The National Marine Manufacturer’s Association’s latest Monthly Recreational Boating Industry Data Summary report shows sales of new powerboats in the US have continued to decline.
For the 12-month period from July 2024 to June 2025, wholesale shipments of recreational powerboats were down 10.2% compared to the same period in 2024 with retail sales down 7.3% to 220,662 units.
Stern drive boats faced the largest decline of 20.1% in retail sales.
For the first six months of year 2025 – from January 2025 to June 2025 – new retail unit sales decreased by 9.7% with 130,956 units sold compared to the same six month period in 2024.
Cautious consumer spending
Segment-level softness remained widespread year-to-date, with notable declines in retail unit sales of pontoons which were down almost 11%.
Sales of jet boats were down more than 14% with wake sport boats sales down nearly 10%, and stern drives down around 20%.
Yachts were the only segment to post modest growth, up 1.8% over the same period.
The NMMA points out that economic uncertainty, elevated interest rates and cautious consumer spending contribute to softer demand across many categories.
Outboard boats have dominated retail sales in 2025 accounting for almost 70% of retail sales.
Mixed signals
Stern drive boats made up less than 2% of sales with yachts representing less than 1% of sales during the period.
The NMMA report points out that macroeconomic indicators continued to reflect mixed signals in June 2025.
The Consumer Confidence Index registered 95.2, with the Expectations Index sitting well below the 80-point threshold that typically signals weaker outlooks.
Inflation held at 2.7% while 30-year mortgage rates remained elevated at 6.8%.
The US Manufacturing PMI came in at 52.0, suggesting modest expansion.
