Weekly 5: NMMA: Diesel engine shipments decreased in 2014

The BI Weekly 5 is a collection of tips, news and data affecting the boating industry this week. Be sure to look for the BI Weekly 5 every Tuesday on BoatingIndustry.com.

1. NMMA: Diesel engine shipments decreased in 2014

Shipments of diesel engines decreased 5.5 percent in 2014 for NMMA’s control group of manufacturers, the association reported.

2. S.C. senator proposes mandatory ‘no wake’ after dark

In response to fatal boat crashes in the state last year, a South Carolina state senator has sponsored legislation that would require boaters to travel only at a slow, “no wake” speed after dark.
There are currently no speed limits for boaters in the state, but boaters are required to operate in a safe manner and at a reasonable speed, state officials said.

3. Minnesota delays mandatory invasive species training

Amid fears that it could hurt tourism, Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources has delayed a law that would have required anyone trailering a boat in the state to take an invasive species course.
Under the law, passed in 2012, anyone transporting a boat in the state would have to display a sticker certifying they had passed the training. Opponents of the law say that the language needs to be clarified and several bills to repeal it have been introduced.

4. Oklahoma legislator proposes tying boating under the influence to driver’s license

Joining a similar effort in Florida, an Oklahoma legislator has authored a bill that would link boating and driving privileges for those caught boating under the influence.
The bill proposes to revoke the driver’s license of an individual “operating or being in actual physical control of a vessel while under the influence of alcohol, any other intoxicating substance.”

5. Obama budget proposal a mixed bag for small businesses

There’s some good and some bad in the president’s budget for small busiensses, the Washington Post reported.