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[[Image:boatus_4x4_logo.jpg
TYPE Association
FOUNDED 1966
MEMBERSHIP over 650,000
HEADQUARTERS Alexandria, VA
WEBSITE www.boatus.com|30px]]

BoatU.S.

The Boat Owners Association of The United States, better known as BoatU.S., is often described as a sort of AAA for boats [1] due to its membership-based recreational boat and trailer towing activities. However, this American association also sells boat insurance and boat loans, provides its members with discounts on boating-related products and services, provides mediation services with manufacture’s and dealers, maintains a recall alert registry, and acts as a lobbying organization on behalf of boat owners [2]. BoatU.S., based in Alexandria, Virginia, calls itself “the nation’s largest recreational boating association,” with over 650,000 members [3]. BoatU.S. also gave rise to the organization that would be eventually called the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that promotes safe boating and environmentally responsible boating practices. There is also BoatU.S. ANGLER, a version of BoatU.S. with benefits tailored for fishermen.

Key Milestones

• 1964: BoatU.S. founder (and current Chairman) Richard Schwartz registers the “BoatU.S.” and “Boat Owners Association of The United States” names in Washington, D.C. [4]
• 1966: BoatU.S. officially begins accepting members. Membership totals 1,000 [5].
• 1967: Schwarz testifies before Congress in an attempt to make manufacturers of recreational boats more responsible for boat safety [6]. This set the stage for the passage of The Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971, which “[gave] the Coast Guard authority to set uniform safety standards for recreational boats.” [7]
• 1970: The BoatU.S. Consumer Protection Bureau, a dispute resolution arm of BoatU.S. was begun to help members settle individual disputes with retailers and/or manufacturers [8].
• 1977: First BoatU.S. retail store opens in Alexandria, Virginia. Membership reaches 30,000 [9].
• 1979: Schwartz appointed to the National Boating Safety Advisory Council by the U.S. Coast Guard Commandant [10].
• 1980: BoatU.S. hires its first Director of Government and Public Affairs to lobby Congress on behalf of recreational boaters [11].
• 1981: BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety forms.
• 1982: Membership reaches 100,000 [12].
• 1983: BoatU.S. Travel established to provide travel and boat charter services. BoatU.S. [13]
• 1983: First BoatU.S. Catastrophe Team established to “assist Members in [insurance-related] post-hurricane recovery efforts.” [14]
• 1983: Seaworthy newsletter created to help boat owners avoid boat accidents, boat damage, and boat-related personal injury [15].
• 1983: BoatU.S. Foundation Courseline established to provide “a single, toll-free source for the public to learn about boating safety courses.” [16]
• 1986: Membership reaches 200,000 [17].
• 1988: BoatU.S. Foundation begins its Grassroots Grants program, which gives funds to local boating safety organizations [18].
• 1989: Membership reaches 300,000 [19].
• 1991: Membership reaches 400,000 [20].
• 1991: Trademarks the BoatU.S. Towing Division as TowBoatUS [21].
• 1992: BoatU.S. Foundation completes a 2 ½ year study of inflatable life jackets, leading to the U.S. Coast Guard approving their use [22].
• 1994: BoatU.S. Towing institutes the country’s first 24-hour toll-free service. The service instituted unique technology that located the nearest towboat and teleconferencing boater and towboat [23].
• 1994: BoatU.S. Clean Water Trust established to educate boaters on how to prevent marine pollution [24].
• 1994: BoatU.S. Foundation conducts a study on the causes of nighttime boating fatalities [25].
• 1995: Membership reaches 500,000 [26].
• 1995: BoatU.S. Foundation establishes a safety program that rents Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) to boaters going offshore [27].
• 1996: The full-color BoatU.S. Magazine replaces the BoatU.S. Reports newsletter, becoming the country’s highest-circulation boating periodical [28].
• 1996: BoatU.S. Foundation develops a free online boating safety course approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) [29].
• 1997: BoatU.S. Foundation institutes the Life Jacket Loaner Program for Kids, a program that loans child-sized life jackets to children [30].
• 1998: The Trailer Assist & Towing program provides roadside assistance to boaters trailering their boats [31].
• 1999: BoatU.S. Foundation institutes the Sportsmen’s Forum, an initiative to promote safe boating practices among hunters and anglers who use boats as part of their sport [32].
• 1999: The BoatUS.com online store goes live [33].
• 2000: Association becomes the second-largest employer in Alexandria, with over 500 employees [34].
• 2000: BoatU.S. Clean WaterTrust joins with the BoatU.S. Foundation to become the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water [35].
• 2003: Membership reaches 638,000 [36].
• 2003: Boating supply and fishing retailer West Marine acquires Boat U.S.’s product division [37].
• 2003: BoatU.S. Foundation receives NASBLA’s Public Service Award for its Life Jacket Loaner Program for Kids program [38].
• 2003: BoatU.S. purchases Vessel Assist, a boat-towing rival on the Pacific coast [39].
• 2004: my.BoatUS.com member-only Web site personalizes local weather, tides, and buoy information [40].
• 2004: BoatU.S. Foundation launches the National Clean Fueling Campaign to educate boaters on ways to reduce fuel spills when refueling at the dock [41].
• 2004: BoatU.S. Foundation launches a Web-based learning tool for safety and environmental issues called “Boater’s Toolbox.”[42]
• 2005: BoatU.S. Foundation’s online tutorial on Digital Selective Calling, a new way for recreational boaters in distress to call for assistance on the water [43].
• 2006: BoatU.S. Foundation and the Personal Flotation Device Manufacturers Association sponsor a competition to design a better lifejacket [44].
• 2007: An interactive benefits module is launched, enabling members to customize their online experience, thus providing benefits tailored to the type of boat they own, their preferred on-the-water activities, and their geographic region.
• 2007: BoatU.S. ANGLER program launched, to provide BoatU.S. benefits geared to fishermen [45].
• 2007: BoatU.S. Foundation wins Motor Boating magazine’s “Best of the Year Award” for the EPIRB Rental Program [46].
• 2008: The BoatU.S. Facebook page launches [47].

Leadership Positions

• American Boat & Yacht Council
• American League of Anglers & Boaters
• Association for Rescue at Sea
• Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association
• Boating Writers International
• International Association of Marine Investigators
• National Association of State Boating Law Administrators
• National Fire Protection Association
• National Safe Boating Council
• National Sea Scouting Committee
• National Women’s Sailing Association
• NOAA Hydrographic Services Review Panel
• Recreational Boaters of California
• Society of National Association Publications
• Sportfishing and Boating Partnership Council
• The Recreation Roundtable
• U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Association
• U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Advisory Council
• U.S. Coast Guard Task Force on Global Maritime Distress and Safety System
• National Safe Boating Council: Patron Member and sponsor of the Boating Safety Youth Award [48]
• National Boating Safety Advisory Council: Vice President, Government Affairs Margaret Podlich is a member of this Federal Advisory Committee [49]
• U.S. Coast Guard Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety: Grants given to BoatU.S. Foundation [50]
• Berkshire Hathaway Inc: A minority of the BoatU.S. Board is employed by Boat America Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company that provides services to BoatU.S. [51]

See also

• National Safe Boating Council [52]
• National Boating Safety Advisory Council [53]
• National Association of State Boating Law Administrators [54]
• Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund [55]
• U.S. Coast Guard Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety [56]

• BoatU.S. official web site [57]
• BoatU.S. Foundation [58]
• Facebook page [59]
• Membership benefits [60]

References

(1) http://www.bassclubdigest.org/postspawn07/beyond/Letter_reader.htm
(2) http://www.boatus.com/mybenefits
(3) http://www.boatus.com/membership/whatis.asp
(4) http://www.boatus.com/history/default.asp?WT.mc_id=400106
(5) http://www.thefreelibrary.com/u.s.+boat+safety+act+doesn%27t+preempt+tort+suits%2c+high+court+says-a097591900
(6) http://www.boatus.com/courseline/default.asp
(7) http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQK/is_2_8/ai_98901298
(8) http://www.strategyletter.com/CD1006a/featured_article.php
(9) http://www.safeboatingcouncil.org/newsletter/v4i03/page3.pdf
(10) http://www.nmma.org/news/news.asp?id=5495&sid=78
(11) http://www.boatus.com/Foundation/lifejacketdesign
(12) http://www.facebook.com/
(13) http://www.safeboatingcouncil.org/awards/youth.htm
(14) http://www.uscgboating.org/nbsac/members.htm
(15) http://www.uscgboating.org/grants/archive/nonprofit_2006.htm
(16)http://www.tradeonlytoday.com/me2/dirmod.asp?sid=2CD3792BB30347BFA3125A23D7B63B19&nm=Article+Archives&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=CA3A708999A24CEBB52E940F35B995C9
(17) http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQK/is_2_8/ai_98901298
(18) http://www.bassclubdigest.org/postspawn07/beyond/Letter_reader.htm

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