US recreational boating boom continues

The NMMA (National Marine Manufacturers Association) has announced continued momentum of boat sales and boating demand, which it says is propelled by Covid-19. New boat sales, which reached a 13-year high in 2020, remain at elevated levels – with sales through March 2021 up 30% compared to the 2020 average; demand is at an all-time high as Americans take to the water in record numbers; and dealers are selling new boats as fast as they receive them at the start of peak boating season.

“As the country returns to a new normal, people are reassessing how they spend their quality time with loved ones, and many are continuing to choose boating as the preferred choice in recreation,” says Frank Hugelmeyer, NMMA president. “All signs point to boating demand and boat sales remaining strong as more people discover the mental health benefits, joys and freedoms of being outside and on the water.”

Part of what is driving growth for the recreational boating industry is the uptick in first-time boat buyers of new and pre-owned boats, attracting a wider net of Americans. New data from NMMA shows 415,000 first-time boat buyers entered the market in 2020. These buyers are averaging younger, and are 1.5 times more likely to be women than other buyer groups.

Additionally, Discover Boating – the industry’s resource hub for those interested in getting started in boating – reports traffic to the site is up 56% year-on-year through May. What’s more, there has been 90% growth to the site year-on-year through May in the 18-24 years old segment.

“Boating has seen an increase in more diverse first-time boat buyers who are helping drive sales of versatile, smaller boats that provide a variety of boating experiences, from fishing to watersports,” says Hugelmeyer.

Additional statistics on the industry’s size, makeup and demographics include:

  • Retail unit sales of new powerboats in the US reached a 13-year high in 2020 with nearly 320,000 units sold, up 13% compared to 2019 – levels the recreational boating industry has not seen since before the recession in 2008.
  • Annual US sales of boats, marine products and services totalled $49.3bn in 2020, up 14% from 2019.
  • Sales of personal watercraft (PWC), including Jet Ski, Sea Doo and WaveRunner, were up 8% to 82,500 units in 2020; with accessible entry-level price points, personal watercraft are often considered a gateway to the boating lifestyle.
  • Sales of wake sport boats—popular for wakesurfing, wakeboarding and skiing, attractive to new and active boaters—were up 22% to 13,600 units in 2020.
  • Sales of freshwater fishing boats and pontoons boats, often sought for their versatility and entry-level price points and accounting for 45% of new powerboats sold in 2020, were up 13% to 144,700 units.
  • With the retail price of a new aluminium boat package (includes trailer, engine & other accessories) averaging $35,200 and new personal watercraft averaging $12,700, boating is attracting more participants as people of all ages and walks of life seek quality time on the water.
  • An estimated 100 million Americans go boating each year.
  • 61% of boat owners have an annual household income of $100,000 or less.
  • 95% of boats on the water in the US are less than 26 feet—boats that can be trailered by a vehicle to local waterways.
  • 95% of boats sold in the US are American made.