More than 71 million people describe themselves as active boaters, which means they have participated in boating at least once in the past year.
From fishing to water skiing to snorkeling and cruising, if escaping for a day is the goal, then the water is where it’s at.
“It seems there aren’t many places anymore where people can truly get away from it all, but being aboard a boat out on the water is one of them,” said Pepper Schwartz, a sociologist and relationship expert. “Once you leave the dock, it doesn’t matter if you’re only 20 minutes from home, you and your family feel as if you’re a million miles away.”
It was that feeling and experience that inspired the short film titled “Good Run,” featured on the Web site www.DiscoverBoating.com. Directed by Academy Award nominee Wally Pfister, “Good Run” chronicles a man’s life and how boating was the common thread weaved throughout his fondest memories.
“We were looking for a way to pay tribute to those who love boating, while showing boating’s powerful ability to connect people to those who may have never experienced being on the water for themselves,” said Carl Blackwell, vice president of marketing and communications for the national Discover Boating campaign. “The response we’re receiving from ‘Good Run’ is exactly what we were aiming for. People are moved by the role boating can play in the enrichment of our relationships with family and friends.”
Those introduced to boating early in life tend to stick with it. A study by the National Marine Manufacturers Association found that 70 percent of American boaters had gone boating as a child.
“Good Run” exemplifies what it feels like to grow up boating as the main character goes through life experiencing fishing excursions with his father as a young boy, a honeymoon cruise on a classic wooden boat with his new bride and eventually bonding with his own son and grandchildren while cruising across a lake.
To watch the film, visit www.DiscoverBoating.com.