NMMA Certification

NMMA Certification

NMMA Boat & Yacht Certification helps manufacturers ensure their boats are built to applicable standards set by the American Boats & Yacht Council (ABYC), and to promote their compliance to the public.

Participating boat manufacturers must submit applications for all models; each model must be physically inspected by an NMMA inspector annually. To achieve Certification, a manufacturer must demonstrate that all variances found during the inspection have been corrected. The manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that all production units are manufactured in compliance with the certified design.

For more information, please visit https://www.nmma.org/

What does it mean for a boat to be NMMA certified?

For a boat to be NMMA certified, it must follow all of the strict guidelines set by the NMMA for certification. Studies have shown that a certified boat is 7 times less likely to be recalled by the US Coast Guard for a safety issue. Sportsman Boats diligently follows all of the manufacturing guidelines and is committed to only using certified parts and components in all of our models.

What are the benefits of buying an NMMA certified boat like a Sportsman?

Purchasing a Sportsman Boat means that you are buying an NMMA Certified boat. This assures you that you are buying a boat that meets or exceeds the industry-standard ABYC Standards. It also means that every model is yearly tested and inspected to make sure that all of the new or updated standards are being applied each year. Giving you the confidence to purchase a Sportsman Boat fully knowing that you are getting a high quality product that will stand the test of time and be safe for you and your family. Some insurance companies may even provide discounts for NMMA certified boats.

Which Sportsman Boat models are NMMA Certified?

All of the Sportsman Boats models are certified. We are committed to providing you and your family a safe, reliable and dependable boat for many years to come and we believe this is an important step in achieving that.

What are the steps for a boat to become certified?

It all starts with a yearly Boat Certification Application completed in a per model basis. Vital information about each particular Sportsman model is detailed in the forms outlining each major safety area of the boat. Meeting the qualification means that the particular component being used is an accepted NMMA compliant part and has been tested to a successful NMMA compliance status.

Areas included are as follow:

We are also required to maintain a CSI program. A CSI, Customer Satisfaction Index, helps us receive feedback from our customers and is an integral part of the certification. We have chosen AVALA to manage our CSI program. Under this program, every Sportsman Boat owner receives surveys and is an opportunity for any feedback a customer may want to provide on their experience. These surveys cover every step from dealership appearance to overall boat quality.

Sportsman is also required to participate in the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reporting. This is a boat database used by law enforcement, insurance agencies, and the Coast Guard to keep track of vessel's information. We are required to submit information about each boat manufactured for sale. This required participation helps ensure that the database is accurate, up to date and effective.

A yearly inspection is required and is the heart of a boat being NMMA certified. Every year, ABYC updates the standards and this requires every model to get recertified. Ensuring that any and all of the updates have been properly implemented. If any corrections need to be made, Sportsman Boats has 30 days to submit the steps taken to correct the issue. Upon acceptance of the documentation, that boat will receive the official certification.

For more information regarding the steps of getting a boat certified, please visit the NMMA official page.