THE WSIA REPORT 2010

1. THE WSIA REPORT 2010 The Collective Voice of the Industry …together we can accomplish what none of us can alone

2. Who We Are • Mission Statement: The Water Sports Industry Association (WSIA) is the only trade association that promotes and protects towed water sports activities • Value Statement: The WSIA is the industry advocate that communicates, produces and distributes safety and educational materials for towed water sports. The WSIA works with local, state, and federal agencies in partnership with national governing bodies to ensure the use of waterways for towed water sports. As a group, we develop best practices and sustainable growth for all towed water sports.

3. What We Do • Board of Directors consists of the major industry leaders of towed water sports • WSIA, under the leadership of Surf Expo, produces the only industry trade show to include the Leadership Awards and Wake Awards • WISA produces an industry summit for the purpose of networking to get better and smarter at what we do with numerous seminars and various non-endemic speakers • WSIA produces the industry survey of sales • WSIA publishes Water Sports Retailer, which provides timely news to improve market share and profits • WSIA publishes The Ultimate Water Sports Handbook to provide education and boating safety knowledge

4. WSIA prints The Responsibility Code – a safety poster for retail shops to display in order to promote and encourage safety • WSIA solicits membership at the manufacturer and dealer level to promote a strong bottom line and encourage communication serving as an industry advocate to the government agencies and the USCG • WSIA funds waterways rights initiatives and is involved with government to protect waterways and interpret for lawmakers our various sport disciplines • NASBLA member • NBSAC member • NSBC member • Active with the USCG • WSIA works closely with the USCG regarding safety issues, such as attending ‘propeller strike avoidance’ workshops to reduce injuries • WSIA is a member of the UL Life Jacket Standards Committee supplying input to encourage safety & better flexibility in jackets for skiers and riders

5. WSIA is currently communicating with lawmakers regarding the proposed ‘mandatory life jacket’ initiative whereby all boating occupants would be required to wear a life jacket at all times. WSIA feels this would be a serious detriment to the boating industry, but continues to maintain that safety and reducing boating deaths is a serious concern. WSIA’s public service ads promote safety through life jacket wear for water sports participants • WSIA is working on a safety education video with the state of Florida regarding wake surfing • WISA offers a free retailer liability program on its website • WSIA established universal binding hole patterns for wakeboard bindings helping to create the multi-million dollar wakeboard binding industry • WSIA is intently aware of the destructive activities with the Quagga mussel on the west coast, which is affecting many boaters crossing state lines causing undue delays and long lines for inspections. Our boating manufacturers have rallied together to eliminate the mussel, while avoiding water contamination, and finding a solution to expedite the decontamination process

6. WSIA has established a warnings committee to provide unified warning labels for manufacturers of product • WSIA has 14 committees that work on projects to enhance watersports worldwide • WSIA reviews grant applications to support grassroot initiatives and encourage growth in all sport disciplines • WSIA donated more than $10k in 2009 to a legal fund to hire a professional industry-wide counsel to interpret the new CPSIA laws for watersports manufacturers • WSIA formed the Water Sports Foundation in 2005 – a tax exempt corporation, to function as the educational arm of the WSIA • WSIA is currently assisting the parasail industry develop standards and practices for their sport

7. Why Do We Matter? • The water sports industry, world-wide, benefits from WSIA relationships with government, the USCG, members, and industry contacts • WSIA works diligently behind the scenes and often times industry is not aware of this until a problem actually affects them, their product, or their bottom line! Here is a sample of WSIA’s influence on industry • Boat sales – WSIA was instrumental in convincing the USCG that their proposed rule change regarding licensing captains for water sports instruction be reversed • Board manufacturers – unified hole patterns on bindings created a new binding industry • Inflatables – WSIA funded counsel to help define the CPSIA issues to protect this industry • Wake Surf – WSIA has intervened to halt passing of unfair laws based on inaccurate information regarding this sport

8. Life Jackets – the proposal for mandatory life jacket wear for all boating occupants is gaining strength. WSIA believes this proposal to be detrimental to the boating industry and is taking a position with national government that education is first and foremost for reducing boating accidents. WSIA’s public service announcements support life jacket wear for those being towed • Parasail - WSIA assisted in standards and practices for this industry as well as securing valuable insurance • Warnings – unified warning labels benefit all manufacturers of product as well as consumers in an attempt to avoid potential liability • Safety – Carbon monoxide issues have been studied by the WSIA to protect all boaters or dispel myths • Dealers – retailers would not be selling as many boats or toys, if WSIA was not working on your behalf to protect this industry Our collective voice is being heard!!!!JoinTODAY!