A few items of interest from the 2nd Qtr, 2005, analysis of WA State
boat sales activity. While this is only accurate for WA, it may be an
indicator for other regions as well.

Overall boat sales for 2Q05 were down slightly from 2Q04. Off 679 units
or 3.3% Most significant losses were in the Used, Private category
(down 488 units) and Used, Import (current WA State registrants
purchasing a used boat from out of state- down 191 units). New boats
sold by dealers were actually up 133 units, or 4.4%. There was also a
60-boat decline in the number of boats brought in by people arriving
from out of state.

Used Boat sales from all sources down were just 4%, with most of the
declining categories in the "under-30'" sector. The 35-38' group fell
off by 12 units, or 8.8% and the 51-54' group was down by 2 units or
16.7% but all other medium and large boat categories were close to even
or up slightly. The 43-46' sector imporoved the most, with a 21% (12
unit) improvement over the same quarter last year.

Among used boats sold in 2Q05: 3,471 were registered as outdrive
powered, 2,151 as inboard, 1,619 jet drives, 7,797 outboard, 506
sailboats, 206 were "unknown"

Among new boats sold in 2Q05: 1,090 were outdrives, 570 inboards, 657
jet boats, 1,559 outboards, 30 sailboats, and 40 were listed as
"unknown".

30 sailboats?...one has to assume that some of the sailboats with
auxiliaries are registered as inboards or outboards- no way that
the entire community of new sailboat dealers in the state is surviving
on an average of 10 total sales a month.