Standing Watch: Record Boat Sales in 2020 Will 2021 Follow Suit?

STATEWIDE—It was said time and time again, 2020 was an unprecedented year. For boat sales nationwide and here in California it was certainly an unprecedented year. Will 2021 continue to set boat sales records? The National Marine Manufacturers Association reported retail unit sales of new powerboats nationwide increased last year by an estimated 12 percent compared to 2019. More than 310,000 new powerboats were sold in 2020, levels the recreational boating industry had not seen since before the Great Recession in 2008, according to the NMMA. “For the first time in more than a decade, we saw an increase in first-time boat buyers, who helped spur growth of versatile, smaller boats – less than 26-feet – that are often towed to local waterways and provide a variety of boating experiences, from fishing to watersports,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, NMMA president in a Jan. 6 released statement. Sarah Salvatori from NMMA said in an email initial intel was coming in for California boat sales for 2020 and data on total sales and expenditures would be available later this spring. She did say retail sales of new powerboats in California grew for the ninth consecutive year in 2020 to a twelve-year high, on par with levels...