Last month, the spotlight was on boating safety at the International BoatBuilders' Exhibition & Conference (IBEX) in Florida as we announced the winners of the 2024 National Boating Safety Awards. The Sea Tow Foundation™, alongside our Boating Safety Advisory Council, recognized companies for their exceptional efforts in promoting safe practices on the water. These organizations, from manufacturers to media outlets, have shown a commitment to spreading life-saving messages and encouraging responsible boating behavior.

Now in its sixth year, the National Boating Safety Awards continue to honor innovative campaigns across the marine industry. This year’s winners stood out for their ability to engage diverse audiences through creative and impactful campaigns.

Let’s take a closer look at the standout efforts that earned these industry leaders their well-deserved recognition:

Marine Manufacturer Award: Bayliner Boats

Bayliner Boats earned the Marine Manufacturer Award for their National Safe Boating Week Daily Safety Tips campaign. Through a combination of engaging videos and social media posts, Bayliner illustrated their dedication to promoting safe boating practices. Their partnership with Freedom Boat Club during National Safe Boating Week helped amplify their safety message.

Yamaha received an Honorable Mention for their National Safe Boating Week Campaign featuring safety ambassador Hunter Bland.

Gear & Equipment Manufacturer Award: Garmin

Garmin earned the Gear & Equipment Manufacturer Award for their 2024 Safe Boating Campaign. They partnered with The Qualified Captain during National Safe Boating Week to extend their year-round efforts of promoting safe boating practices, ensuring that both new and experienced boaters are better equipped to stay safe on the water.

Marine Trade Assocaition Award: National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA)

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) won the Marine Trade Association Award for their Discover Boating Top Safe Boating Tips video series in partnership with Progressive. By utilizing platforms such as YouTube, social media and email, NMMA successfullly reached millions of boaters across the country. Their freely available materials allowed other organization to share these critical safety messages, furter extending the campaign's reach.

The Marine Industrires Association of Southewest Florida (MIASF) earned an Honorable Mention for their "Know Before You Go" campaign.

Social Media Influencer Award: BoatClass

BoatClass won the Social Media Influencer Award for their Organic Social Media Boating Safety & Instruction Campaign. Using short-form reels, BoatClass created engaging, safety-focused content and built effective partnerships with other marine industry companies. Their strategy sparked high viewer engagement, with audiences actively participating in discussions around alternative safety practices.

Marine Business - General Award: Freedom Boat Club

The Marine Business - General Award was given to Freedom Boat Club for their New Member Safety Orientation and Comprehensive Training Program. Combining face-to-face orientations, dock briefings and digital tools, Freedom Boat Club provided essential safety instruction to boaters, emphasizing the importance of proper training and safe boat operation.

Community Boating Education Award: BoatClass & Whitman Marine Training

This year’s Community Boating Education Award resulted in a tie. BoatClass was recognized for their on-water training program, which offered comprehensive instruction to new and experienced boaters through partnerships with key industry players such as NASBLA and Freedom Boat Club.

Whitman Marine Training stood out for their extensive community outreach and training programs, combining classroom instruction, on-water training modules and partnerships with local marinas to effectively teach boating safety to their community.

The 2024 National Boating Safety Award winners have made an incredible impact in advancing safety on the water. By encouraging responsible boating and raising awareness through creative campaigns, these companies continue to make a difference in the industry and within their communities.

Thank you to everyone who participated – we are already looking forward to next year’s awards! For more information on this year’s winners and next year’s application, visit https://www.boatingsafety.com/page/Awards

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