Tariffs and Boaters: What Does It Mean For You?

NATIONWIDE — Everything has a cost – including tariffs. The only question is not whether, but when, Pres. Donald J. Trump’s imposition of tariffs on multiple countries and industries would eventually trickle down and harm the consumer. Will the cost of buying a boat, for example, substantially rise because of the tariffs placed on aluminum and steel tariffs? A lot of the chatter and questioning surrounding the imposition of tariffs focus on the direct effects of Trump’s policies on industry-level activities, such as jobs and product exports. Such concerns, of course, are eventually bourn on to the consumer – in the form of an increased sticker. The issue of tariffs and boat manufacturers won’t simply be an industry issue – companies will eventually adjust and pass along costs to the consumer. We don’t have any clarity yet as to when consumers would feel the pinch of the tariffs or what the beefed-up price tags would look like, but what should you, as a boater, do to keep up with the Trump administration’s trade war and its potential effects on the consumer market? Keeping your pulse on what industry leaders are saying is a good place to start. Bill Yeargin, CEO of Correct Craft, penned...