The first quarter statistics for boat sales in WA state are in.

We are in a "full employment" economy in most portions of the state,
the stock market is going through the roof, so it would seem like a
time when consumer confidence would be high and people would be buying
boats. Not so.

Boat sales are down. Overall, new boat sales are off 16% from last
year, and if a big rise in PWC sales (go figure) is factored out the
drop is probably closer to 19-20%. Just think what the drop would have
been if this were a recession year.

One statistic that is notable is that the average transaction price,
with everything from $1000 dinghies to $Xmm motoryachts factored in,
is up substantially. It would seem any fears that the "little guy"
will be the first to be driven from boating by higher fuel prices are
probably well founded. In fact, that average transaction price is up
something like 40% from where it was just five years ago.

A good synopsis c&p from an email:


The 1st quarter boat sales data for Washington State are in and the
figures are now posted on the NMTA web site. Members can compare the
quarter's sales numbers to those of the last five years!

Some interesting facts from the 1st Quarter Data include:

Across the state, new boat sales by dealers were down 16 percent in
units
Despite the overall drop, new PWC sales were up 52 percent (116 units
in 2007 compared to 76 units last year)
Comparison of the average price of a new boat sold by a dealer during
the 1st Quarter:
2003: $32,064
2004: $34,046 (+6%)
2005: $38,129 (+12%)
2006: $41,183 (+8%)
2007: $46,168 (+12%)

On 2 May 2007 17:23:50 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

Is there a way to find out what the sales figures in CT, MA or RI are?

On May 2, 5:31?pm, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 2 May 2007 17:23:50 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

Is there a way to find out what the sales figures in CT, MA or RI are?

You may be able to get that information through your local marine
trades association. I belong to the local association (NMTA). That's
where I get the quarterly info for Washington. You are supposed to be
a member of the NMTA to have access to all of the data, so that's why
I didn't post a link to all of the details and provided only the
synopsis.

NMTA gets the information from a group called Sea Grant, and Sea Grant
gets a copy of every registration for a new or used boat statewide.

It is probably safe to assume that the number of boats registered in a
state is a matter of public record that any citizen should be able to
access. To be of any real value, the bulk number has to broken down
into categories and compared with previous periods. We wouldn't have
this information available if it weren't for Sea Grant, as there isn't
enough staff at NMTA to continuously update the registration files.

I would be pretty surprised to find a *huge* discrepancy between our
local region and elsewhere. If there are pockets where the economy is
locally depressed for some reason sales may be off more, but most of
the country seems to be doing well in almost every area except
housing. The economy is particularly robust in this area, with real
estate values continuing to increase and a shortage of qualified
workers driving up wages in many industires rather nicely. There is
very little reason aside from fuel prices going through the
stratosphere, IMO, for people to shy away from buying right now.

This doesn't merely affect boat dealers, by the way. Anybody who owns
a boat and hopes to sell it someday will become part of the "supply"
side of the curve and subject to the same hot or cold market as the
boat dealers are.

On 2 May 2007 17:52:54 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

This doesn't merely affect boat dealers, by the way. Anybody who owns
a boat and hopes to sell it someday will become part of the "supply"
side of the curve and subject to the same hot or cold market as the
boat dealers are.

I'm curious because I'm hearing that boat sales are fairly
dramatically down across the board around my area.

I talked to a broker this afternoon who hasn't seen sales this bad in
quite a while.

On Thu, 03 May 2007 01:05:55 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

I talked to a broker this afternoon who hasn't seen sales this bad in
quite a while.

I'm guessing that this might be a reflection of what's happening in
the housing market where interest rates are up, lenders are getting
pickier, and home prices are flat to down. I suspect a lot of people
do "cash out" refinancing to buy a boat, using the house as a piggy
bank of sorts. Fuel may be a factor also but I suspect not as much.

On May 2, 8:52 pm, Chuck Gould wrote:
On May 2, 5:31?pm, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

On 2 May 2007 17:23:50 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

Is there a way to find out what the sales figures in CT, MA or RI are?

You may be able to get that information through your local marine
trades association. I belong to the local association (NMTA). That's
where I get the quarterly info for Washington. You are supposed to be
a member of the NMTA to have access to all of the data, so that's why
I didn't post a link to all of the details and provided only the
synopsis.

NMTA gets the information from a group called Sea Grant, and Sea Grant
gets a copy of every registration for a new or used boat statewide.

It is probably safe to assume that the number of boats registered in a
state is a matter of public record that any citizen should be able to
access. To be of any real value, the bulk number has to broken down
into categories and compared with previous periods. We wouldn't have
this information available if it weren't for Sea Grant, as there isn't
enough staff at NMTA to continuously update the registration files.

I would be pretty surprised to find a *huge* discrepancy between our
local region and elsewhere. If there are pockets where the economy is
locally depressed for some reason sales may be off more, but most of
the country seems to be doing well in almost every area except
housing. The economy is particularly robust in this area, with real
estate values continuing to increase and a shortage of qualified
workers driving up wages in many industires rather nicely. There is
very little reason aside from fuel prices going through the
stratosphere, IMO, for people to shy away from buying right now.

This doesn't merely affect boat dealers, by the way. Anybody who owns
a boat and hopes to sell it someday will become part of the "supply"
side of the curve and subject to the same hot or cold market as the
boat dealers are.

You could start with this link, they got a place down by the
Steamtrain.
http://www.ctmarinetrades.org/
I think there's a girl there most of the time.

On May 2, 8:31 pm, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 2 May 2007 17:23:50 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

Is there a way to find out what the sales figures in CT, MA or RI are?

You could try the CMTA, they have a place right across from the
Steamtrain

http://www.ctmarinetrades.org/

I think they are staffed regular business hours, I forget the
directors name though.

On 2 May 2007 19:56:52 -0700, wrote:

On May 2, 8:31 pm, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 2 May 2007 17:23:50 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

Is there a way to find out what the sales figures in CT, MA or RI are?

You could try the CMTA, they have a place right across from the
Steamtrain

http://www.ctmarinetrades.org/

I think they are staffed regular business hours, I forget the
directors name though.

I have several friends on the CMTA - Mrs. Wave's cousin was president
a couple of years ago.

I don't think they have that kind of information.

I'll keep looking.

On May 3, 6:34 am, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 2 May 2007 19:56:52 -0700, wrote:

On May 2, 8:31 pm, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 2 May 2007 17:23:50 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

Is there a way to find out what the sales figures in CT, MA or RI are?

You could try the CMTA, they have a place right across from the
Steamtrain

http://www.ctmarinetrades.org/

I think they are staffed regular business hours, I forget the
directors name though.

I have several friends on the CMTA - Mrs. Wave's cousin was president
a couple of years ago.

I don't think they have that kind of information.

I'll keep looking.

Oh, saw Chuck got his info from NMTA.. oh well. Off to the yardwork.

On May 3, 10:15 am, wrote:
On May 3, 6:34 am, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:





On 2 May 2007 19:56:52 -0700, wrote:

On May 2, 8:31 pm, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 2 May 2007 17:23:50 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

Is there a way to find out what the sales figures in CT, MA or RI are?

You could try the CMTA, they have a place right across from the
Steamtrain

http://www.ctmarinetrades.org/

I think they are staffed regular business hours, I forget the
directors name though.

I have several friends on the CMTA - Mrs. Wave's cousin was president
a couple of years ago.

I don't think they have that kind of information.

I'll keep looking.

Oh, saw Chuck got his info from NMTA.. oh well. Off to the yardwork.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

No uncertainties for me, I'm CERTAIN filling the boat up this year is
going to suck.