New Powerboat Registrations Down Slightly through July

NMMA’s New Powerboat Registration Report has been updated with data through July. Preliminary data from the report shows new powerboat registrations were down 0.4 percent through July on a rolling 12-month year-over-year basis (R12M YOY) and down 2.4 percent on a rolling 3-month year-over-year basis.

“Much of the minor softness we’re seeing is weather-related with the fundamentals that drive industry sales remaining strong and new powerboat sales are still at their second highest levels in 11 years,” said Dr. Thom Dammrich, NMMA president. “Wake boat and personal watercraft sales remain strong with this year’s slowdown skewing toward small to mid-sized aluminum boats, a high-volume segment that impacts the overall new powerboat average.”

Insights from the July report include:

  • The segments that led growth on both an R12M and R3M YOY basis were personal watercraft (up 8 percent R12M YOY, up 4 percent R3M YOY) and wake boats (up 6.6 percent R12M YOY, up 3.2 percent R3M YOY). Cruisers were up 1.8 percent R12M YOY and down -0.5 percent R3M YOY.
  • Fiberglass-hulled powerboats (accounting for 58 percent of unit sales on an annualized basis), inboard boats, jet boats and personal watercraft were all up on both an R12M and YTD YOY basis through July.
  • Sales of larger powerboats continue to make gains; new registrations of powerboats 27’ and larger were up 4.9 percent R12M YOY and up 8.6 percent R3M YOY.


For complete data by boat type, hull material, propulsion, and size going back five years, please view the full report here. Access to the New Powerboat Registrations Report is complimentary to companies with a Monthly Shipment Report (MSR) annual subscription. A member company that contributes its data to the MSR also receives free access to NMMA’s New Powerboat Registrations Report.

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