DECEMBER 2022

The MIAPBC office will be CLOSED from 12/24 through 1/2.

The MIAPBC Board of Directors and Staff wish you all a very merry holiday season!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year (or so they say)!

Last month and this month so far have been all about the Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade, the 28th year to be produced by the MIAPBC! We want to again thank all our amazing sponsors, especially our presenting sponsor this year Compass. From the Kickoff Party to the Captains Meeting to the VIP Viewing Party to the Awards Ceremony it was a whirlwind!

We still don’t have an official toy count, but I can confirm that five box trucks were filled with toys for Little Smiles and Toys for Tots. This could not get done without the community’s support donating the toys and the volunteers who help to collect them. To say this event is a huge team effort is an understatement! We hope you enjoy looking through all the photos of the parade vessels. There were more than 60 this year! For many, it was their first boat parade.

I had the pleasure of co-hosting the Boat Parade live on December 3rd with Glenn Glazer from WPBF and am excited to announce the Holiday Boat Parade Special will be broadcast on WPBF Channel 25 on December 21 at 8 p.m. We encourage you all to watch or record it!

Earlier in November, we had the pleasure of sponsoring and attending LagoonFest in Downtown West Palm Beach. MIAPBC also sponsored Soiree for Seagrass last month, which was hosted by the Friends of Manatee Lagoon. This month, MIAPBC is the December Beach Cleanup sponsor for Loggerhead Marinelife Center!

Next up, we have membership renewals happening through January so be on the lookout for an invoice in the mail. Members will also be able to renew online. The MIAPBC office will be closed from December 24 through January 2nd.

I wish you all a happy, safe, and fun-filled holiday season.

Alyssa

Dockside Petroleum Services, Inc., 1

Bulldog Marketing, 2

Coastal Angler Magazine - Palm Beach Edition, 8

Boat Owners Warehouse, 14

Palm Beach Sail & Power Squadron, Inc., 15

2022 PALM BEACH HOLIDAY

BOAT PARADE WINNERS

CORPORATE

1st Place: Koala/Twisted Tuna #56

2nd Place: Blue Heron II #1

3rd Place: Food Yacht #60

OVER 35'

1st Place: Madame Blue #55

2nd Place: Time Out #36

3rd Place: Compass Point #12

25' to 35'

1st Place: Nailed It #37

2nd Place: The Flock #17

3rd Place: Dynamite #22

UNDER 25'

1st Place: Suits Us Too #31

2nd Place: Teazer Too #26

3rd Place: My Toy #15

2022 PBHBP PHOTO ALBUMS

About Gillen Yacht Services



Gillen Yacht Services, Inc. is a full-service yacht refit and repair facility operating for the past 30 years in the Ft Lauderdale market providing quality services for yachts ranging from 50 to 300 ft. We have recently opened a new operations in Palm Beach . We are looking for the right individual to be a part of this ground floor opportunity.

GYS has expertise in every area of yacht repair – we provide one-stop shopping for our client’s vessels.

Marine Painter - Palm Beach

Marine Fiberglass Tech – Palm Beach

Lead Marine HVAC Tech – Palm Beach

Lead HVAC Tech – Ft Lauderdale

Lead Marine Diesel Mechanic / Job Foreman – Palm Beach

Marine Electrician – Palm Beach

FWC now accepting applications for newly created Vessel Turn-In Program 

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is now accepting applications for a recently approved and newly created Vessel Turn-In Program, a key component of Florida’s derelict vessel prevention program. 

VTIP is a voluntary program designed to help owners dispose of their unwanted at-risk vessels before they become derelict. Upon approval of an application, VTIP will take a surrendered vessel and dispose of it at no cost to the boat owner. Removing the vessel before it deteriorates into a derelict condition will prevent legal ramifications for the vessel owner and will protect Florida’s valuable seagrass resources, marine life, and human life, safety, and property. 

A derelict vessel upon waters of the state is a criminal offense and can carry serious penalties and fines or possible jail time.

“Acting now is the best way to prevent legal action from occurring if the vessel becomes derelict,” said Phil Horning, VTIP Administrator. 



To qualify for VTIP, a vessel must be floating upon waters of the state of Florida and cannot be determined derelict by law enforcement. The owner must have at least one written at-risk warning or citation and possess a clear title to the vessel. 



To apply for or view program guidelines, click 'here' or call the FWC Boating and Waterways Division at 850-488-5600 for more information.

Boaters are encouraged to be on the lookout during right whale calving season

If you plan to boat or fish in the Atlantic Ocean this winter, be on the lookout for North Atlantic right whales that are calving in state and federal waters off Florida, Georgia and South Carolina from November through April. These endangered species are extremely hard to spot and collisions with vessels put passengers and crew at risk and could cause injury or death to right whales. With fewer than 350, right whales are one of the world's most endangered large whale species. 

Follow these boating safety tips during right whale season:

• Go slow, which can give you time to react. 
• Post a lookout! Watch for black objects, whitewater and splashes. 
• Avoid boating in the dark, when visibility is poor or in rough seas. 
• Use the Whale Alert app to see if whales have been sighted in your area. 
• Check for signage at your local boat ramp or marina as a reminder of what to look for and how to identify and report right whale sightings.
• If a whale is spotted, slow down, operate at a slow speed or put your engine in neutral if possible. Assess the scene and slowly leave the area while keeping watch. Never pursue or follow a whale and keep at least 500 yards from the right whales (it’s the law). 
• Report whale sightings and collisions immediately to the U.S. Coast Guard on marine VHF Ch. 16 or call 1-877-WHALE-HELP (942-5343).



Learn more about what you can do to prevent right whale collisions at MyFWC.com/Research by clicking “Wildlife.”

FWC approves rules establishing livery permit requirements and new boating safety education topics, requirements           

At its Nov. 30-Dec. 1 Commission Meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved rules creating a no-cost livery permit and adding new topics and requirements for boating safety education. The changes align FWC rules with recent legislative changes, will improve public safety and increase accountability related to liveries. New boating safety education topics will encourage safer operation by boaters. 

Rule amendments will prohibit liveries from offering a vessel for lease or rent without a livery permit, and create the framework for requesting, receiving and renewing the no-cost livery permit. The rules also establish consequences for violation of the new rules. 

New topics being covered in the livery pre-rental and pre-ride instruction include: 

• The dangers of passengers sitting in or on areas of the vessel not designed or designated for seating.
• Proper use of an engine cutoff switch.
• Operation of a vessel with people in the water nearby. 

No-cost livery permits will expire on the birthday of the official agent of the livery requesting the permit. 

In addition to changes regarding liveries and pre-rental and pre-ride instruction, new components were also added to the required course curriculum for FWC-approved boating safety education courses. 



“These changes are yet another positive step in our efforts to foster a safe and responsible environment for everyone to enjoy the world-class boating Florida has to offer,” said FWC Boating and Waterways Section Leader Maj. Rob Beaton. 

Similar to other boating regulation changes, FWC law enforcement officers will take an educational approach for affected stakeholders for approximately six months after the rules go into effect. 

For more information on liveries, visit MyFWC.com/Boating and click on “Boating Regulations” and then open the “Liveries (Boat/Rental Facilities)” and click on “Frequently Asked Questions.” 



For more information on boating safety, click 'here' and choose “Boating Safety and Education." 

CrossCurrents Newsletter is published by the Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County, Inc. in an effort to provide its members with information that will educate, while enabling members to increase networking with other marine industry businesses.

Board of Directors

Austin Burkett, President

E.J. Schrader Mattress Company, Inc.

Raymond Graziotto, Vice President 

Seven Kings Holding 

Janet Zimmerman, Treasurer/Secretary

Florida Inland Navigation District  

Mallory Doremus

Palmdale Oil Company



Tamra Fitzgerald 

Venue Marketing Group

Tino Garcia

Ferreira Construction Company, Inc.

George Gentile

2GHO, Inc.

William Gould

Intracoastal Marine Construction

Michael Kennedy

Michael Kennedy, Attorney

Dan Mueller

Viking Yachts Service Center

Charlie Nicklaus

C. Nicklaus Starling & Associates



Staff

Alyssa Freeman 

Executive Director

Paola Pineros

Marketing & Membership Manager

Stephanie Button

Administrative Manager