Indy

It's been a few years since I sold the PP and I'm having a hard time not being on the water, but I'll get back to it in the not too distant future hopefully. I go down to the beach fairly often to get a water "fix" and look at all the boats and dream. Over the years I've noticed a lack of boats out on the water, by a good measure, unscientific observation I'd say there's less than half as many out there as there was before Wall Street, gov't, and globalization shattered dreams. It's really depressing...I can look out at the Sound (Long Island Sound) and count on one hand how many boats I see out there whereas before it was an active boating paradise.

In the paper today there was an article on how the state of CT is down 14,000 registrations since the recession (out of 100k+) and how marinas are disappearing because of lack of slip rentals. It cites the average age of the boater in CT is 55 and it goes up 6 months every year, and the younger generations aren't making up for the shortfall. Having a 26 ft center console going for $100k + doesn't help, in fact it's killing the newer first timer industry. I get the expense of the boat building industry, but having a new little sh!tbox going for over $100K is pathetic.

I know personally my next boat won't be a stern drive, I fit the average age statistic and I've done my time in the bilge and will have none of that anymore. Maybe a 25ft PP with outboards to bomb around in but for sure it's not going to be as expensive to own as the last few boats.

To me, there's nothing like the water, it puts me into a different state of mind the second I'm there. I don't even have to be out on it, I used to go down to the marina after work and fiddle around on the boat for a couple of hours and it took me into a different world. I can't imagine not being back on it and it makes me sad that there are many boaters that have been forced out of the hobby for various reasons, much of them economic.

Has anybody else noticed this decline over the years? Statistics aside, just looking out at the Sound and it's dead out there...very sad.

thirdchildhood

Absolutely noticed it. The economy is in the crapper. The local lake is dead when it used to be crowded. Also dead in the winter when it used to be full of sleds and ATVs. Still plenty of sweet go-fasts on the Great Lakes waters though.

BUP

Volvo Penta and Mercruiser for the year ending 2015 only sold combined together 16 to 17 k engines packages (total combined sales for I/O engine packages). Thats not even close for either one to break even. Real estate, insurance, electric, water, advertising, employee salaries, taxes, R & D and so on costs would require IMO at the very least 50 K engine sales volume for each one. Ten years ago their sales were 70 to 80 K in engine packages for Mercruiser alone.

Merc sister to Mercruiser has fairly good outboard sales but Volvo has no outboards to even sell period.

I heard this but was hear say from actually a very good source - if within 5 years the I/O market does not pick up with increase sales steadily year after year that the I/O 's might just go away. Again hear say at this point.

The EPA has put a huge monkey wrench in all of this as well. Huge costs and R & D costs has just about killed both of these 2 - I/O manu's and there is more on the way for emission standard requirements. Think about the millions that is required for testing and meeting all the current EPA requirements.

If that day ever comes emissions EPA mandated to Merc racing side for all boats 500 hp and over - I can not picture Merc racing manu anything but race engines with no warranties only or who knows what will happen with them.

badmonkey

Well just maybe come November we can all take back control of this great country of ours...

seafordguy

In our area I'd actually say the activity is UP, but it's all small stuff. Jet Skis, small jet boats, modest center consoles. Admittedly, that stuff is easy to own/tow/operate and that is the new generation. If it isn't easy, they aren't interested.

Indy

I don't think they have the money, the economy is in the crapper regardless of what our gov't says, kids out of college are loaded with debt, and they have...smart phones, Facebook, IG, and other time wasters. I don't even think half of them would know what to do out doors anymore.

precisiondetails

Just saw this yesterday out on my local lake. Places where raft ups used to be huge were non exaistant. It's the 2nd weekend in June for crying out loud. In NorCal where it's been 90-100 for weeks. Not like you have to wait on the weather here. Everyone knows what June 11th in Nor Cal will be! Lol

Jupiter Sunsation

I do minor mechanical in my driveway (oil change, tire rotation, wheel bearings on trailers etc). Neighbor and his kid (sophomore in college) were driving 1200+ miles in a beater so the kid could play summer baseball (kid got drafted out of high school by MLB, chose college instead and won college world series as a freshman).....kid has talent on the field. So I ask did you do a once over on the 15 yr old, 180K mile beater?......nope. Could have been a bad road trip starting off.....Spare....dead flat. Front passenger tire 22 lbs, oil a quart low. So as I am going over the car, I tell the dad it would be good if Jr. learned a few things. He didn't know how to work a tire gauge! Oil/tranny fluid check was easy enough but not sure he could locate both. This kid is not mechanical at all, my guess is he would never own any type of I/O and if he did own an OB then it would be used like a car (turn the key and go, call someone if it doesn't start).

pstorti

I noticed that this forum seems to be dying a slow death with activity getting less and less, but down here in Miami everybody and their brother has a boat, I am looking forward to things softening up again so it isn't so crazy on the weekends.

jayboat

Correct on all points, especially the first one.
I wouldn't say the economy is in the crapper, but it is not on rock solid ground.

The answer is simple- globalization... there's no real middle class any more and boating is an expensive hobby.
Without access to good paying jobs, boating is only a dream for many.
Corporations rule, and they know that to improve their bottom line jobs need to be done in other countries by people willing to work for much less.
If the jobs are done here they are mostly automated.

There's still opportunity for those with motivation and smarts, but the competition is no longer just within our borders.
No easy answers- it's the world we live in.

One word- Facebook.
I predicted 5 years ago that it would be the death of small forums. I was wrong- nobody is safe.

Plus, people are aging out- and new, young members aren't joining for the reasons listed above.