First-time Boat Buyers Remain Highest in 15 Years

An early-pandemic resurgence in people taking up boating for the first time is holding strong, according to national numbers just released.

In 2020, when people had time on their hands and were looking for ways to get outside safely, the number of new boat owners nationwide surpassed 415,000 for the first time since 2007. Demand for new and used boats was high, and some wondered if the boat boom would continue into the second year of the pandemic. In 2021, another 420,000 first-time boat buyers entered the market—showing that interest in boating remains high among rookie boat owners.

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and boating market intelligence firm Info-Link report that first-time boat buyers comprised 34 percent of all boat sales in 2021. That means more recreational boaters on the water and the same heightened demand for boats we’ve seen since 2020.

The second consecutive year of pre-recession numbers of new boat buyers is an…