International Boat Industry - June-July 2018

32 JUNE–JULY 2018 | International Boat Industry http://www.ibi-plus.com

Markets & Regions

FRESHWATER FISHING | US

T

he freshwater fishing segment has long been

the backbone of the US boatbuilding industry,

accounting for nearly one-third of all boats

sold each year in the United States.

According to 2017 data from Grand Rapids,

Michigan-based Statistical Surveys Inc (SSI),

aluminium outboard-powered fishing boats hold a

commanding 23.33% share of the US boat market.

Adding bass boats (3.88%) and aluminium utility

boats (3.4%) to the total means the freshwater fishing

category represents at least 30.61% of the total

US boating market – a total that does not include

saltwater boats used in freshwater environments such

as the Great Lakes, or fishing-specific pontoon boats.

All together, freshwater fishing boats account

for nearly 45% of all outboard-powered boats sold in

the US each year, according to the National Marine

Manufacturers Association (NMMA). This staggering

level of market domination eclipses pontoons (32%)

and saltwater fishing boats (19%) to firmly establish

FRESHWATER FISHING BOATS REMAIN THE CASH COW OF THE US BOAT INDUSTRY,

POSTING STEADY YEAR-OVER-YEAR GAINS IN BOTH UNITS AND DOLLARS

WORDS: CRAIG RITCHIE

Freshwater fishing

dominates the market

freshwater fishing boats as a clear market leader.

The Alexandria, Virginia-based American

Sportfishing Association notes that there are nearly

46 million anglers currently licensed to fish in the US,

with about two-thirds of them focused on fishing in

fresh water. This concentration of freshwater anglers

is a big reason that NMMA data shows approximately

95% of all registered boats in the US are less than 26ft

in length – boats that can be easily trailered behind a

family vehicle to local waterways.

STABLE GROWTH IN UNITS, GREATER

GROWTH IN DOLLARS

Even in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis,

freshwater fishing boats remained one of the few

categories that continued to sell. “The freshwater

fishing segment didn’t experience the explosive growth

coming out of the recession the way some other

categories did, mainly because it didn’t collapse to

begin with,” says Ryan Kloppe, SSI director of sales.

XThe 60 Jet
series from Lowe
Boats. Freshwater
outboard-powered
aluminium fishing
boats represent
almost a quarter of
the total US boat
market

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