Often people tell me they would like to be more engaged with the boating industry and ask how to get started. If you have wondered that, I invite you to dive in by helping us tackle our highest priority.

To ensure we have clarity on our industry’s highest priority, for the last two years, as Chair of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), I have spoken to each of our directors about what’s most important and the direction has been clear. We need to stay laser focused on political advocacy.

To help us achieve our highest priority – political advocacy – the recreational boating industry is fortunate to have BoatPAC, Boating United, and the American Boating Congress (ABC) as three distinct and impactful platforms that allow us all to engage our elected leaders.

Our industry has a strong voice in Washington and around the country because of tireless work undertaken to expand our reach in the halls of Congress and State Capitols. The intersection of public policy and our dynamic political landscape provides a critical connection point for the NMMA, Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA), and Association of Marina Industries (AMI) who are working to promote our industry and promote our interests.

These three organizations partner with BoatPAC, Boating United and ABC to unite marine manufacturers, boat retailers and marinas, creating a collective industry voice. BoatPAC supports the advocacy agenda of the marine industry and specializes in building meaningful relationships with influential lawmakers, educating policymakers on the importance of the industry, and cultivating trust with decision makers at the highest levels.

As our industry’s official political action committee, BoatPAC is a critical resource that gives our industry the power to amplify our message to lawmakers, demonstrate support to those who have stood with us on our biggest issues, and ensure we have capacity to expand and deepen our bipartisan relationships.

BoatPAC enjoys a successful track record of helping our industry’s Congressional champions remain in Congress. Ninety-four percent of Members of Congress supported by BoatPAC win their reelection campaigns—a demonstration of both the power of BoatPAC and the progress our industry has made in elevating our concerns as winning issues.

Next year will be another pivotal year politically. With both a new Congress and a new President our industry will have a big “to do” list, from addressing the expiring tax cuts to managing several significant business threats that government can influence, positively or negatively. Additionally, there are emerging opportunities to showcase our industry and its commitment to jobs, infrastructure, innovation, sustainability, and conservation before our newly elected leaders. As an impactful industry sector that creates meaningful memories for the millions of Americans who take to the water each year, we have a unique story to tell as an American-made industry with a $230 billion economic impact supporting more than 812,000 jobs across the U.S. BoatPAC can help us with these issues and opportunities.

If you are an NMMA, MRAA, or AMI member, please consider visiting this site to take the first step in learning about BoatPAC. It’s the entry point to begin a more formal dialogue about the PAC.

Additionally, Boating United is a digital platform where boating stakeholders work together responding to and shaping policies that impact recreational boating, angling, and outdoor recreation. This community provides a first response to some of our biggest issues – such as the misguided and ill-conceived vessel speed rule proposed for the Atlantic Seaboard. Moreover, Boating United is a trusted grassroots communications tool that enables our industry to signal its support for legislation so that elected leaders know exactly where we stand.

No legislative win is easy, and every hard-fought gain is earned after many years of steady progress. Each one of you has a unique story to tell about how the decisions made in Washington D.C. impact your businesses. Through Boating United and BoatPAC as engagement tools for the marine industry, everyone has opportunities to keep engaged and can include politics and public policy as part of their business strategy.

I encourage everyone to take the first step to sign up using the BoatPAC – Prior Approval Form – Boating United and also visit BoatingUnited.org to determine how you can help advocate for your business before government and promote a pro-boating legislative agenda. I’ll have more to share on the American Boating Congress in early 2025. In the meantime, please join me in learning more about BoatPAC at the link above and visiting BoatingUnited.org so together, we can make a difference in protecting boating for generations to come!

Bill Yeargin is CEO of Correct Craft and Chair of the National Marine Manufacturers Association.