John Donaldson
John Donaldson is not the longest serving PWC government relations guy, but he’s close. He had been in the power sports industry for over a decade when his then employer decided his gift for gab and ability to write completely confusing letters were a perfect match for dealing with politicians and legislators. Since the course change in his work history, Donaldson has worked for two of the biggest PWC manufacturers as well as having a turn at running the Personal Watercraft Industry Association. Donaldson says that these government relations experiences have helped him understand that it sure isn’t the government one learns about in a text book. Further in Donaldson’s past was his service in the U.S. Coast Guard and a few years as owner of a major power sports dealership in Southern California. This diversity of government, manufacturer, and retail experience qualifies Donaldson to help keep AWA members and others informed on the latest activities of government impact on the use of PWC in the PWC Nation.
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Chris Manthos
Chris Manthos serves as executive director of the American Watercraft Association. When not riding, he dedicates his time to educating regulators and other officials on the realities of personal watercraft, in contrast to the fantasy world of the no-access crowd. He mows his own lawn, washes his own truck, served his country, pays his taxes, picks up trash on public roads, opens his own beer bottles, reads books, hunts, feeds his own dogs, doesn’t need government to tell him right from wrong, and deplores sanctimonious hypocrites, bullies, and know-it-alls, particularly the political kind. Wiley Russell Jr.
Wiley Russell Jr. is the dealer coordinator of the AWA and works closely with personal watercraft dealers nationwide, promoting PWC access for all enthusiasts, as well as promoting dealerships. He is a Virginia native and enjoys riding PWC as much as possible. | No Apologies |
| Written by Chris Manthos |
| Friday, 01 May 2009 00:00 |
 It’s going to be a long summer here on the banks of the Potomac. Between government agencies making unprecedented power grabs to limit public access to publicly owned waters and lands, to the astonishing decree that the very breath you, your kids, your friends, even your dog exhales, is now a threat to human health. CO2 that is… Never mind the little fact that without it, every living thing on the planet is dead or anything, because after all, this is Washington. So yep! It’s going to be a long summer indeed. Being part of the PWC Nation is a needed relief from the plethora of blowhards, strap hangers, and true believers here in the swamp. Personal watercraft are the enabling vehicle providing reliable, easy, and inexpensive, with just the right pinch of exhilaration, we need to take us to the freedom of the water. I say freedom because it should be alarming to everyone who cherishes their live and let live creed, at the ominous signs of the erosion of freedom. We in the PWC community are sadly used to it. We’ve earned our callous via an onslaught of environmental bigotry, misinformation, and outright lies against our choice of outdoor recreation. From mythical claims of little birds being harmed, to boom boxes with recordings of chain saws used as testimony against PWC, it’s a circus of dishonesty and thought processes absent of logic and tolerance for others by those who feel entitled to tell us how to live. We’ve seen it all, and we’re still here. Personal watercraft continue at a stunning pace their remarkable development into the lowest impact, low emission motorized boats available regardless of the truth impoverished fringe. Our community is diverse, intelligent, charitable, concerned and involved. We owe no one an apology for living hard, fun, and free like we do. Recently, I attended the dedication of a new sheriff’s department marine unit for a busy lake. A key component of this new marine unit is two brand spanking new Yamaha SHO’s. These guys had been working the lake with their own watercraft for years. Finally, they were given a grant to purchase a boat. Good! That’s how I like to see my hard earned tax dollars spent. But it was the local electric utility company who kicked in the money to purchase the big Yamahas. The dealership helped out; Yamaha threw their support behind it, and your AWA in conjunction with K-38 are helping to get these officers trained on the watercraft so they can make a positive impact for safety on this rather busy lake. It’s just another in a long list of examples showing how all aspects of the PWC Nation come together to make their community a better place for all boaters. During the dedication, I looked out over the lake and it seemed that every boater in the state was out on the water. I mentioned to the dealer standing next to me that folks must have missed the memo from the “doom and gloom crisis media” outlets about the economy. He looked back at his overflowing boat trailer parking lot, and said, “One thing I’ve learned is that no matter what, people are going to do what they really love, regardless of what’s going on.” He’s right of course, and we should all be grinning at this grand display of private choice and freedom. Personal watercraft owners and boaters in general, are a different breed of people. We’ll do whatever it takes to be on the water, with the Sun on our face and the wind in our hair. It’s our way to leave the “sky is falling alarmists” and tax crazy politicians behind for awhile. Being on the water is deep brain stem stuff; human civilization came into its very existence adjacent to a body of water. Physiology aside, being in, near, or on the water is as natural to us as the primordial pleasure we derive from a campfire. We’re simply feeling the same comfort our ancestors experienced. No other boat offers the versatility, reasonable cost, pleasure, and feeling of freedom as does a personal watercraft gliding on glass or offshore. It’s no mystery why we love them so. |
