Rodriguez GroupGolfe-Juan, France

US Boat Exports Rise - Although the slowing economy and housing concerns have affected US boat demand, US boat exports increased more than 21 percent in the first six months of 2008 compared to the previous year. Exports rose in 11 of the US' top 15 markets. Shipments to Canada, the largest foreign market for US boats, grew more than 27 percent. Demand is also strong in Europe: Germany had the most growth, more than 90 percent, followed by 20 percent in the UK, nearly 11 percent in Sweden, and almost 8 percent in Italy.

Brunswick may Enter Boat Retail - Boat builder Brunswick Corporation has offered $48 million to buy bankrupt boat retailer Olympic Boat Centers of Redmond, Washington. Olympic, which operates about 20 boat dealerships in the Pacific Northwest and California, is one of Brunswick's largest customers. The deal would make Brunswick a new entrant in the boat retail market. Brunswick already controls about 12 percent of Olympic Boat; private equity firm The Riverside Company controls the rest.

Bush Signs New Boating Legislation - President Bush signed into law the Clean Boating Act of 2008, which exempts recreational boaters from EPA regulations. A 2006 court decision required the EPA to draft permitting regulations for all US vessels regarding the treatment of ballast water and its contribution to the spread of aquatic nuisance species. If the Clean Boating Act hadn't been passed, the EPA was ready to introduce permitting regulations for recreational boaters in October 2008, which may have harmed demand for boats.