Markets & Regions
RUNABOUTS | US
http://www.ibi-plus.comwww.ibi-plus.com International Boat Industry | JUNE–JULY 2018 25
FIBREGLASS RUNABOUTS WERE ONCE THE BACKBONE OF THE US BOAT INDUSTRY.
BUT COMPETITION FROM PONTOONS AND OTHER OUTBOARD-POWERED DESIGNS
HAS FORCED A RETHINK OF THE CLASSIC BOWRIDER
WORDS: CRAIG RITCHIE
Constant change
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F
or years the 18ft fibreglass bowrider powered by a four-
cylinder or six-cylinder sterndrive engine was a pillar of
the US boat industry. That position changed abruptly
following the introduction of 2010 EPA emission regulations that
dramatically increased the cost of sterndrive engines. Coincident
advances in outboard technology combined to send thousands of
potential runabout buyers looking instead at pontoons and deck
boats, which suddenly seemed to offer much greater value.
Manufacturers of sterndrive-powered runabouts watched
as sales figures plummeted through the f loor. Faced with this
precipitous decline in sterndrive volumes, a number of builders
responded by retooling existing moulds in order
to offer outboard-powered versions of standing
product. While these revised models offered the
lower cost, lighter weight and increased cockpit space
afforded by their new outboard power, by that point
the damage had been done, and pontoons began
to reign as the new standard. In its 2017 Statistical
Abstract, the Nation Marine Manufacturers
Association (NMMA) shows runabout year-over-year
sales volumes to have declined by 1% overall. But to
understand what’s really happening in the runabout
category, one has to look beyond the numbers.
NEW ERA
Eight years after the introduction of those EPA regulations that so
dramatically changed the playing field, the runabout category today
looks very, very different. The cookie-cutter 18-footers that once
dominated the segment are long gone, replaced by boats which are
much larger, much more capable, and focused on appealing to a
decidedly upscale market. And, increasingly, powered by outboards.
“We have introduced more outboard-powered models, like our
new 31 Bowrider,” says Formula Boats CEO Scott Porter. “They’re
attractive because they offer all the benefits of outboard power but
without giving up any of the performance or features that buyers of
our product have come to expect.”
Cobalt Boats has long operated in the luxury runabout
category, until recently with models offering exclusively
sterndrive power. “When we acquired Cobalt they had two
outboard-powered models. Quite honestly, they were late to the
market with that,” says Malibu Boats CEO Jack Springer. “Cobalt
has been bringing out two to three new products a year and my
view is it needs to be more than that. So that’s a focus area for us.
SJack Springer,
CEO of Malibu BoatsThe runabout market wants more outboard models.”
For Sarasota, Florida-based Chris-Craft Boats,
both closed-bow and open-bow runabouts powered
by sterndrives remain strong sellers. “We have enjoyed
solid growth through 2017, and 2018 has so far also
been very good,” says Chris-Craft’s vice president of
sales, Gavan Hunt. “Runabouts, at least at the premium
luxury level we operate in, have become a bit of a niche
product and that suits Chris-Craft particularly well as we’ve
always had a very distinct and unique product line. One area
where we’ve done particularly well is in selling runabouts like
our Capri series and Carina series as yacht tenders. They have
the impeccable fit, finish and design to complement a luxury
yacht, with the sporty styling that makes them exciting and fun.”
The other area where Chris-Craft has enjoyed success is with
its outboard-powered product. “We offer both sterndrive and
outboard product because we believe in both. We believe each
has its advantages and in some cases a sterndrive is still the
better way to go,” says Hunt. “That said, the outboard market
grew 22% last year, and the sterndrive market grew only 2%.
That’s the first time it’s grown in several years. Our dual-console
Calypso and centre console Catalina product are outboard-
powered, and that appeals to runabout buyers who appreciate
being able to tilt the engine completely out of the water when the
boat’s not in use. And we also have some outboard launches that
we’re just starting to work with.”TCobalt’s sterndrive-powered R5 WSS Surf