Life is better with a boat.That’s the message boat builders and yacht owners across the country are banking on to reverse a decade of lagging sales.

They’re pumping millions of dollars into the “Grow Boating” initiative to draw people into boating through a nationwide ads, certification programs for manufacturers and dealers and efforts to improve water access.

“Grow Boating is more than a 30-second commercial. We’re really working to improve the consumer experience,” said Thom Dammrich, president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association. On the eve of the Miami International Boat Show, industry leaders met for an program update. The Chicago-based manufacturers association launched the $50 million, three-year initiative last spring.

Some results so far:

- Discover Boating, the marketing side of the program, had 2.5 million visitors in the first year, linking more than 200,000 directly to boat manufacturers’ sites.

- More than 50,000 potential Miami Florida Yacht Charter buyers have registered on the site.

- Of those prospects, 10 percent bought a vessel in the campaign’s first six months.

The effort comes after 15 years of relatively flat Miami Florida Yacht Charter sales and a decline in the number of people taking to the water. Industry leaders have pointed to problems with product quality, a cumbersome experience, the rising costs of boating and dwindling access to the nation’s waterways.

Grow Boating hopes to change that through better products, a better sales process and better service.

A key part of the effort is certification to help builders and dealers meet higher standards in quality and service. To date, 431 yacht charter dealerships are enrolled in the voluntary program, with 182 completing certification.

They hope to have 300 to 400 certified dealers by next year, said Phil Keeter, president of the Marine Retailers Association of America in Oak Park, Ill.

The initiative marks a significant shift in recreational yachting/boating from a product-driven industry to one focused on customer service. Industry leaders compare the effort to the “Go RVing” campaign that revived the recreational vehicle industry in the 1990s.

The Discover Boating advertising campaign this March through June will be seen on more than 20 cable networks, 11 magazines and 400 Web sites. The ads will center around a common theme: boating connects friends and family.