Jaxashby wrote:

1985 was the high point in boat ownership in terms of units in the US
of A.
kids, now in their early 40's at the top side, are not taking up
sailing/boating. One yacht club I know of has just two members under
50.


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You may have confused boat ownership with boat sales. A lot more people
now *own* boats than did in 1985, but there may be some reason that
1985 was a "boom" year for unit sales.

The nature of boating is changing. I agree that sailing is pretty well
on its butt, new boat sales wise.There are plenty of good used
sailboats out there, and a very slowly diminshing but still significant
number of people enjoying them. Kayaks are booming, and you have to
consider a kayak a boat. Fewer people buy a boat just to get out on the
lake and buzz around in a circle than may have in the past, and unless
one buys a big SUV or diesel pickup, (with payments that then make boat
ownership almost impossible on many middle class incomes), there are
few vehicles sold that are suitable tow rigs for a trailerable boat.

More people today buy a boat to enhance another aspect of their
lifestyle. They may buy a boat for fishing, for skiing or tubing, for
camping and exploring, etc.

You are correct that we need to get younger people into boating, but
that will be a challenge with much of generation X. A lot of these
"kids" are in their mid 30's, with little desire to own anything that
will tie them down, little desire to marry or start a
family.....(average age of first marriages is now close to 30 YO,
compared to early 20's a generation ago)....and many of them
don't have enough disposable income to contemplate spending the
$1000/month and more it usually takes to own, insure, maintain, and
operate even a modest boat. These kids have done the jet-ski thing and
crossed "boating" off the list of things to do, or are eating tofu
snacks on a remote island with a kayak beached nearby.