Market conditions

Over 800,000 first-time boat buyers in 2020/2021.

Heard this on local radio first:

https://omny.fm/shows/kywam-on-demand/despite-inflation-first-time-boat-sales-boom

And then found this while I was searching for the link above:

https://www.nmma.org/statistics/article/23987

My guess, it likely accounts for 795,000 untrained new boaters, too...

-Chris

Would be interesting to know what percentage below 13', 20', 25', 35', and over 35'.

Ted

Depends on what they consider a boat, Jet Ski, SUP, etc.

Coincidentally I was just reading a recreational market analysis and after some red-hot activity since COVID (2020), the RV market -- at least new sales or shipments to dealers -- is dropping off a cliff. Just goes to show whenever I try to draw any conclusions about market trends, I have utterly no idea what's going on. Yikes, check out the data table. Wouldn't want to be an RV dealer at the moment, but then maybe that's just the move back to normal after red hot sales and production in late 2020-22 and still-large inventories, just as the analysis says.

https://www.rvia.org/news-insights/april-shipment-report-now-available

Still can't get any service work done on the boat, wait months for canvas or upholstery work, could never find anybody to buff and wax the hull before launch no matter how much I was willing to pay, etc.

Seeing more price reductions. Maybe the market is definitely starting to turn or are some models harder to sell? I've looked at the 62 Trident, although I prefer the traditional Grand Alaskan lines and interior volume better. I noted the Trident couple just did the loop and the bridge will lower hydraulically for, well, those bridges that are too low.

The market has turned on most boats but not all. It is still hard to find a boat that is less than 10 years old over 30’.

It is still difficult to find Nordhaven’s.

The market has collapsed on older boats over 65’.

Really nice older boats still command a premium.

Boomers are aging-out of the big toys, and finance rates are high enough to give buyers second thoughts.

Forget about RVs and trawlers for a minute... anyone tried to sell a >30' sailboat recently?