Boating gifts under $15

If you want to give your boating buddies a holiday gift--and you'd like it to have meaning and have something to do with boating--we've got just the thing: A BoatU.S. Gift Membership for the special annual membership rate of $14.

This practical and affordable idea will keep your friends thinking of you long after the holidays are over. Signing them up to the Association's world of services and representation is easy--all you need is a name and address and we'll take care of the rest. And we'll let your buddy know that this great stocking stuffer came from you.

And why should everyone else get the cool stuff? When you buy a Gift Membership you'll also get to select a holiday present. To start spreading some boating cheer throughout the year, go to BoatUS.com or call 800-395-2628, or use the bind-in card contained in this issue of the magazine.

Holiday Cards Now Available

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Picking the right holiday card is easy with a line of nautical themed greetings available from the BoatU.S. Foundation. By going to BoatUS.com/foundation, you'll find a selection of several dozen cards with lighthouse, powerboat, sailboat, Santa and nautical scenes. The best part is the non-profit Foundation gets a donation with each purchase to help fund boating safety and clean water programs throughout the year.

Donations Have Impact

On June 23, 120 miles off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, BoatU.S. member Bob Seay of Annapolis, MD, was rescued along with two fellow crewmembers from Seay's storm-battered, 30-foot sloop. Seay's rescue was made possible by an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) from the EPIRB Rental Program of the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water.

When you think about your end-of-year donations, these three sailors are perfect reasons to consider a tax-deductible donation to the BoatU.S. Foundation, which makes these $900 life saving devices available for only $50 a week.

Other programs funded directly through member donations include awarding grants of nearly $60,000 annually to non-profit boating groups for safety and clean water projects, providing free kids loaner life jackets, and offering the nation's only free online general boating safety course. Please consider making a donation online at BoatUS.com/foundation.

Web Hits Set A Record

The thirst for timely hurricane information has driven BoatUS.com to a record two million visitors in just the first two weeks of September. The soaring number represents more than a 200% increase over the previous record of 750,279 visitors set in June 2004. It also brings the daily average to a whopping 146,010 visitors a day, up from about 25,000 visitors a day.

A Driving Force

The first 350 BoatU.S. Commonwealth of Virginia license plates have rolled off the stamping line and are now showing up on the highways and byways of the Old Dominion. Let the world know you belong! If you're a Virginia resident and would like to get your own BoatU.S. license plate bearing the BoatU.S. logo, go to BoatUS.com/licenseplate to submit an application. The cost is just $10 (in addition to your registration fee). Add $10 more for a personalized character combination.

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