Sail America Launches New Grow Boating Funding Model

Since the launch of the national Discover Boating campaign, Sail America has supported this all-industry marketing program which has actively promoted the boating lifestyle to a targeted mass market and worked to improve customer satisfaction levels through dealer certification efforts.

In an effort to maintain a strong presence in the campaign, Sail America’s Board of Directors recently approved a revised funding model that goes into effect July 1, 2007. Precipitating this move is the fact that the majority of the budget for the Grow Boating Initiative is collected from boat and engine manufacturers and their dealers through an engine assessment. Although Sail America and its members have long endorsed and supported the Grow Boating Initiative, the current engine assessment contributed by sailboat builders is significantly less than what the contribution should be.
According to Sail America President Bill Bolin, “All of our members greatly benefit from Grow Boating’s marketing activities.  This new assessment model will ensure that we not only continue to reap the rewards from their initiatives, but actually increase the strength and representation that the sailing industry has within the Grow Boating organization. Our goal, as the sailing industry, is to increase our contribution to a level that represents our fair share of the market.”

Details of the revised assessment were fully communicated in a letter mailed to Sail America members on May 30, 2007. Sail America Executive Director Jonathan Banks explained that “Sail America remains committed to its mission to promote the health and growth of sailing. To be most effective, we must strategically align ourselves with winning initiatives like Grow Boating, which will dramatically improve the outlook for our industry. The revised sailboat engine assessment is the first of many steps that will enable us to achieve our mission. Through the sailing industry’s support of the Grow Boating initiative, we will create a stronger and healthier market for SAILING.”

Go Back