On behalf of all of us at the BoatUS Foundation, I am very pleased to share with you the accomplishments we achieved in 2016. This year saw a great deal of preparation for things to come, including the use of new tools and technology—while continuing to work on the programs that made the Foundation what it is. The Foundation embarked on a course that uses a new system to manage our programs that utilize Customer Relations Management (CRM) software. We also laid the groundwork for starting an on-water education program, which we look to take nationally in the coming years. These are just two of the many things that you’ll read about in the coming pages—I hope you are as excited about them as we are!

The Foundation touches hundreds of thousands of boaters every year with positive ways to keep our waters clean and to enjoy boating safely. Our programs are funded primarily through small donations from boaters like you. I hope that as you read this Annual Report, you can see the value in our programs and make the choice to help support our safe and clean boating mission. As you read about our programs, I think you’ll see that we are careful stewards of our resources, and provide a tremendous value to our donors and the boating public.

Regards,
Chris

Chris Edmonston

BoatUS Foundation President

The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is an innovative leader promoting safe, clean and responsible boating. The Foundation provides educational outreach directly to boaters and supports partner organizations nationwide.

With millions of boaters on the water, our aim is to reduce accidents and fatalities, increase stewardship of our waterways and keep boating a safe and enjoyable pastime. The BoatUS Foundation is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our work is primarily funded by grants and individual donations.

The BoatUS Foundation received two grants in 2016 to work on marine debris:

The first grant looks at the interactions of recreational boats with fixed commercial fishing gear, like crab and lobster pots. Recreational boats are thought to be one of the primary causes of lost pots. To better understand this challenge we conducted focus groups in Portland, ME; Virginia Beach, VA; Miami and the Keys in Florida and Seattle, WA to get a national perspective. The findings will be used to develop messaging to reduce gear entanglement, lost gear and damaged boats.

The second grant, from NOAA, is to remove derelict nets offshore of Ocean City, MD and a vessel in Lake Erie in partnership with TowBoatUS. In 2016, in collaboration with TowBoatUS Ocean City we helped document the removal of 2 abandoned commercial fishing nets that had become caught on an artificial offshore reef.

Additionally, reinforcing our leadership in the area of marine debris, we were contacted by officials from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) for a report they were researching on the topic of abandoned and derelict vessels.

Each year we field a variety of questions about fire extinguishers, usually about the type that’s recommended and how many the Coast Guard requires. At every opportunity, we remind boaters that the requirements are only minimums and a boater should consider equipping their vessel with more. To prove this point and to learn more about how to improve boat fire safety, the Foundation conducted three staged fires on a center console, a runabout, and a cabin cruiser. To safely conduct these tests, we worked with the local fire department who hosted the event in a gravel parking lot, which greatly reduced the risks. With expert input, the Foundation staff mocked up an electrical, engine room, and a galley fire – all scenarios that can happen aboard. What became abundantly clear is that boat fires burn hot with a lot of smoke – they also spread fast. Really fast. In only seconds, the fire fighters had emptied the portable fire extinguisher and not much longer after that, breathing apparatus was required to be anywhere near the inferno. At the end of the day we proved that things get bad quickly: In each fire, you'd have three or four minutes — to make a VHF radio mayday call, locate and use extinguishers, don life jackets, and prepare to abandon ship — before likely being forced overboard. If you haven’t seen our videos, be sure to check them out at BoatUS.org/findings/55.

BoatUS Members are loyal supporters of the BoatUS Foundation and we are fortunate to have a great relationship with them.

In 2016, the requested donation amount at the time of renewal was increased from a standard $5 ask to a requested $6. This small adjustment has resulted in nearly a 20% increase in funds coming from this time-honored and all important revenue source. Our fundraising efforts have further been enhanced when we implemented a brand new, customized Contact Relation Management (CRM) system in October. Simply put, the CRM allows us to track donations, thank donors in a timely manner, and place them on a personalized supporter journey so they know how vital their donations are and how their contributions have helped. Our first big campaign was Giving Tuesday in November followed by our end-of-year campaign in December. This is an important time of year when approximately 60% of our online donations are received. Another program the Foundation stepped up in 2016 was the boat donation program. This income source has much potential and has grown in popularity. It’s particularly gratifying to know that boat owners trust the BoatUS Foundation with their prized asset and allow the Foundation to put it to use where the funds can be used best.

2016 was another NASBLA reapproval year for the Foundation’s Free Online Boating Safety Course. In preparation for the reapproval, Foundation staff spent countless hours revising and improving the content of the course. In addition to improvements in the text, Foundation staff also added new videos, graphics and interactive features resulting in a cleaner look and more engaging experience for students. We also began a focused look at how to improve our student engagement. Many of the students who take our free online boating course have little to no other interaction with us. We are looking to increase donations that come from students, as well as the sale of cards/certificates and specialized courses with this audience.