With Memorial Day weekend in our wake, my eyes turn to supporting industry veteran Phil Dyskow for appointment to the Gulf Fisheries Management Council and a look at the recently announced Boat Bash plans for Chicago.
Dyskow is among several candidates for an open seat on the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council and is undoubtedly one of the most qualified individuals to have ever been nominated for such service. The marine industry needs to push for his appointment by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker.
In particular, dealers and their staffs in the five Gulf States (Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas) should take time now to advocate for his appointment. I single out these states for obvious reasons. But influence and support should come from everywhere in the industry, especially manufacturers (and their employees) who supply dealers in the Gulf States.
Dyskow should be the preferred nominee from Florida because he can bring valuable business expertise to the council as the former president of the Yamaha Marine Group; has strong ties to all fisheries sectors as Yamaha outboards are used by recreational, charter and commercial fishermen throughout the Gulf region; has intimate knowledge of the fisheries management process as a member of NOAA’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee; and has an unwavering commitment to conservation and the sustainability of the Gulf resources and fish stocks.
Boating United, our grassroots platform for the industry, has made it easy for us to be engaged now. Click on Let’s show our support for Phil! If you’ve done this before, your info is already there and sending an email is a click. If you’ve never done it, you can easily sign up as a Boating United participant and be engaged.
Boat bash in Chicago
Put a big barge out in Lake Michigan, surround it with the racing action of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Challenge Series and you have a waterfront bash, Chicago style.
Specifically, the Boater’s Bash is planned for Chicago’s Monroe Harbor on June 11-12, the weekend of this qualifying event leading up to the 2017 America’s Cup. It’s the first time the Louis Vuitton sailing competition will be held on fresh water in its 165-year history.
The Bash, billed as Lake Michigan’s largest floating party, is being organized by Chicago Harbors in collaboration with the racing event organizers. It’s being dubbed “the infield party,” with boats racing on the waters in front of the harbor, according to the Chicago Harbors website. Westrec Marinas manages the extensive network of harbors for the Chicago Park District.
A 100-foot-long and 26-foot-wide platform providing a DJ stage area and a jumbo video screen will be sited inside the breakwater of Monroe Harbor. Boaters will dock at the platform and raft out just a few yards away from the racecourse.
Every four years, the America’s Cup is awarded to the winner of match races between two high-performance sailing machines. One is called the Cup defender representing the yacht club currently holding the Cup (the Golden Gate Yacht Club) and the second boat, known as the challenger, represents a club that’s challenging for the cup. This time, the America’s Cup match will be sailed in 50-foot foiling catamarans that can move out at 30 mph-plus.
The 35th edition of the America’s Cup races will be held in Bermuda in June 2017. The defender, Oracle Team USA, won the 2013 Cup. It’s the oldest international sporting trophy, garners worldwide media coverage and casts boating in an exciting and positive light.
