Pontoon & Deck Boat Magazine — January 2018

28 Pontoon^ & Deck Boat January^2018 http://www.pdbmagazine.com

Research

“Consumers are spending the time shopping and researching

to get the perfect pontoon for their needs.”

• Scott Dosson, Qwest Sale Engineer

“As a manufacturer of pontoons for many years, we’ve found

what draws consumers to a Lowe Pontoon is bigger power and

more options. We’re adding various options to our models and

big power allows them to do more with their boats. Now more

than ever, pontoons appeal to all ages. It’s like a living room on

the water.” – Beverly Ramsey, Lowe Boats-Brunswick Lebanon

Operations Marketing Manager

Newbies Welcome

“The pontoon market will still be growing in 2018, driven by

a lot of new owners and buyers who want to be on water and be

able to do almost everything with their pontoon. This is really a

market that brings new boaters on the water and we want to make

sure we are keeping the pace by presenting innovative products

that will bring new customers onboard.” – Jean-Philippe Martin-

Dubois, Princecraft Marketing and Customer Experience Director

More The Merrier

“More high-quality, all-around use models with performance

pontoons, ski/tow bars, interior designs that allow for

accommodating more people.”

• Jim Wolf, Avalon/Tahoe Pontoons CEO

Getting Wider

“Everything continues to get bigger and better. Our 10- and

12-foot wide models continue to sell at high levels. Twin engine

and higher horsepower engines have continued to trend in an

upward direction. We are in the process of building next-level

pontoon boats for boaters across the country.” – Lori Melbostad,

Premier Pontoons President

Surf ’s Up

“Surfing behind I/Os with Volvo FWD Drive is pushing

market share gains in our segment, and is currently a large part

of our production, along with the outboard high-end segment that

is becoming very popular due to performance and durability. That

gives the consumer the trifecta with Cobalt quality, performance

and durability.” – Jeffrey Morales, Cobalt Boats

“We will continue to see the growth of wake surfing in the

marine industry, as we have really only scratched the surface

of this new sport. At Starcraft, our goal is to make this new

sport accessible to as many families as possible by offering

value conscious, surfable deck boats that will allow families to

expand their enjoyment of their boat.” – Matt Spencer, Starcraft

Marketing Coordinator & Surf Team Captain

More For Your Dollar

“We are seeing that the consumer is wanting more value for

their money than ever before. That’s why we made sure to offer

the best possible value with SunChaser for 2018 while being

backed by the best warranty on the water.” – Peter Barrett,

Starcraft SVP Marketing & Corporate Development

High-End

“The pontoon buyer will be the big winner in 2018. High-

end options will enhance every boat, from the best in sound and

lighting, to elegant furniture and deck coverings. The on-water

experience will be more appealing than ever before. It’s a great

time to be ‘in the market’ for a pontoon boat.” – Roger Bills, G3

Boats Director of Marketing

“We are seeing boats with more sophisticated electronics,

higher horsepower engine packages, some form of a triple tube

configuration. Blackout packages and boats with arches in lieu

of conventional Bimini frames. People want pontoons to do it all

and we have what they are searching for in terms of performance,

features, comfort and style!” –John F. Sweeney, Forest River

Marine/A Berkshire Hathaway Company Marketing Director

“We see the trend of the higher-end pontoon sales to keep

growing for 2018. There are more and more second-time buyers

now that will continue to upgrade from their previous pontoon

that will keep this trend going.” – Tim Allen, Montego Bay VP

Sales

Luxury Is Where It’s At

“We have witnessed a huge surge in ultra luxurious pontoon

boats that also provide incredible performance. I believe the

trend for the 2018 boating season will continue with high-

performance luxury triple pontoon boats with a slightly less

expensive price tag than in 2017.” – Thomas F. Cox President,

CEO Aloha Pontoon Boats

Time To Personalize

“Our customers continue to demand more and more

personalization of their boats. Last year, we introduced the

completely redesigned SeaBreeze Series with new color

choices, graphics, innovative floorplans, and unique interior

vinyl patterns, which was very well received. Trends like more

technology, more personalization, more style, and more utility

will continue to drive innovations across our lineup as we focus

on attracting younger families to boating.” – Mark Wyrick,

Cypress Cay Marketing Programs Supervisor

“More than ever, there is a growing desire for options which

allow the consumer to create the perfect boat. Consumers want to

design the boat as if it were custom built just for them, and that’s

exactly what we’re doing. For 2018, Hurricane has expanded

our interior and exterior color selections, in addition to adding

more features and options. There’s also a huge demand for boats

that are multipurpose, which perfectly fits into the Hurricane

DNA. They want to be able to fish, cruise and play all with the

same boat.”– Chip Gerlach, President and General Manager of

Hurricane Deck Boats