Contact: Larry Meddock, Executive Director Water Sports Industry Association info@wsia.net 407-251-9039

Letter from WSIA President Jim Emmons
July 2009

WHY JOIN WSIA? WHAT DO I GET?
 
WSIA has established itself as a credible collective voice of the water sports industry. Recently, WSIA has helped our manufacturers by appropriating legal funds for an attorney to define products under the CPSC phthalates ban. The ban that almost cost our industry everything made of plastic! The good news is that the WSIA, with the help of Gordy Holmes of Connelly and Greg Lomen of Kwik Tech among others, successfully defined the majority of our industry’s products as sporting goods rather than children’s toys. For the time being, products are shipping without the costly and time-consuming testing required. A true WSIA success story!

In addition to the ban mentioned above, the WSIA has been busy with the Coast Guard and specifically the National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC) to which the WSIA is a Board Member. NBSAC was appropriated by congressional authority and structured to guide the Coast Guard on national boating safety issues and laws. Through a document called a “resolution”, the NBSAC board of directors suggests changes to the Coast Guard regulations.

In March 2009, a field trip to Orlando Watersports Complex was organized by WSIA for the NBSAC Board. At the cable park, we were able to demonstrate how a ballast system connected to a disinfectant source will eradicate dangerous veligers (larvae) of migrating species, such as the quagga or zebra mussel, which is causing havoc with boats trying to cross state lines.

We were also able to demonstrate the sport of wakeboarding, wakesurfing, and wakeskating as viewed from the boat. Partly due to the success of this WSIA event, two days later the NBSAC Board passed a resolution that may ultimately make bringing Coast Guard-approved life-jackets to market easier and less expensive.

So the next time someone asks, “What exactly does the WSIA do with my dues money? Now you know.

Sincerely,

Jim Emmons
President, WSIA

We can accomplish together what none of us can do alone.