We Found Out What Boaters Want!

Last year, the Washington State Legislature approved a bill that directed an additional $2M into boating programs. This was the result of lots of hard work and effort by many organizations and many of you.

The bill, known as HB1651, required that a state agency called the Recreation and Conservation Office conduct a study in 2007 to determine “boater needs.” This was a key part of our strategy to increase funding for boating programs in the State.

Well the good news is in. The RCO did conduct a survey of over 3,000 boaters last fall as well as 200 individuals who provide services to boaters. Boaters gave us a clear picture of what services they want from the State. Service providers such as marinas, ports, marine law enforcement and state agencies told us what services they would like to provide to boaters..

Before sharing some of the key findings, I want to thank all the members who contacted their legislators and encouraged them to support the bill. Thank you. Collectively you had a positive impact on the future of boating in the State of Washington.

Key findings from boaters:

• The top three reasons why people go boating:
  - 49% - For Relaxation
  - 29% - To Fish
  - 26% - To be with Friends and Family
• If the State had more resources to invest in boating programs/services, they would want them spent on:
  - 60% - Public Access
  - 56% - Boater Education
  - 54% - New Boat Launch Ramps
• Asked another way, boaters said they wanted more:
  - 55% - Parking at Boat Launch Ramps
  - 54% - New Boat Launch Ramps
  - 51% - Courtesy Tie-ups
  - 50% - Restrooms at Boat Launch Ramps
• Asked yet another way, boaters said they would like more of these built:
  - 48% - Boat Launch Ramps
  - 23% - Mooring or Docks
  - 18% - More Public access
  - 17% - More Restrooms at Boat Launch Ramps

Key findings from boating service providers:

• The top two services they feel like they currently provide are:
  - 84% - Boating safety
  - 70% - Public Access
• 85% said that crowding at boat launch ramps are a problem (45% said it was a major problem)
• If they had more resources, the top three areas they would invest in:
  - Boating Safety
  - Boater Education
  - Public Access
• If they could improve facilities/services for boaters, the top three would be:
  - Parking at boat launch ramps
  - Boat launch ramps
  - Boating safety courses
• Maybe most telling of all… 63% said there should be one state agency responsible for boating programs in the state. (We have 7+ agencies. Oregon, California and Ohio have one).

I hope this gives you a flavor of the feedback. I would encourage all of you to go online and look at the study. I think you would find it fascinating. You probably will find insights that would help your individual businesses. I recommend you download the 40-page summary, but if you really like data, you can download the full 500-page survey at www.rco.wa.gov. Then click on “Recreational Boating Survey Results Revealed.”

We will be meeting with legislators in the months ahead to make sure they have the results from the study. After all, they were the ones who asked for the study to be done. We are hoping that when they have the survey results, as well as the recommendations that the RCO will providing them later this month, that we can get them to do two things: 1) Create a system where there is better coordination of services between state agencies, thus reducing overlaps and filling gaps. 2) Invest more of the $100M into boating programs that boaters currently pay annually in taxes and fees to the State. Stay tuned and please share your thoughts, suggestions and ideas with me anytime.

Finally, I want to thank Jim Eychaner at the RCO who was in charge of the survey. It is so easy to criticize government at any level, yet we know we need what they do. In this instance, Jim did a great job; he ran a very open and inclusive process which allowed us to provide input on the survey from beginning to end. We have had a great working relationship with Jim’s agency, the RCO in the past and I look forward to continuing our public/private efforts to serve boaters better in the future.

With warm regards,

Michael Campbell
President
michael@nmta.net