In February, new powerboat registrations numbered 6,198, which was a 17.9% decline compared with February 2022’s 7,551. Year-over-year totals were 21.2% less, at 11,104 for 2023 and 14,097 in 2022. For the second-straight month, the numbers were more realistically seasonal and typical of prepandemic totals.

The data was provided by Statistical Surveys, a Michigan-based firm that compiled information from 32 states, representing 66.75% of the U.S. recreational boating market.

“It’s an interesting number,” says Chad Lyon, managing director of marine and RV for Wells Fargo. “From our standpoint, seasonality has returned quickly to the space.”

He continued: “We’ve not seen anything that’s deterring retail demand. The people that are keeping the
sustained retail demand in the boating space are the people who have the money.”

Looking at individual categories, 1,551 aluminum fishing boats were registered in February, a 10.7% drop from 2022’s 1,736. Year-over-year numbers were 2,719 for 2023 and 3,231 for 2022, a 15.8% difference. Outboard-powered fiberglass boats from 11 to 50 feet were at 2,506 new registrations in February, an 11.9% decline from 2022’s 2,844. There were 52 yachts between 41 and 65 feet signed up in February, a 1.9% drop compared with 53 in the same month of 2022. Year-over-year numbers were 96 in 2023 and 118 in 2022, an 18.6% difference.

In other mainstream categories, semicustom and custom yachts larger than 66 feet had seven new registrations in February compared with 14 in 2022, a 50% decline. That translated to a year-over-year total of 19 versus 34, a 44.1% drop in 2023 from 2022.

The previously strong ski and wakesports boat category took a hit with 301 new boats in February, a 38.2% reduction compared to 2022’s 487. For the year, the numbers were 558 in 2023 and 911 in 2022, a 38.7% difference.

Bowriders and deckboats checked in at 186 for February and 267 the previous year, a 30.3% difference. Year over year saw 308 new registrations in 2023 and 506 in 2022, a 39.5% drop. Another strong performer for the past five years, pontoons, saw a 25.8% drop from February 2023 to 2022, with 1,557 versus 2,099, and a change of 29.3% for the year over year, at 2,638 versus 3,729.

Individual categories had positive results in February. Electric boats had the biggest increase, 72.7%, with 19 registered this year compared to 11 in 2022. The year-over-year numbers were 33 in 2023 and 26 in 2022, a 26.9% boost. With 109 new registrations in February versus 77 the year before, the sailboat category was up 41.6%. The year-over-year numbers were 211 in 2023 and 161 in 2022, a 31.1% jump.

The All Others category had 776 new boats in February 2023, a 27.6% increase over February 2022’s 608, which worked out to 1,530 for the year so far compared with 1,158, a 32.1% gain.

Statistical Surveys also provided total registration numbers of 9,807 nationwide for the current year. The top individual state was Florida, with 2,900. Second was Texas at 990, followed by North Carolina at 728. 

This article was originally published in the May 2023 issue.