The ABYC at 70: In Service to the Innovators

I have had the privilege of supporting safe boating for more than 20 years. Shortly after I started at the American Boat & Yacht Council, we celebrated our 50th anniversary. As we approach our 70th in 2024, I’d like to highlight the great work of the ABYC and why we do what we do.

At an orientation back in 2002, I was introduced to everything ABYC has done since 1954. From ignition protection to navigation lights; to capacity and flotation; to powering, exhaust and electrical — the list went on and on. At the time, I was told that all of the major safety issues were solved. Boating was the safest possible pastime. The ABYC’s role was to maintain quality engineering standards, not to “gold plate” the construction practices of boats and associated equipment. I was told that adding more to the standards would create barriers to entry in the market. The argument was: Stick to the accident trends, and write standards to prevent what has already happened from happening again.

But that’s not us today. The ABYC’s vision statement gave us our marching orders: “maximize customer satisfaction with the boating experience through safety standards for products, service and repair.” The effect on customer satisfaction via safety standards shapes our world here at the ABYC. That means opening opportunities to follow trends, predicting patterns of misuse and — one of my favorites — acting as a partner in the design process to help connect standards written and standards needed to be written to the innovators in our industry, all while continuing to respond to accident trends.

In the past two decades, the ABYC has responded to the needs of the marine industry. Our groundbreaking work with electric-shock drowning drove the industry to create a lifesaving device that’s now required on boats with shore power. Standards were developed in parallel with the design of electronic steering and station-keeping devices. Standards responded to the Environmental Protection Agency’s need to capture hydrocarbon emissions from fuel hoses and tanks, and refueling; this created an automatic shutoff criteria.

Industry and researchers also joined forces to establish a solution to aquatic invasive species when it comes to the ready decontamination of boats, attempting to minimize waiting times at launch ramps. We worked on enhanced protection against carbon monoxide; consolidated, understandable, evidenced-based product labeling; propeller-guard research and testing; and engine-cutoff lanyard requirements that were put into regulation. We created a Product Interface Committee to predict how a customer would use a product in a way not intended by the manufacturer.

Now, as our industry looks to alternative fuels, the ABYC is here. From the early ethanol alternatives to the discussion about electric propulsion, our standards organization has responded. We developed the first international electric propulsion standard within the ISO framework. In that effort, the ABYC served as the convener. We were one of the first organizations to begin the discussion about the safe installation and use of lithium battery technology — even before the automotive industry got there. The discussions on standardization of chargers, plugs and charging paradigms are happening now, with manufacturers and our standards committees.

Let us not forget connecting the technician to the standards. Certifications are now updated as quickly as the standards are. New certifications are being created: Advanced Marine Electrical and Fuel Systems, to name two. Ensuring the future of standards-based repairs and installations starts with training students in technical schools with our Marine Service Technology curriculum and accredited schools that are proving to their communities that they can provide the technicians our members need to keep boating safe, reliable and enjoyable.

It is beyond satisfying to work for an organization with a leadership and membership that supports constant improvement. Our members and boards hold us to task to be the partner they need when it comes to the safety of the products and services they are providing for our industry. I have enjoyed the past 20 years of serving our industry, and I look forward to the future as we support the unprecedented innovation we have seen in just the past few years. 

John Adey is president of the American Boat & Yacht Council.

This article was originally published in the November 2023 issue.