Outboards lead strong April boat sales growth

April boat sales continued the strong run of year-over-year sales growth, according to the latest Info-Link Bellwether report.

Sales were up by just less than 10 percent for the month on a rolling 12-month basis, on pace with March’s rate.

The Bellwether report tracks boat sales across the country based on new U.S. boat registrations. Bellwether states are geographically dispersed states representing roughly half of the US boat market (varies by market segment and time of year).

Sales of outboard-powered boats were up about 12 percent year-over-year, while sterndrive/jet sales continued to struggle, down 5 percent for the 12-month period.

PWC are still showing the strongest growth, with sales up by about 20 percent. Sales growth reached nearly 30 percent last summer as that market had a very strong 2014 season.

Sales growth has slowed somewhat in the ski boat segment, but that market is still up more than 10 percent after peaking at more than 20 percent year-over-year growth in spring 2014.

The sportfish market also stayed strong, with sales up about 15 percent, roughly on pace with the rate of the last year.