Features

What America’s changing demographics mean for boating It’s no exaggeration to say we are in the midst of major demographic shifts in the United States. What the average American looks like, where they live and how they behave are all changing at a rapid pace. With these changes in generations, race and ethnicity, it also means a much different target audience for ...

Nearly 80 percent of the marine industry expects to see their sales grow by 5 to 10 percent, according to a new survey from GE Capital, Commercial Distribution Finance. That’s up from 54 percent who felt the same in 2014 and 43 percent in 2013. The survey was conducted in February at GE’s Industry Leadership Conference, held in conjunction with ...

Industry making progress on key issues As we head into the spring legislative session with a new Congress, the boating industry’s key issues are getting some attention once again. From ethanol to Magnuson-Stevens to the Sportfish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, there’s progress, albeit slow. Here’s an update on some of those key industry issues: Ethanol Over the last several ...

Five engine manufacturers offer new technologies to sustain consumer interest The past year has seen a number of new outboard products entering the market. Manufacturers want to provide existing consumers with the option to repower or add power to their vessels, which is an unsurprising emphasis considering that nearly half, or 7.9 million, of recreational boats in use are outboard-power motor ...

Consumers, new technologies help the segment expand Paints and coatings aren’t exactly big news items in the industry, but recent changes in the segment can have a major impact on businesses with painting operations. Several new products, new technology, new training programs and the shortage of a key ingredient in antifouling paints will shape how businesses approach painting in the ...

It’s been a little over a year since Brad Gates took over as the CEO of Nautic Global Group, manufacturer of several boat brands including Hurricane, Rinker, Sweetwater, Polar Kraft and more. In March 2014, Gates succeeded Jim Malone, who had filled the role on an interim basis for several months after the 2013 departure of Mike Kitson. Before joining ...

The Boating Industry Top 100 dealers represent the best boat dealers in North America – and in this new regular feature in the magazine we’ll be sharing some of their best practices. It’s a chance for everyone in the industry to learn from the best-of-the-best, with tested, actionable ideas that these top dealers have used to succeed in their businesses. ...

Regulations hurting ability to grow, survey says A majority of those in the boating industry believe government regulations are making it difficult for them to grow their business. That’s according to the latest Boating Industry survey, which surveyed readers of the magazine and digital products about their top issues and attitudes about government policies and regulations. The survey was conducted ...

In Hispanic families, the spouse has the power of veto as to what the family will or won’t do on the weekends, and this is no different than the general market. Women make or break family purchase decisions and are adventurers in their own right, so they need to continue to be addressed during the sales process. Dealers should be ...

Robalo Boats has seen the potential with the Hispanic community and while it is not the company’s sole focus, training its dealer network on how to address the changing demographics is a priority. Robalo hosts corporate-level training for its dealer network, as well as multiple regional training opportunities in the field, in which the company aims to make its sales ...