April 22–26 Is International Marine Service Technician Week!
To bring awareness and recognition to the hard-working professionals who work on boats, the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) has designated the last week in April International Marine Service Technician Week. Businesses, associations, and boaters are encouraged to participate by celebrating and highlighting their marine technicians!
See ideas below to celebrate International Marine Service Technician Week. No matter how you choose to celebrate, the most important thing is to recognize the many marine technicians who keep boating safe, enjoyable, and reliable.
Get Involved!
- Share your stories. Post pictures and stories about your favorite marine service technicians on social media accounts.
Please tag ABYC in your posts (tags listed below) so we can share your highlights and use the hashtags: #MarineServiceTechWeek #ThankYouMarineTechs. You can check out these hashtags now to get ideas and to see what people did last year.
Suggested social post: It’s International Marine Service Technician Week! A big thank you to our technicians who keep boating safe, reliable, and enjoyable.
- For additional content and to join contests, follow ABYC on social media and share our posts, pictures, videos.
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- Facebook: @abycinc
- Instagram: @ABYC_BoatSafety
- LinkedIn: /company/abyc
- Twitter: @ABYC_BoatSafety
- YouTube: @AbycincOrg
- TikTok: @ABYC_BoatSafety
- Send a press release to your local media outlets about the holiday and the outstanding technicians you have at your business! Contact marketing@abycinc.org for assistance with information to include and quotes.
- Feel free to use this logo for your marketing outreach (social posts, press releases, website, etc.). Here’s a save the date flyer to help spread the word!
- Host an appreciation event for your techs on staff (e.g., buy breakfast or lunch)
Take a look at some ways people have celebrated in the past!
How Can Boaters Celebrate?
Say thank you! Post on social media, send a thank you card, or even buy coffee. You can also leave a positive review online about your service experience and share with your friends.
How Is ABYC Celebrating?
ABYC will participate in International Marine Service Technician Week by highlighting ABYC Certified Technicians every day on social media. We also will have daily prize contests.
Outstanding Technician Award
Nominate an Outstanding Technician! Submit nominations at abycinc.org/OutstandingTech2024 before April 8, 2024 to give your tech a chance to win $100 VISA gift cards and a technician prize pack with various giveaways. This year, ABYC will be selecting 10 winners to highlight on Thursday, April 25.
Check out last year’s winners! Congratulations Austin Voigt from AMC Marine Sales & Services, Ryan Emelander from Action Water Sports, Scott Fowler from 3A Marine Service, Kim Anderson from Safe Harbor Great Island, and Aaron Steel from Safe Harbor Pilots Point.
Contests & Giveaways
Daily Technical Challenge on social media accounts. The first correct answer wins. Check in at 1pm EST!
Play along with our scavenger hunt! Click here to access the rules and submission form. Submit 10 or more to be entered into a drawing for a Sierra Fault Finder, and submit 15 or more to be entered to win a Sierra Fuel Injection Analyzer!
Daily Themes
For each day of International Marine Service Technician Week ABYC will be celebrating marine techs of all different backgrounds. We encourage you to tie into the themes below for your social media efforts throughout the week.
- Monday, April 22 – Master Technicians
- Tuesday, April 23 – Marine Service Programs and Schools
- Wednesday, April 24 – Female Technicians
- Thursday, April 25 – Outstanding Technician Announcements (Share your own outstanding tech!)
- Friday, April 26 – The Future of the Industry: Aspiring Technicians and Educators
Did You Know?
Marine technicians make up a vital part of this industry by keeping boats properly maintained and making sure recreational boaters stay safe on the water.
With an estimated 100 million Americans boating each year, the recreational boating industry supports more than 800,000 jobs and 36,000 businesses.
According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) Recreational Boating Statistical Abstract, the surge in demand for boats that began during the COVID-19 pandemic continued into 2021 and boating remains one of the most sought-after leisure activities for Americans. New powerboat, personal watercraft, and sailboat retail sales surpassed the 300,000 mark in 2021 for only the second time since 2008.
In order to retain new boaters, the marine industry needs skilled technicians to provide quality and timely repair and maintenance services
Thank You ABYC Certified Technicians!
There are currently over 5,000 ABYC Certified Technicians across the country. These professionals have been trained at the highest level to ensure that the work they perform—whether design, repair or installation—is in accordance with ABYC safety standards. Thank you to all of our Certified Advisors, Technicians, and Master Technicians who go above and beyond to keep boating safe, reliable, and enjoyable for their customers as they keep current with the industry’s newest trends and technologies.