Courtesy ABYC At the Annual ABYC Meeting, the standards body gathers the international marine industry to celebrate all that’s happening in the world of boating safety.
At its annual meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, in January, the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) welcomed new board members and celebrated award recipients. Simultaneously, experts from all fields of the marine industry gathered for Standards Week 2023 to review and update safety standards for design, construction, and repair of recreational boats. Project Technical Committees (PTCs) that included Fire Fighting and Detection Systems, Electrical, Fuel and Ventilation, Control Systems, and Thermal Appliance discussed updates to Supplement 63 for Standards and Technical Information Reports for Small Craft, to be published in July 2023.
In addition, ABYC held taskforce meetings on electric propulsion and autonomous vessels to review how current standards address existing technology and to create a roadmap for future development based on evolving technology and industry needs. “PTCs are [composed] of over 400 volunteers with a vested interest in ensuring the standards reflect what they experience, are researching, and what they envision for the future,” said Brian Goodwin, ABYC’s technical director. “The annual ABYC Standards supplement requires diverse input from those who understand where the industry is headed.”
In other business, outgoing ABYC Board Chair Nancy Cueroni and ABYC President John Adey spoke to members about ABYC initiatives, the election of new officers and directors-at large for the 2023 Board of Directors, and award recipients. Jeff Wasil, from the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), will replace Cueroni as boardchair. New board members include William Daley, former president of CED Technologies, and Kate Holden, marketing and communications director of the International Boatbuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX). Sean Hatherley of Navico Group will serve the remaining term of David Johnson (Blue Sea Systems).
“The engineering community relies on a foundation built upon standards, education, training, and professional development,” said Daley. “ABYC sets the standard for the recreational boating industry and fulfills these foundational tools, and I am happy to be a part of such an important effort.”
Courtesy ABYC Andy Adams, managing editor of Canadian Yachting and Boating Industry Canada, receives ABYC’s Horizon Award.
The annual meeting concluded with ABYC’s awards ceremony. Andy Adams, managing editor of Canadian Yachting magazine and Boating Industry Canada, received the ABYC Horizon Award for conspicuous contributions to the future success and growth of ABYC and the recreational marine industry. Colleen Moore, an ABYC Master Technician working with Diversified Marine, received the Bolling Fortson Douglas Memorial Award as a female ABYC member who best exemplifies dedication to the marine industry with the advancement of safety, education, and standards.
Lastly, ABYC also added four new staff members to its roster who will support strategic initiatives within the education, membership, marketing, and finance departments:
- Education Project Manager Tim Murphy, a longtime marine journalist and author who has been involved with ABYC since 1998.
- Member Services Manager Sarah Kramer, who joined ABYC after eight years as the membership and database manager for the Restaurant Association of Maryland.
- Marketing Coordinator Adrienne Hurst, who earned a marketing degree from the University of Mary Washington, and worked at a marina in eastern Maryland.
- Bookkeeper Doreen Barrett, who has more than 20 years’ finance experience that includes 15 years at Integrated Medical Professionals and its nonprofit Integrated Medical Foundation.
