US Boat Market Showing Signs of Recovery
Boating Industry Canada was in Louisville, Kentucky for the 21st IBEX, International BoatBuilder’s Exhibition and Conference and we interviewed Thom Dammrich, president of the NMMA about the show and the American boat market. The NMMA manages IBEX in partnership with Professional BoatBuilder magazine. Click here to view the video of Thom Dammrich’s comments: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V6FXFbpqsg
The UK marine industry media outlet, IBI recently published a report from research organization Info-Link, whose most recent Bellwether Report shows that retail sales of new powerboats over 14ft in the US were up four per cent through September.
They went on to say that the report, which measures about 50 per cent market share in the US, compares the rolling 12-month period through September to the same period a year ago.
The Bellwether Report stated that while only the outboard-powered boat category showed growth of six per cent, the rate of decline for other boat types continues to slow.
Retail sales in the sterndrive/jet category were down about three per cent through September, an improvement of about one per cent over the previous month. Personal Watercraft sales were down about eight per cent last month, compared to 10 per cent in August.
Outboard sportfishing boats were off about three per cent, compared to eight per cent in August. Ski-boat sales were down about five per cent, compared to 10 per cent in the previous month.
