CHICAGO — Nineteen additional boat manufacturers recently became officially certified under the National Marine Manufacturers Association's (NMMA) Boat/Yacht Certification program.

The following manufacturers recently earned the "NMMA Certified" designation for their respective products: Avalon Pontoons, Alma, Mich.; Bluewater Yachts, Mora, MN; Carolina Classic, Edenton, N.C.; Canyon Boat Works, Palm City, Fla.; Davis Yachts, Egg Harbor City, N.J.; Egg Harbor Yachts, Egg Harbor City, N.J.; Emerald Bay Houseboats, Oroville, Calif.; Grand Banks, Seattle; Hustler Powerboats, Calverton, N.Y.; Invincible Boats, Opa Locka, FL; Kenner, Springfield, Mo.; KL Industries, Muskegon, Mich.; Legacy Yachts, Middletown, R.I.; Legend Boats, Ontario, Canada; Savannah Yachts, Rincon, Ga.; Sea Hunter Boats, Princeton, Fla.; Silver Marine, Shanghai, China; Tahoe Pontoons, Alma, Mich.; and Topaz Boats, Egg Harbor City, N.J.

Certification is an NMMA membership requirement beginning with all products manufactured for model year 2007. To date, 244 NMMA member manufacturers have become NMMA Certified. An additional 89 manufacturer members are currently undergoing the Certification process.

"By July 31, all NMMA boatbuilder members must either be officially NMMA Certified, or nearing completion of the NMMA Certification process," says Robert Newsome, NMMA manager, Engineering Standards. "We are proud to report that as a result of the boatbuilders' hard work, this ambitious goal will be achieved."
While all boats in the United States must meet applicable U.S. Coast Guard regulations, boats built by manufacturers participating in the NMMA Certified program must also meet the more comprehensive standards set by the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC). Furthermore, to become NMMA Certified, a boat must pass rigorous third-party inspection to ensure they meet and adhere to all applicable standards, as well as maintain an ongoing, formal Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) program.

The NMMA Certification program covers more than 30 categories of standards, which vary by boat type and size and may include: fuel systems; ventilation; passenger and weight capacity; horsepower capacity; flotation; electrical systems; navigation lights; warning label placement and guidelines; and steering systems.

For additional information on the NMMA Certification program, or to schedule an inspection, contact Newsome at (312) 946-6275; [email protected].