The recreational sailing industry’s leading trade group, Countrywide Sea Manufacturers Organisation, asserted today discoveries from its annual Recreational Sailing Statistics Abstract. The Abstract reveals that of the 231.5 million adults living in the US in 2010, 32.4 percent, or seventy five million folk, participated in recreational cruising. This is the highest proportion of collusion in recreational sailing since 1999 when 33.4 p.c of adults were cruising participators. These seventy five million boaters represent an increase of 14 percent compared to the recessionary year of 2009, which saw 65.9 million boaters. NMMA also reports the seventy five million US citizens who took to the water in 2010 helped keep the industry floating. O.E.M accessory sales increased 6 percent to $2.4 bln (from $2.3 billion in 2009) and spending per boat averaged $147 for 2010, also up 6 p.c from 2009. NMMA notes there are an approximate 17 million boats in use in the U. S. . “Despite decreases in new ship sales last year, the industry remains alive as existing boaters took to the water in extraordinary numbers and had an eagerness to spend on their boats and boating outings,” notes Thom Dammrich, president of NMMA.

“Increases in collaboration and spending on the O.E.M equal good news for the industry as it tells us sailing remains a hobby American citizens are not willing to forego in times of industrial recession.” What’s more, boaters increased their spending on operating costs (insurance, docking, fuel, upkeep and sailing outings) by 3.6 p.c from $8.4 million in 2009 to $8.7 million in 2010 and on new boat trailers by 15 %, from $88 million in 2009 to $102 million in 2010. Impact of Gas Costs In August 2008, at the start of the recession, when gas costs were last above $4 per gallon, NMMA and Michigan State University’s Recreational Marine Research Center conducted an assessment of 2,211 powerboat owners who went boating between Jan and July 2008. The survey revealed that ninety nine p.c continued to go sailing in 2008 notwithstanding rising fuel costs. In reality boating participation increased 6 p.c in 2008 to seventy million (from 66 million in 2007). “We think boaters to resume boating this summer as industrial indicators which impact cruising habits, for example consumer confidence and consumer spending, are faring miles better than they were three years back when we last saw $4 per gallon fuel prices,” notes Dammrich. “Boaters are dedicated to being on the water and traditionally have found paths to adjust to fuel price raises by operating their boats at lower speeds, reducing cruising distances, and reducing idling time so they can still enjoy spending quality time on their ship with family and friends.

For most boaters, good weather and favourable sailing conditions usually cast a shadow over fuel prices when it comes to resolving whether to get out on the water.” Boat Sales There were 1,118,130 total power and sail boats sold in 2010 (not including canoes and canoes) a four p.c decrease matched against 2009. New power and sail ship unit sales totaled 188,230 in 2010, a decrease of ten p.c compared to 2009′s fall in unit sales of 35 percent, signaling the rate of decline for new ship sales is slowing – a welcome sign for the industry. There were 929,900 pre-owned boats sold in 2010, a reduction of 2.4 % compared with 2009, a likely result of continuing stored up demand for boats and shoppers hunting for lower price points in the pre-owned market.

In the new boat market, outboard boats, frequently tiny fishing or water sports boats, fared best, declining just four % compared to 2009. There were 112, eight hundred new outboard boats sold in 2010. In the second hand market, sterndrive boats, usually boats less than twenty-six feet long stayed steady, increasing .03 % compared with 2009. There were 175,800 total pre-owned sterndrive boats sold in 2010. Overall, recreational cruising retail expenditures for boats, engines, trailers, accessories and services totaled $30.4 bn. In 2010, an one percent decline from the previous year.

Indicators of a Recovery Throughout the winter when the industry holds boat shows around the country, NMMA, the biggest boat show producer in the U.S, saw 70 percent of its 15 winter boat shows increase attending, an indicator that consumers were returning. Echoing these attendance increases, exhibitors at NMMA shows reported improved sales over last year, strong leads and more visitors looking to make a purchase. Another signal the industry is climbing out of the recession is a renewed concentrate on its nationwide promotional campaign, Discover Sailing. The campaign, which launched in 2005, is the industry’s official countrywide public awareness effort to help US citizens get started in cruising.

The industry credits its campaign with helping reinforce cruising collaboration in 2006, 2007 and 2008. As a result of the recession, the industry was compelled to scale back efforts in 2009 and 2010. This summer nevertheless, the Discover Boating campaign is being re-ignited with a new theme titled “Welcome to the Water” designed to encourage the existing seventy five million U.S. Boaters to share their zeal for sailing by inviting their buddies and family to the water. The campaign will include a new, in depth Facebook effort, web promoting, digital selling elements and press. Regional Rebound The Great Lakes area remained one of the strongest for new boat, engine, trailer, accessory and services sales in 2010 with 6 out of the eight Great Lakes states seeing growth and the leftover two seeing just single digit declines.

Ranked by sales growth : Pennsylvania increased 11.9 % from $202 million in 2009 to $226 million in 2010 Michigan increased 10.6 p.c from $317 million in 2009 to $351 million in 2010 Ohio increased 5.5 % from $222 million in 2009 to $235 million in 2010 NY increased 5.3 percent from $381 million in 2009 to $401 million in 2010 Illinois increased 5.2 % from $234 million in 2009 to $246 million in 2010 Indiana increased .5 percent from $144 million in 2009 to $145 million in 2010. The leftover two Great Lakes states : Minnesota reduced 5.5 % from $305 million in 2009 to $289 million in 2010 and Wisconsin decreased two p.c from $298 million in 2009 to $292 million in 2010. NMMA’s Recreational Boating Statistical Abstract also shows two out of ten boaters live in the Great Lakes region which translates into nearly 17,000,000 boaters resident in these states alone, making the Great Lakes area the top area for recreational cruising in the U.S. Follow the Cruising Lifestyle on Facebook press release free and Twitter. About State Sea Makers Association (NMMA) : NMMA is the number one organisation representing the recreational sailing industry in NorthAmerica. NMMA member corporations produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines, trailers, accessories and gear utilised by boaters and anglers across the U.S. And Canada.

The organisation is dedicated to industry growth thru programs in government policy advocacy, market statistics and research, product quality assurance and promotion of the boating way of life. For detailed information, visit the Net internet site.