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First Winter Boat Shows of 2025 Attract Buyers, Bring Optimism for Early Signs of Return to Sales Growth

| Boat/Sportshows

The Discover Boating Atlanta, Chicago and New England boat shows, in partnership with Progressive Insurance®, drew in more than 65,000 buyers and boating enthusiasts last weekend, eager to shop deals on thousands of new boats, accessories and the latest marine innovations. Despite continued headwinds after years of record growth in recreational boat unit sales and Winter Storm Cora’s impact in Atlanta, exhibitors expressed optimism with reports of sales and a steady stream of attendees, reinforcing the 2025 market assessment issued by the NMMA last week.

The Discover Boating Chicago Boat Show®, in partnership with Progressive Insurance®, made its debut at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill. with resounding positive feedback from both exhibitors and attendees. Attendance on Saturday was the highest Saturday attendance since pre-pandemic in January 2020.

"We saw a very positive response from our customers on the new location in Rosemont, with an increase in attendance and improved results for Gordy's and Cobalt Boats year-over-year," said Steele Johnson, Gordy's Lakefront Marine. "We are also honored to have been awarded Best Display and Marketing Partner of the Year, which serve as great recognition for our team who worked extremely hard to make this year's show a success!"

“The 2025 Chicago Boat Show was a big success! We’ve seen growth across all key metrics – leads, deals written and pro-shop sales,” echoed Terry Anderson, SkipperBud’s. “The crowds were steady every day, and we had good traffic right up until closing time. The overall sentiment from attendees was very positive, and we observed a larger presence from clients located near the lakes we primarily service.”

Crowds showed up throughout the five-day Discover Boating New England Boat Show®, in partnership with Progressive Insurance®, with many exhibitors yielding promising sales with returning customers and new buyers alike.

“The New England Boat Show has produced more quality leads this year than in the past. Our team of dealers have sold several boats to repeat buyers and new boaters. This show continues to draw customers from all over New England,” said Aaron Krenzer, Chaparral Boats.

The Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, Kim Driscoll, attended the 2025 New England Boat Show’s Opening Night Party benefiting Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, addressing a crowd of more than 125 boaters and industry stakeholders about the importance of recreational boating to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and how critical the boat show is to the industry as the NMMA looks to restore the show’s Feb. dates.

“We are really dedicated to making sure that this show is successful, for all of you, but certainly it makes a huge part of our economy,” noted Lt. Gov. Driscoll. “Last year, we had 372 jobs we attributed directly to the show’s five-day run, garnered $13.8 million in labor income, and brought in over $28 million to the state’s annual gross delivery. This boat show is meaningful.”

Lt. Gov. Driscoll also celebrated the Hanson-Milone Safe Boating Act that was signed into law on Jan. 8 by Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey.

And while Winter Storm Cora deterred typical crowds in Atlanta on Friday and Saturday, attendance was strong and steady on Thursday and Sunday, with several exhibitors reporting sales and quality buyers.

“We had a great show and sold a few boats which is great for a first-time exhibitor at the show. We can’t wait to come back next year,” said Erik Forinash, Impact Marine.

“While the weather on Friday kept us from exhibiting, Saturday and Sunday were great! We want to expand in 2026,” said Aline Barrett, Viking Boat & Fiberglass Repair.

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Don’t miss the boat to market to your show involvement to customers! The Discover Boating Boat Show Partner Toolkit includes a host of marketing assets for dealers and manufacturers. Make sure to also follow and engage with Discover Boating shows on social media across Facebook and Instagram. Contact Sarah Salvatori for more information and media requests, [email protected].