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NMMA October Powerboat Registrations Report: Retail Unit Sales on R3M Rise

| Statistics

NMMA today announced its October New Powerboat Registrations Report showing new powerboat retail unit sales were up 5 percent on a rolling 3-month year-over-year (R3M YOY) basis and down 1 percent on a rolling 12-month year-over-year (R12M YOY) basis. Total new units sold in 2019 (through October) reached 261,600, signaling that total 2019 sales remain on track to finish on par with 2018.

“While we were down 1 percent from November 2018 through October 2019 compared to the previous R12M period (November 2017 through October 2018), we saw a healthy August, September and October with retail unit sales up from where they were a year ago (R3M). This offset some of the moderation experienced in the first half of 2019 due in part to less than favorable spring and summer weather in many parts of the country,” said Vicky Yu, Director of Business Intelligence for NMMA. “As a result of the healthy sales in late summer and early fall, this year’s new powerboat retail unit sales are expected to come nearly on par with 2018, making 2019 the second highest year for sales since 2007. Looking forward, retail unit sales are expected to remain healthy in 2020 and up as much as 2 percent.”

Insights from the October report include:

  • Sales of new personal watercraft and new wake sport boats continue to be growth leaders, each up 6 percent in unit sales on a R12M YOY basis. On a R3M YOY basis, new personal watercraft sales were up 10 percent and new wake sport boat sales were up 8 percent.
  • Sales of new cruisers were up 3 percent R12M YOY and up 5 percent R3M YOY, led by growth in the outboard cruisers segment.
  • Sales of new freshwater fishing boats were down 7 percent R12M YOY and down 1 percent R3M YOY, a return to 2015-2016 levels.


For complete data by boat type, hull material, propulsion, and size going back five years, please view the full report here. Access to the New Powerboat Registrations Report is complimentary to companies that subscribe to or participate in NMMA’s Monthly Shipment Report (MSR) program. To learn more, contact [email protected].