Are you a boater here in Muskoka or Ontario! Canadians in general love their boats and boating with their families and friends! At the Miami boat show the NMNA ( National Marine Manufacturers Association) released the retail sales activity for Canada and the United States. Lets take a look at the Canadian data. Unit sales approaching 40,000 in a 12 month period ending September 30, 2014. Total value of these sales is 1.8 billion dollars!
For retail activity the four provinces that comprise the majority of retail boat sales are Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia. Ontario has traditionally been the largest driver in boat sales. What sold? 55 percent were outboard powered which is pontoons, fishing boats and smaller lake family recreational craft. 13% were sterndrive powered or your traditional bowrider, 7 percent were tow boats or inboards, 2 percent inboard cruisers, 3 percent were jet boat sales, 17 percent PWC and 1 % sailboats. Over the last five years of so the shift to outboards with the new four stroke product and the re-emergence of the pontoon market has been noticeable. Jet boats never made much sense to me due to the inherent inefficiency of the power and sail…well….no one unless you are retired seems to have the time anymore. Boat sales were stronger in the United States year over year as the US has emerged from its housing crisis.
Provided information projects a 7% increase in 2015 and the recent Toronto Boat Show at least for Huntsville Marine indicates a strong year. Welcome to spring and lets get boating!
