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July 2014 | Boating Industry | 19 [ 85 Years of boating history ] www.BoatingIndustry.com 1970s As the 1970s dawned, all eyes were on the poor economy and the pages of The Boating Industry refl ected that. With articles like "Selling in an Uncertain Business Environment" and "Our Uncertain Economy: What Does it Mean to You?" the industry was trying to regain its footing. It's a pattern that has become all too fa- miliar for the last 40 years. In 1970, one of the big names in the industry went back out on his own as E.C. Kiekhaefer resigned as president of Mer- cury and founded Kiekhaefer Aeromarine Motors Inc. He had founded Mercury in 1939 and had stayed on after its acquisition by Brunswick Corp. There was an increased focus on energy effi ciency during the decade, as a series of oil embargoes and gas shortages affected the industry. Most issues of the magazine featured an "Energy Bul- letin" and the industry had to with- stand attacks on its perceived lack of energy effi ciency. The Boating Indus- try Association and National Asso- ciation of Engine & Boat created a "Boating Energy Conservation Kit" that dealers could use to promote the "positive values of boating in a fuel-conscious society." A new wave of watercraft hit the scene in the 1970s as well, with Kawasaki introducing its fi rst U.S. PWC in 1973. Although Bombar- dier Recreational Products had introduced a personal watercraft in the late 1960s, it didn't sell well and the company quickly left the market. It wasn't until the Jet Ski that PWC became commercially successful. The decade also saw an important trend toward more profes- sionalization as two key industry associations were born. First, in 1972, the Marine Retailers Association of America was founded when representatives from more than 50 boat dealers met in Chi- cago to form the group. Then, in 1979, the National Marine Manufacturers Associa- tion was formed when the Boating Industry Association and the National Association of Engine & Boat Manufacturers merged after 12 years of negotiations. The merger would help the industry "move forward with a single voice and effort to become more valuable than ever before," the offi cers of the new association said. Boating Industry founder James Peaslee passed away in 1970, and in 1977, the magazine dropped the "The" and became simply Boating Industry. letin" and the industry had to with- stand attacks on its perceived lack of energy effi ciency. The Boating Indus- try Association and National Asso- ciation of Engine & Boat created a "Boating Energy Conservation Kit" that dealers could use to promote the "positive values of boating in a in the late 1960s, it didn't sell well and the 1980s In the wake of rising energy prices, un- employment and infl ation in the 1970s, the 80s began on rocky shores with two back-to-back recessions. The challeng- ing economic times resulted in bloated inventories, laid-off workers and con- sumers that were too skittish to invest in a new boat. Boating Industry reported in 1980 that all eyes were on the Middle East with gasoline topping $1 a gallon. Major events included the botched U.S. hostage rescue in Iran, the eruption of Mount St. Helens, IBM's fi rst PC, the assassination of John Lennon, and unsuccessful assassination attempts on the Pope and Presi- dent Reagan. On the bright side, Pac-Man was released in 1980. In an article published in the Christian Science Monitor in 1980, NMMA Executive Vice President Frank Scalpone said, "The indus- try is really taking it on the chin. This year is pretty much beyond redemption for most of the companies. It will probably be one of the worst years ever." The federal government did the industry no favors in the early 80s, either, as the Department of Energy presented plans to ban weekend boating in an effort to save gasoline. The industry organized signifi cant write-in campaigns to protest the ban, which was later scuttled. The DOE's threats were linked to OMC's sales falling $54 million in one year. The recently formed NMMA also launched a promotional cam- paign telling the economic story of boating, which employed 700,000 people at the time. Chrysler sold its boatbuilding division to Texas International in 1980. New York-based AMF stumbled after several failed investments contributed to the company's losing millions by the year in the early 1980s. Minnesota-based investor, Irwin Jacobs, took over the com- pany in 1985. Sea Ray and Bayliner became part of Brunswick in 1986, making it the world's largest producer of marine engines and boats — twice the size of its next largest competitor. Volvo Penta became an independent subsidiary of the Volvo Group in 1982, as the company increased product launches and product de- velopment throughout the decade — notably including the introduction of the Duoprop sterndrive. A team of investors, including George Dale Murray, purchased Chris-Craft's boat division in 1981. In 1984 — the same year Yamaha entered the U.S. outboard market — Chris-Craft re-entered powerboat racing with the 300 Chris-Cat catamarans. The following year, Miami Vice character Sonny Crockett appeared aboard a Chris-Craft 390X Stinger, showing America the company's next generation of perfor- mance boats. Chris-Craft parent, Murray Industries, was purchased by OMC in late 1989. Technological improvements set the stage for industry recovery that picked up as the decade progressed. Mercury brought electronic fuel injection to the industry with the Laser XRi and Mariner Magnum EFI. In the wake of rising energy prices, un- employment and infl ation in the 1970s, the 80s began on rocky shores with two 1970s As the 1970s dawned, all eyes were on the poor economy and the pages of Uncertain Business Environment" and "Our Uncertain Economy: What Does it Mean to You?" the industry was trying to regain its footing. It's a pattern that has become all too fa- miliar for the last 40 years. In 1970, one of the big names in the industry went back out P16x20-BI14JUL-AnvLookBack.indd 19 5/28/14 11:57 AM