The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) announced that 2021 powerboat sales are expected to surpass 300,000 units for the second consecutive year.
At the close of last year, industry data showed that overall boat sales were an estimated 4 to 6 percent below the record highs of 2020, and 7 percent above the five-year sales average.
“Following record sales in 2020, recreational boating remained the leading outdoor recreation sector in the U.S. in 2021, with new powerboat sales exceeding 300,000 units for only the second time in 15 years,” NMMA President Frank Hugelmeyer said in a statement. “U.S. marine manufacturing, which provides an estimated 691,000 jobs across the country, is standing out as an example of economic resilience.”
Consumer interest in boating continues to grow as Americans turn to time on the water as an accessible outdoor pursuit, as other leisure activities, sports and travel continue to be curtailed by COVID-19.
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis indicated that boating and fishing are the No. 1 contributors to the $689 billion outdoor recreation economy.
NMMA expects 2022 to be another strong year for new-boat sales, which it projects to surpass 2021 totals by as much as 3 percent.
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