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On Friday, July 10, Tiara Yachts hosted two on-water Great American Expedition journeys in Michigan, in partnership with the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NMMA, and local marine dealer Walstrom Marine. The expeditions were to Round Island on Lake Huron and Hat Island on Lake Michigan, creating a powerful day that connected boating, public lands, public waters, conservation, and the outdoor traditions that help define the American experience.

The Great American Expedition is Interior’s Freedom 250 campaign celebrating America’s public lands and waters and the people connected to them. With Tiara Yachts leading the Michigan experience on the water, the expeditions offered a meaningful way to support that national celebration while showing how recreational boating helps families and communities experience some of the country’s most special outdoor places.

The day began near Round Island, where participants experienced the beauty of northern Michigan aboard a Tiara yacht. Rep. Jack Bergman, who represents Michigan’s First Congressional District, joined the morning expedition. As the representative for the area and a boater himself, Rep. Bergman brought a local perspective to the experience and helped underscore how deeply boating, outdoor recreation, and access to public waters are tied to northern Michigan’s identity.

Headquartered in Holland, Michigan, Tiara Yachts was founded in 1974 and remains a family-owned, American-made boat manufacturer. Its leadership in hosting the expedition gave the day a strong Michigan connection and helped showcase the American craftsmanship, family ownership, and small-business spirit that define the recreational boating community.

The setting provided a clear reminder that public waters are an important part of America’s public lands story. Islands, shorelines, wildlife areas, and historic places often come into view most powerfully from the water, and boating helps make those moments possible.

The second expedition at Hat Island was especially memorable. While visiting the area, the group saw a bald eagle nest, a fitting symbol during a campaign focused on America’s 250th anniversary. The moment brought together many of the themes at the heart of the Great American Expedition: national pride, public lands and waters, wildlife conservation, outdoor recreation, and the responsibility to care for these places for future generations.

For the recreational boating community, these expeditions also reinforced the importance of access. Boating begins with the ability to get on the water. Harbors, marinas, docks, slips, ramps, navigation routes, and safe recreation infrastructure are essential to helping Americans experience places like Round Island and Hat Island. Without that access, these public lands and waters become harder for families, visitors, and local communities to enjoy.

The July 10 expeditions also highlighted the strength of American-made boating. Ninety-five percent of boats sold in the U.S. are made in the U.S., and 93 percent of boat builders are small businesses. These companies support skilled jobs, local economies, and outdoor traditions across the country. In Michigan, the connection between American manufacturing, outdoor recreation, and public waters was on full display.

NMMA thanks Tiara Yachts for hosting the Great American Expedition on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron and for showcasing an American-made, family-owned Michigan boatbuilder during the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration. Tiara’s support helped create a meaningful moment on the water and showed how the boating industry connects people to the places, wildlife, and natural beauty that make America’s public lands and waters worth celebrating.