If your marina or boatyard provides boating services to the general boating public and you have not verified your business information appearing in the map, do so now by calling (910) 962-3351. This NC boating guide and coastal road map - 200,000 printed annually - is highly regarded and nationally promoted. It is free to the public and a marketing tool that you should use for your coastal business.

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Back to chill the hearts of NC builders - especially custom sportfishing builders and boat dealers - is the potential elimination of the sales tax cap on new boats. This cap currently helps keep our builders competitive with builders in other states. It also provides boat-buying incentive to many of the state’s 350,000 boat owners who spend over $450 million annually, supporting the 20,000+ marine sector jobs across the state. The Governor’s Commission to Modernize State Finances is addressing many new tax proposals. According to Jim Bell, president of the NC Manufacturing Association, “there are a number of troubling recommendations that, if enacted into law, would be detrimental to our manufacturing members.” Of new concern to the general marine sector, are proposals to expand the tax base to include services. North Carolina has a very competitive position related to boating services, repair, and boat restoration and efforts that may tax these services are of concern industry wide.

If your marina has above ground fuel storage tanks of 1320 gallons or more, the following information applies to you. Unless your facility already meets the below requirements, you are now required by EPA to amend and implement your existing Spill Prevention and Countermeasure Control (SPCC) Plan, by AUGUST 18, 2003. The EPA requires that a Registered Professional Engineer certify the amended SPCC Plan by FEBRUARY 17, 2003.

The NC MarineEXPO will return November 9-11 of 2003 as a North Carolina event - focusing on the marina and boat building needs of state businesses. Despite bringing in well-known industry leaders to conduct important and informative seminars, attendance has steadily dropped off since the show turned into the Southeastern Trade Show and Conference in conjunction with SC and VA marine trade groups. By bringing the show back to North Carolina and shifting the focus to issues of importance to NC businesses, we plan to re-establish seminars and trade networking that better benefit our Industry.

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Grady-White’s president, Kris Carroll, was awarded the Darlene Briggs Woman of the Year Award at the Marine Retailers Association of America (MRAA) annual meeting. Kris began at Grady-White in 1968 and became the first woman president in 1995.

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A group of marine business owners have agreed to take on the 10 year-old North Carolina Marine Trade Association (NCMTA) and manage it as a true trade association. A meeting was recently held in New Bern and plans are beginning to take shape to make NCMTA a private non-profit membership organization. Preliminary plans are for the trade association to be open to all coastal and inland marine businesses, with area leaders covering the northern and southern coasts and the northern and southern lakes. Regional meetings would be held on a regular basis, and one annual statewide meeting would be held in conjunction with the annual NC MarineEXPO. NCMTA would take over management of MarineEXPO, alternating yearly between the lake and coastal region for the show location.

A decision was made earlier this year to phase-out the NC Marine Trade Association as a branch of Marine Trades Services (MTS). As a state agency, MTS does not have the ability to lobby for the marine industry, and could not actually offer members any service that could not be provided to a non-member. MTS staff will continue to act as consultants to the new NCMTA, providing regulatory updates, assisting with MarineEXPO and other meetings, and working with NCMTA leaders as needed by the association.