Chicago, IL – NMMA recently passed another milestone with its Boat/Yacht Certification program—certification of its 200th boat/yacht manufacturer-member. Everglades Boats of Edgewater, Fla., became the 200th NMMA manufacturer certified under the program.

“This is a major accomplishment not only for the marine industry, but more importantly for the boating consumer,” says NMMA president Thom Dammrich. “The industry’s well aware of the importance product certification holds in relation to success of the Grow Boating Initiative, and the fact we’ve hit the 200-mark with certifying NMMA boat and yacht manufacturer-members is remarkable. Reaching this level of commitment from our industry’s manufacturers is a clear indication we’re well on our way to transforming our improved product goals into reality.”

In addition to Everglades, the following manufacturers are the latest to earn NMMA Certified status for their respective products: AB Inflatables, Miranda, Venezuela; Bestway Inflatables, Shanghai, China; Campion Marine Inc., Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada; Mainstream Outdoors, Inc., Carver, Minn.; Neptunus Yachts, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.; Sun Country Marine, Page, Ariz.; and Zego, Long Beach, Calif.

To date, 203 NMMA member manufacturers have become NMMA Certified. An additional 168 manufacturer members are currently undergoing the certification process.

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 it meets and adheres to all applicable standards. NMMA Certified manufacturers must also 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 NMMA Engineering Standards manager Robert Newsome at (312) 946-6275; rnewsome@nmma.org.