7 Things That Might Surprise You About the Boating Industry
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1. Passing the Test
After boats are made, many go through a rigorous process of testing. At Aviara, for example, this process is done in the water. According to Rob Nye, their Director of Sales & Marketing, “Every Aviara, regardless of size, is sea trialed on the open water by a two-man crew. The entire boat is inspected, and all systems are tested, including the engines, electrical, water systems, and all other components. A thorough checklist is complete, and all test data is recorded. The only thing missing for the test team is the food and drinks.”
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2. Transporting Large-Scale Vessels
Question: How do you get a yacht on a ship?
Answer: Very carefully! Transporting vessels of all types takes a lot of patience, dexterity, and careful planning. Since Galeon Yachts transports many of their yachts across seas from Gdansk, Poland, they’ve shared a fascinating video showing how it’s done.
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3. Timeframe to Build a Superyacht
As with any boat, when building a superyacht, the time can fluctuate due to many factors, such as size, customized requests, availably of materials, laborers, and other factors as well. For example, 11.11, a customized 207-foot superyacht from Benetti, took up to 10 months to build. MarineMax offers plenty of ways to customize your own Benetti or just about any other yacht or boat. Learn more about custom ordering your vessel in this episode of Boating Tips LIVE.
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4. From Scrap to Power
Have you ever thought that a simple soda can may be transformed into something as powerful as an engine? Believe it or not, engine blocks at Mercury Castings, a division of Mercury Marine, start as scraps from recycled aluminum byproducts of the machining process. These scraps are melted and formed into engine blocks—which eventually powers many high-end vessels at MarineMax, such as the 2022 Boston Whaler 405 Conquest.
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5. MarineMax Operations
MarineMax Team Support, headquartered in Clearwater, FL, along with over 100 locations worldwide, keeps everything at MarineMax afloat by staying on top of communications and strictly abiding by our mission statement, which is to “provide the world's best pleasure boating experience by consistently exceeding the greatest expectations of our customers, our team members, and our shareholders.” In addition to selling and servicing boats, many may not realize that MarineMax offers vacations, Getaways!®, classes, financing and insurance, storage, boating podcasts, and much more! -
6. Boat Thefts
According to a report conducted by the National Insurance Crime Bureau, 4,240 boats were stolen in the United States in 2019. No need to panic—there are plenty of ways of preventing thefts, such as simply locking your watercraft to a dock with a steel cable. More advanced methods of theft prevention are also available, such as boat security systems, GPS tracking, and even a Theft Deterrent System (TDS) that can immobilize an engine. Want to know more about boat theft prevention systems? Your local MarineMax store representatives are here to help–complete this form and we’ll be in touch to answer your questions!
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7. Boat Towing Services
Are you stuck somewhere without a paddle or another boater in sight to help? Displaying the ole' S.O.S. sign may not be necessary since there are now boat towing services that can come to the rescue. Companies such as TowBoatUS and Sea Tow can certainly help if you are in a bind. Your insurance company may offer boat towing services on the water as well. Did you know MarineMax offers insurance too? You can learn more about boat towing in the following MarineMax From the Helm Broadcast.
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