Contest supports World Oceans Day

West Marine is urging communities throughout the United States to learn more about marine conservation, and get directly involved in protecting the future through beach and watershed cleanups, sustainable seafood events and ocean-themed contests, such as West Marine's first "Green Product of the Year Award" recently launched by the company in February at the Miami International Boat Show.

This contest falls in line with World Ocean's Day June 8 and the Ocean Project's call for collective action, support and protection of the marine environment, and necessity to abide by sustainable practices and make the connection between a healthy climate, a healthy ocean and every individual life.

"As a leader in the industry, West Marine is fully committed to sustainable business practices that guarantee the future of our oceans and fosters innovation throughout the boating community," said Chuck Hawley, West Marine's vice president for product information. "Through this contest, West Marine plans to attract all marine innovators who are equally committed to West Marine's ideals of sustainability and innovation."

West Marine will award one grand prize winner with $10,000, slated to be presented to the winner at the 2010 Miami International Boat Show. The competition is open to manufacturers, distributors and/or inventors of boating products worldwide. In order to submit products for consideration, merchandise/submission must be available for purchase by recreational boaters as of January 1, 2010.

The panel of judges will evaluate entries based on how well the product actually improves the marine environment (and reduces pollutants) whether or not it is cost effective, how big of an impact it will make on the environment, and the degree of innovation involved.

Applicants can view the complete rules and entry requirements and complete an entry form online at www.westmarine.com/green. All product entries must be received by 5 p.m. PST Nov. 1, 2009.

Decades later, boat and skipper are reunited

In the late 1970s, Brad Tinius sailed from Australia to the Pacific Northwest in a 29-foot  boat called Chencharu. Now, after a series of owner changes, the boat is back in his possession and he plans set off on a 2,600-mile solo journey across the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii.

"I'm just hoping for good weather," Tinius, 56, told The Herald.

Boating accident victim heads to court

Ten years after she was disfigured in a boating accident, a Florida woman is pushing for prop guards on all powerboats. Federal statistics show there were 80 boat-propeller accidents in 2007, the most recent year for which statistics are available, with 75 people injured and seven killed. That was down from 107 in 2006, when there were 98 injuries and eight deaths.

Click here for a report in the Naples Daily News.

Volvo race action continues

The fleet of Volvo Open 70s blasted out of Ireland’s Galway Bay Sunday with Ericsson 4 in the lead, at the start of Leg 8 from Galway to Marstrand, Sweden.

The Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 is the 10th running of this ocean marathon. Starting from Alicante in Spain, on Oct. 4 , 2008, it included port stopovers in Cochin, India; Singapore; Qingdao, China, and Boston before finishing in St. Petersburg, Russia, for the first time in the history of the race. Spanning some 37,000 nautical miles, visiting 11 ports over nine months, the Volvo Ocean Race is the world's premier ocean yacht race for professional racing crews.