NC Boating Issues Receiving National Media Attention

North Carolina is receiving quite a bit of media space in national trades and boating magazines lately. This is likely to continue as more marine industry companies make announcements about relocating to the state.

Hurricane Article
The May issue of BoatU.S. magazine contained an article on readiness for the 2006 hurricane season entitled "Time to Get Ready for Alberto, Beryl and Chris". Besides providing a list of all of the 2006 names, it offers a number of suggestions from our NC Hurricane Plan and examples and comments on contingency planning, readiness, and resources to help you. It also mentions the growing problems of condo and dockominium developments replacing boat hurricane haulout facilities and hurricane hole opportunities. You can read the entire article at this website: http://www.boatus.com/news/hurricanes_0506.htm

Boating Access Issues
The June issue of Soundings Trade Only has a six-page article by Beth Rosenberg titled "Access Denied" where marine industry representatives in several states including North Carolina, Florida, the Great Lake states and California are interviewed on the issue of waterfront development and how it may be undermining "the industry efforts promoting the boating lifestyle." The article addresses trailered boats, mooring buoys, dry docks, transient slips, safe harbors, floating docks, restrooms and pumpout stations, but doesn't cover the loss of fueling locations - an issue where we have some concern. Below is a section of the NC quotes.

"The state's Department of Transportation and Wildlife Resources Commission officials are looking into providing parking for trailered boats under the state's many bridges. "We have hundreds of bridges over waterways," Bradley said. "We could double or triple the number of ramps as we refurbish these bridges. I really think we're taking a very proactive approach on the trailerable type boat. This has more promise than anything." The idea is in the early stages, Bradley said, but it is in serious discussion. The state also provides a Web site - NCWaterways.com - that has a list of all working marinas where "John Q. Public transient boater can go," he said. Bradley said the issue of maintaining public access is only recently starting to get more attention from county and state lawmakers. "We've had shouts and screams, but until businesses start to close and people start losing access there really isn't very much anyone can do because it's not a driving force," he said. Typically, those in the marine industry have done a poor job in educating county commissioners of the importance of their decisions regarding rezoning waterfront from commercial to residential, he said."

The full article is available at the Sounding's website at www.tradeonlytoday.com. Click on Print Magazine Archives for the June 2006 issue and click on the Access denied … article.

Motor (Boat) City, USA
The June issue of Soundings Trade Only has an informative five-page article entitled "Motor (Boat) City, USA" which describes the strengths and attractiveness of NC locations for relocating marine businesses. Ok, so I left out Tennessee, which was also the focus of the article, but a quote in the article supports my rationale:

"…increasing competition in Tennessee would likely drive up production costs, making North Carolina more attractive. The work ethic in both states is great … but because North Carolina has lost so many textile and furniture building jobs, there is opportunity to tap more workers."

The article interviews Scott Deal, president of Cobia Boats which just started production in Marion, NC, and Sarasota-based Ameritex Technologies' Don Zirkelbach who has just opened a canvas accessories and windshields plant outside of Hickory. Both company presidents provide strong support and rationale for their moves to North Carolina.

The full article is available at the Sounding's website www.tradeonlytoday.com. Search the June issue as described above or click here Motor(boat) City, USA.

Southport Marina Issue in Association of Marina Industries E-newsletter
The national AMI NewsWatch for the week ending on June 2, 2006 (www.marinaassociation.org) carried an article on the Southport Marina controversy as follows:

"SOUTHPORT, NC -- Rep. Bonner Stiller thinks Southport Marina should belong to the city, and he's introduced legislation trying to make that happen. "There's nobody more proper to own it than Southport," Stiller said Friday afternoon. Stiller introduced House Bill 2659 last Thursday. The proposed legislation seeks to compel the N.C. State Ports Authority to sell Southport the marina for a mere $150,000. For more: http://www.stateportpilot.com/stories/marina-0531.htm

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