November 3, 2026

Many of our boating industry customers are from the Baby Boom Generation and that’s defined as people born between 1946 and 1964. Doing the math for you, Baby Boomers are now between 62 and 80 years old. Smart and active, many may still water ski or board, swim, row, hike, fish and of special interest to the boating industry, many ‘Boomers have grandchildren. Grandchildren and summer vacations are a special formula for family togetherness and fun. A boat can be a critical element in a great summer.

We as an industry, should be preparing for a great sumer in 2027 and that starts now. Ordering inventory for the coming season will be tricky given the Trump tariffs, (a new batch of which were added at 50% on Friday, October 30) but I’d say work with your suppliers to plan a way to avoid getting caught on the wrong side of the 50%. Also, starting now, ramp up your customer communications program and your website by adding a Boating Education component.

For a few months now, we have given our readers a “no cost” opportunity for your marine business to offer valuable boating safety information and reminders every week, for your customers.

CanBoat, (formerly called the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons), is providing you an ongoing series of authoritative boating safety and information articles through Boating Industry Canada News Week Digest (see this week’s article below).

Simply “copy and paste” to use these articles in your business communications and there’s no cost for doing it.  

Copy out the article from every edition of Boating Industry Canada News Week Digest and present it on your website, or in your customer communications. This costs you nothing but it has real value to your customers.

Your ‘Boomer customers are often life-long boaters, but their children and grand children may not have the knowledge they need to be safe when they are having fun. This week’s topic asks the question “Does Canada Have Mandatory PFD or Lifejacket Wear?”

Well, does it? Wearing a PFD is motherhood, but it that required? Are there age requirements? Have the laws changed?

Your customers expect you to know. You are in the business after all. So, let’s be open about it – having professional and authoritative information from CanBoat is highly credible and a solid benefit for your customers.

Watch for more valuable topics from CanBoat coming in Boating Industry Canada News Week Digest every week.

Andy Adams – Editor