Registration numbers for the 15-foot-and-over U.S. powerboat market dropped in February off recent monthly improvements.
New-boat registrations were down 7.9% in February from the 12-month rolling average, representing a monthly drop in the overall near-term trend. Registrations across all seven segments totaled 233,696 units through February on a rolling 12-month basis.
The data for new-boat registrations is provided by Info-Link, a Florida-based company that compiles registration numbers from the U.S. Coast Guard and individual states.
Again, this month, good numbers came from the freshwater fishboat segment. That category was up 4.8% on a 12-month rolling average, and total units registered were 55,196 on that basis.
All other categories were down on that basis, with pontoon and PWC numbers showing the steepest drop-offs. Pontoons were off 12% from their rolling 12-month average, and PWC were down 12.5%.
Chad Lyon, managing director, global inventory finance at Wells Fargo, says, “Freshwater fishboats are an affordable option for those wanting to get out on the water and continue their fishing hobby. We might continue to see this stay steady with the market uncertainty we are in.”
Saltwater fishboat sales have been roughly steady in recent months, running about 8% to 10% below their 12-month averages. For February, that category was off 8.5% from its 12-month rolling average. For the month, saltwater fishboats were down 13%, with 1,424 units registered as sold.
At the state level, there was some good news. California, Texas and Pennsylvania, as well as a few smaller states, were up on their three-month rolling average of boat purchases. California was up 53%, Texas 4% and Pennsylvania 8%. Florida sales were down 6% on that three-month rolling average.
Macroeconomic concerns were at the forefront of consumers’ minds in the month of February, as tariffs, inflation and continued high interest rates dominated news headlines.
“Market uncertainty is playing a role in large-ticket consumer goods, and the boating industry is feeling it slightly,” Lyon said. “There was good optimism heading into 2025, but I think most are in a cautious wait-and-see mindset.”
