Features

Boat sales increased by almost 4 percent in September, according to the latest Info-Link Bellwether report. The Bellwether report tracks sales of powerboats across the country based on new U.S. boat registrations on a rolling 12-month basis. Bellwether states are geographically dispersed states representing roughly half of the U.S. boat market (varies by market segment and time of year). Boat ...

Corporate executives from Winnebago Industries included a quick update on Chris-Craft during the company’s fourth quarter and fiscal year 2018 conference call. FY 2018 was a tremendous step forward for Winnebago Industries in all aspects – strategically, financially, and culturally, stated President and CEO Michael Happe. “We made strong strides in the journey to transform ourselves into a premier, outdoor ...

Diversity still lags as industry issue The industry has continued concern about its potential success in capturing a larger share of younger buyers as a new market segment as opposed to increasing its number of non-white buyers, according to the latest Boating Industry reader survey. We surveyed print and digital products readers in August to find out more about their ...

Market strategies serve boat building clients Interior suppliers are refining their efforts to push new products and serve boat builders throughout the industry.  Boating Industry recently visited with suppliers to learn how they are delivering innovative materials and honing their market strategies for serving boat builders. “We did a really good job this year of staying with our core customers, ...

Current trends show bright future for saltwater fishing segment America’s anglers are estimated to spend $49.8 billion per year in retail sales associated with their sport, according to a recent report released by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), with the help of Southwick Associates titled “Sportfishing in America: An Economic Force for Conservation.” According to the recent Special Report on ...

Dealers share approaches for bettering the bottom line Top dealers understand the importance of cultivating new revenue.  Planning is critical, and the path to a better bottom line often begins when the current boating season starts to wind down and thoughts turn to the year ahead.  A number of Boating Industry’s 2017 Top 20 dealers took unique approaches when it ...

As some of the best boat dealers in North America, the Boating Industry Top 100 dealers – and those who apply for the list – offer us great insight into the top issues facing the industry.  As I write this, we’re deep into evaluation of this year’s applicants. (By the time it’s published, the 2018 list will be done.) Here ...

One of the services we offer our clients is to mystery shop their competitors. When traveling, I typically stop at a dealer or two to shop them in person and attend multiple boats shows each season. It’s part market research for my clients and part industry research for my team and me.  One of the biggest areas of opportunities I’ve ...

In late August, U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke stole a historical page from John Wesley Powell’s book in issuing a reorganization plan that will divide the agency into 12 regions. Powell was a U.S. soldier, geologist, explorer of the American West, professor at Illinois Wesleyan University, and director of major scientific and cultural institutions.  Powell served as second director of ...

TAMPA, Fla. – Mark Schwabero, Chairman and CEO Brunswick Corp., has been named the 2018 Boating Industry Mover & Shaker of the Year. Boating Industry Editor-in-Chief Tim Hennagir presented Schwabero with the award during the IBEX Industry Breakfast Tuesday morning at the Tampa Waterside Marriott Hotel. “The 8th annual Movers & Shakers Awards recognizes leaders who haven’t been afraid to take chances ...