National Boating Industry Safety Awards Announced

The Sea Tow Foundation in cooperation with its North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council announced the winners of the National Boating Industry Safety Awards as part of the Marine Retailer’s Association of America’s virtual Dealer Week on December 10.

The awards were established in 2019 to recognize top boating safety programs and campaigns within the for-profit segment of the recreational marine industry. This year’s awards were sponsored by KICKER Marine Audio.

The Top Powerboat Manufacturer Award was presented to Sea Ray Boats. They successfully incorporated the COVID-19 pandemic into their safety messaging through multiple platforms including videos, photos, customer emails and social media posts.

The Top Marine Retailer with One to Three Locations was won by Bridge Marina, Inc. of Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey.  Bridge Marina, Inc. is a small company with limited resources, but they created a multi-faceted safety program specific to the area and type of boat people are using.

The Top Marine Retailer with More Than Three Locations was awarded to MarineMax. They showcased a plan for providing boating safety education and they were able to adapt their plan to the constraints imposed by the COVID-19 Pandemic with virtual classes.

The Top Marine Media Outlet Award was won by Rapid Media which focuses on the human-powered/paddling market. Their entry featured a mix of digital ads, pre-roll, video, e-blasts, newsletters, and contests to promote their boating safety messaging to the paddling community.

The Top Marine Marketing and Outreach Award was presented to Freedom Boat Club that delivered clear, concise and consistent safety messaging and programming to a well-defined and highly targeted audience.

The Top Gear & Equipment Manufacturer Award had the highest scoring submission of all the awards this year and it went to FELL Marine, who provided demonstrations on their website to educate customers on how to install and use a wireless man-overboard device.

For more information about the North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council and to see a video of the National Boating Industry Safety Awards presentation from Dealer Week,  visit www.boatingsafety.com/awards.