The US marine industry is facing continued headwinds with new powerboat retail unit sales down 9% year-to-date. Wholesale shipments were down 11.4%.
The figures are from the NMMA’s latest Monthly Recreational Boating Industry Data Summary report, covering the rolling period from May 2024 through April 2025.
A total of 64,883 new boats were sold through April 2025, down from 71,321 in the same period in 2024.
Outboard boats led the market, making up more than 64% of retail units sold.
New pontoons, jet boats and wake sport boats saw the largest declines with unit sales down 19.5%, 19.9% and 14.3% respectively.
Freshwater fishing boats and yachts remained relatively flat year-over-year at -0.4% and -0.7% respectively.
Mixed picture
Total powerboat sales decreased by 8.7% to 228,289 units.
The NMMA points out that macroeconomic indicators for April painted a mixed picture. Inflation moderated to 2.3% and fuel prices stabilised but the Consumer Confidence Index was 85.7, below the 100-point baseline that typically indicates economic optimism.
Economic uncertainty, elevated interest rates, and cautious consumer spending are driving softer demand across most segments and engine types.
“Despite softer sales, outdoor recreation demand remains structurally resilient,” explained a spokesperson from NMMA.
“As the industry looks ahead, key opportunities lie in aligning marketing, product offerings and retail partnerships with evolving consumer preferences.”
