Category Archives: Sailboat

U.S. Boat Sales Float Back to the Top, Expected to Surge through 2018

Posted on by
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
U.S. Boat Sales Float Back to the Top, Expected to Surge through 2018
Critical selling season for uniquely American-made industry kicks off in January with boat shows around the U.S., bringing best deals of the year for buyers
CHICAGO – January 4, 2017 – The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), 

U.S. Recreational Boating by the Numbers
·         Annual U.S. sales of boats, marine products and services totaled $36 billion in 2015 and are expected to climb three percent in 2016 to $37 billion.
  • Annual U.S. retail sales of NEW boats, marine engines and marine accessories totaled $17.4 billion in 2015 and are expected to grow to $19.1 billion in 2016.
  • There were approximately 238,000 NEW power boats sold in 2015. The NMMA expects this number to grow to more than 250,000 in 2016.
  • The recreational boating industry in the U.S. has an annual economic impact of more than $121.5 billion (includes direct, indirect and induced spending), supporting 650,000 direct and indirect American jobs and nearly 35,000 small businesses.
  • Leading the nation in sales of new powerboat, engine, trailer and accessories in 2015 were the following states:
1.       Florida: $2.6 billion, up 11.4 percent from 2014
2.       Texas: $1.4 billion, up 8.2 percent from 2014
3.       Michigan: $842.5 million, up 10.5 percent from 2014
4.       Minnesota: $661.5 million, up 10 percent from 2014
5.       New York: $643.3 million, up 7.6 percent from 2014
6.       North Carolina: $634.6 million, up 9.4 percent from 2014
7.       Wisconsin: $616.5 million, up 10 percent from 2014
8.       California: $576.3 million, up 5.4 percent from 2014
9.       Louisiana: $528.1 million, down 0.3 percent from 2014
10.   Alabama: $512.3 million, up 11.9 percent from 2014
  • It’s not just new boats Americans are buying; there were an estimated 958,000 pre-owned boats (powerboats, personal watercraft, and sailboats) sold in 2015, an increase of 1.9 percent.
  • There were an estimated 12.1 million registered/documented boats in the U.S. in 2015.
  • Ninety-five percent of boats on the water (powerboats, personal watercraft, and sailboats) in the U.S. are small in size at less than 26 feet in length—boats that can be trailered by a vehicle to local waterways.
  • Boating is predominantly “middle-class” with 72 percent of boat owners having a household income of less than $100,000.
  • 95 percent of all Americans live within an hour’s drive of a navigable body of water

Using a drone to inspect a boat

Posted on by

Once you buy a drone, what do you do? There are only so many photos of the house.  

We tested a drone as a way to inspect a sailboat mast.  Need to climb 60 feet to see whats at the top?  Use a drone first. Might save you the trip and the photos are in great details. 

In this case we used a Yuneec Typnoon Q500 – 4K and a Yuneec Breeze.  The breeze is flown using he smart phone as a controller.
Check out the video here,  Drone mast inspection

How much does a boat cost

Posted on by
I like to think of the purchase price of the boat as an investment.  I know it probably won’t increase in value, but for me it is an investment. Whether it was a “Venti Carmel macchiato with two pumps and whipped” or a new issue of Go Boating, I would be spending the money on something.  I figure the money I spent on the boat and the hours of pleasure I get from it are a lot cheaper than hours I could be spending on a psychiatrist couch.  Come to think of it, it’s not just an investment but a health benefit.
So let’s be real. The boat is using money that could be gaining interest (small as that might be) in an investment account. It’s always good to remind yourself where the money is going and how much. Not that you’ll care, but at least you won’t be surprised.

 There are other costs which I like to break out into “variable costs” and “fixed costs”.  Variable costs are items like fuel and oil. The amount of money it costs me is based on how much I use the boat. Anything that is consumable, time limited or based on wear and tear or hours used, can be considered a variable cost. 


Fixed costs are just that, fixed, no matter how much I use the boat. This can include slips, insurance, license etc.  I still have to pay the fixed costs even if I leave the boat in my yard on the trailer.  And don’t forget to throw in a few extra costs like GPS, charts, skis etc…..
Insurance is not only a fixed cost it is a major cost on some boats.  Make sure you check buying the insurance before you buy the boat. Don’t commit to the deal and find out you can’t buy the insurance because the boat is too big or too fast. I own a specialty insurance agency, take my word on this. 
Last and probably more important than any other factor is your personal preferences.  What do I really want in a boat? This can actually override all the common sense factors; it’s the wild card in the “selection deck”.  It is very important, but don’t let it get in the way of buying a good boat.
Make sure the boat you buy is something you can handle and afford. Choose something that fits the way you live and where you live.  Remember, if you can’t afford the boat or can’t handle the boat, it will sit in the driveway and never see the pounding waves. And if you just have to get it, buy it. But if you are not sure, keep looking, there’s always another boat coming into the used boat marina. 

Want to figure how much your boat cost?  Send me a note and I’ll email you a cost analysis spread sheet. You can plug in the numbers and see what your boat is costing you. Or what that new boat you are thinking about buying, might cost.