Features

Best Marketing Hampton Watercraft and Marine Hampton Bays, N.Y. From social media to direct mail to events, Hampton Watercraft and Marine put a particular emphasis on improving its marketing in 2015. The Long Island dealer started by expanding its social media presence through increased posting and special social media accounts dedicated to its MasterCraft boat line. “While we try and grow our ...

As the Boating Industry Top 100 celebrates its 12th year, the dealers on the list are stronger than they have been since before the Great Recession. The Top 100 and Hall of Fame reached nearly $2.7 billion in total revenue in 2015, surpassing last year’s total by more than $100 million. It was the third-highest total in the history of ...

This month we recognize the Boating Industry Top 100 – the best boat dealers in North America. And as we celebrate their success for the 12th time, the dealers on the list are stronger than they have been since before the Great Recession. The Top 100 and Hall of Fame reached nearly $2.7 billion in total revenue in 2015, surpassing ...

There may not be a company doing more to shake up the boating industry than OneWater Marine Holdings. Since 2010 – first as Singleton Marine Group and now as OneWater – the company has united nine dealer brands under one umbrella. As of mid-2016, the company had 35 locations stretching across the southern U.S. It’s something we haven’t seen since ...

Existing home sales increased again in November, building on the pre-recession levels October sales hit last month. Housing starts dropped this month, but housing completions remain high. Existing home sales Total existing home sales increased 0.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.61 million in November, up from a downwardly revised 5.57 million in October. This is the ...

Year-over-year growth in boat sales held steady in November, with the strongest growth in fishing and ski boats, according to the latest Info-Link Bellwether report. According to Info-Link, 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 ...

The BI Weekly 5 is a collection of tips, news and data affecting the boating industry this week. Be sure to look for the BI Weekly 5 every week on BoatingIndustry.com. 1. Proposal to close Florida bridge raises boating concerns The closure of a drawbridge in downtown Fort Lauderdale in February could cost local boating businesses hundreds of thousands of ...

The Recreational Boating and Leadership Council New Markets Task Force spent 2016 working on an educational training module for the industry, and its first presentations so far have been well received. The 45-minute module includes the latest statistics on the Hispanic, African American and Asian markets in the U.S., as well as original best practice case study videos featuring five ...

Small business optimism is above the 42-year average for the third time since 2007 and builder confidence is at its highest level in over 11 years. These bumps can both be attributed to post-election sentiments. NFIB Small Business Optimism Index Small business optimism improved 3.5 points to 98.4 in November, which is just above the 42-year average. This is the ...

Susan Bonivich, dealer/OEM sales manager at Volvo Penta of the Americas, was named the 2016 Darlene Briggs Woman of the Year at an industry breakfast during the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo in Orlando on Dec. 8. The Darlene Briggs award, which was created to honor the late Darlene Briggs of Wayzata Marine in Wayzata, Minn., is presented annually by ...