the first event on the journey to the 2013 America’s Cup already underway, so too begins the Cup’s sustainability journey, a key component of the 34th America’s Cup legacy program. The America’s Cup Event Authority (ACEA) is partnering with global and local ocean conservation efforts to reach people globally who share an affinity for the world’s oceans, with the goal to motivate them to action.

Sailors for the Sea is the first partner named in this initiative in cooperation with its Clean Regattas program.

“Sailors have the responsibility to ensure that our sailing grounds remain protected for future generations to enjoy. And as we are delivering the most prestigious sailing regatta in the world, we believe that we have an even greater responsibility,” said ACEA, Director of Sustainability Neill Duffy. “We believe that our partnership with Sailors for the Sea will demonstrate our commitment to delivering the 34th America’s Cup as an event with a positive social purpose.”

Sailors for the Sea Clean Regattas certification provides independent, third-party verification that a yacht club, sailing program, or regatta is environmentally responsible, and is doing its utmost to protect the waters upon which people sail.

"Sailors for the Sea is proud to work with the America's Cup Event Authority to implement our Clean Regattas program that supports a clean and healthy ocean ecosystem, while reducing the environmental footprint of the America's Cup World Series, the Louis Vuitton Cup and America’s Cup Finals," said Sailors for the Sea CEO Daniel Pingaro.

THE NATIONAL SAILING CENTER & HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES INDUCTEES

The National Sailing Center & Hall of Fame (NSHOF) has announced the 15 sailors who will make up the historic first-ever class of inductees into the National Sailing Hall of Fame. Over a two-month period this spring, sailors from all corners of the nominated their choice for induction into the sport's Hall of Fame.

Inductees are American citizens, 45 years of age and up, who have made significant impact on the growth and development of the sport in the U.S. in categories of Sailing, Technical and Contributor. This historic first group of inductees will be honored on October 23, 2011, during an invitation-only ceremony scheduled to take place at San Diego Yacht Club in California.

The 2011 National Sailing Hall of Fame Inductees
(alphabetical list):

Betsy Alison (Newport, R.I.)
Hobie Alter (Laguna Beach, Calif.)
Capt. Charles "Charlie" Barr (Marblehead, Mass.)
Paul Cayard (Kentfield, Calif.)
Dennis Conner (San Diego, Calif.)
Capt. Nathanael G. Herreshoff (Bristol, R.I.)
Ted Hood (Portsmouth, R.I.)
Gary Jobson (Annapolis, Md.)
Buddy Melges (Zenda, Wisc.)
Emil "Bus" Mosbacher, Jr. (Greenwich, Conn.)
Lowell North (San Diego, Calif.)
Ted Turner (Atlanta, Ga.)
Joshua Slocum (San Francisco, Calif.)
Olin Stephens (Hanover, N.H.)
Harold S. Vanderbilt (New York, N.Y.).

For more details on the individual accomplishments of the 2011 Inductees, please visit www.nshof.org.

Morris Yachts Names Will Ratcliff as Director of Service Operations

Morris Yachts announced the hiring of Will Ratcliff as the company’s first director of service operations. The position is responsible for ensuring maximum efficiency in the company’s service operations.

“Will’s contribution to Morris Yachts over the years has been significant. As general manager for the past five years his strong leadership has kept the company aligned and forging ahead, even through the recent global economic troubles,” company president Cuyler Morris said in a statement.

Ratcliff started working for Morris Yachts in 1988. Prior to his role as general manager he worked in production roles in the company’s manufacturing facilities, where he held positions such as production manager, service manager and head of systems and deck hardware.

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