Fuel price, shmuel price.....boats selling at record numbers in Wash state

It's interesting to note that these figures are for the 3rd quarter; before the election season rollback of gas and diesel prices really began.

>From the report:

New boats sold by dealers for the 3nd Quarter were up 6.6 percent The dollar value of new boats sold by dealers during the quarter was $110M, up from $93M, an increase of 18.5 percent 3rd Quarter New Boat Sales by Dealers (Units Sold Comparison) 2002: 2,430 2003: 2,828 2004: 2,935 2005: 3,116 2006: 3,321 Overall boat sales (combined new and used) were up 0.9 percent during the quarter totaling $260M

**

I can get into the specifics as far as number of boats in various size groups, if anybody has an interest, but it is significant that unit volume was only up 6.6 percent but dollar volume was up 18.5%. Clearly, some portion of that is due to retail price increases but it also indicates that people buying boats in record numbers are buying more expensive models. I would estimate that with 3321 new boat units selling for $110M the average sale has to be around $30,000. That doesn't sound like much; but it's important to remember that this report includes dinghies, cartop boats, and a lot of other vessels that sell in big volumes for cheap numbers. Upper end boats have to be selling well to bring the average up to $30,000.

So Kevin still continues to sniff every post I make. I thought that boy finally learned his lesson but obviously I was wrong.

Maybe I should take him out of my KF (the non boater Reggie stays there so he can play with himself) so I can once again get my daily laughs. ;-)

As I understand it, only vessels with engines have to be registered in this state. If it doesn't have a engine, it doesn't have to be registered and all the reporting to the town goes through the DMV.

In fact, I don't believe it's like a car either. When I bought my Ranger, for example, I had to go to the Registry to have it registered as there was no previous record of it being in this state. Same with the Halman - it's not registered in this state either. And now that I think about that (I know - I'm old, thinking can be a slow process) I know of several boats in my old marina that weren't registered because there weren't any engines on the boat.

"This course covers basic boating safety concepts that you need to know if you intend to participate in water sport activities. It has been designed by marine educators to provide information to people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to receive it. You can progress at your own pace and on your own time schedule. Any questions you have will be promptly answered by email. Your progress through the review quizzes is monitored by a boating instructor who offers comments and clarification when necessary. Please feel free to ask questions and make suggestions throughout the course."

DO NOT VOTE FOR ANY DEMOCRATS.

"This Basic Boating Safety Course gives only the minimum requirements for safety equipment and general information. To obtain a greater knowledge of boating skills and seamanship we encourage you to attend more in-depth boating courses."

For more information go to:http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/boating/

Get it?

PWC's are included in the "under 10-foot" category, but I have no evidence that PWC sales are up. A lot of people say, "Been there, done that," and the glitz is now off the fad.

How in the world did you arrive at that interpretation? After all, aren't the Republicans overseeing this current, miraculous, nosedive in fuel prices? I would think the average American would be grateful to the Republicans for reducing the price of gas. Right?

You're barking up the wrong tree on this one.

He slams Chuck, and then tells Chuck to "drop it".

Me do. :>)

Is there some question about, or is it somehow a matter of "political opinion", that fuel prices are dropping and that an election is imminent?

It's a simple statement of fact that 3rd quarter boat sales were strong despite the fact that for most of the 3rd quarter there was no relief from high fuel prices in sight.

It's also a simple fact that for generations incumbent politicians from both parties have "jawboned" to the best of their ability to frame the economy in the best possible light pior to a major election.

Why the need to pull one line out of context and ignore the rest of the message?

The greatest change in unit volume was in the smallest boat category of under 10 -feet. 3Q05 was 871 units, 3Q06 was 975 units.

11-14 feet was just a bit stronger 3Q06 than 3Q05, up three units to 462

15-18 feet was off 83 units, down from 1139 to 1056

19-22 feet was up 59 units, from 1044 to 1103

23-26 feet was up slightly, from 277 to 281

27-30 feet was off just slightly, dropping from 63 units 3Q05 to 53 units 3Q06

31-34 feet may have picked up some of the buyers dropped in the previous category, as boats in this range were up from 27 units to 31

Numbers were off a bit in the 34-50 foot range, but not significantly. (The portion of the market over 34 feet only represents a small percentage of total new boat sales.

35-38 feet, down 4 units to 22

39-42 feet, down 2 units to 17

43-46 feet, down 2 units to 6

47-50 feet, down 4 units to 7

More of the larger boat categories were up, rather than down.

51-54 feet, up 2 units to 5

55-58 feet, up 2 units to 5

59-62 feet, dropped from 2 units 3Q05 to 1 unit 3Q06

63-66 feet, up an infinite percentage. 3 units sold 3Q06, no sales in this category last year

67-70 feet, one sale in 3Q06, vs. 2 sales 3Q05

Over 70-feet, same as last year, 1 unit sold in the 3rd quarter.

Over all categories, new boat sales were up from 3955 to 4029, (best 3rd quarter in a long time) and dollar volume was up by a much greater percentage.

Under propulsion: (this categoory is notoriously inaccurate, as some sailboat dealers check off "inboard" or "outboard" depending upon the type of auxiliary power the boat is rigged with)

Outdrive units: 1150

Inboard: 664

Jet drive: 856

Outboards: 1293

Sailboats: 27

"unknown": 39

(Balance would be rowing or paddle boats)

Thanks - interesting.

Is this nationwide?

Even though we talk about a "national" economy, most of the time it's more accurately a connected series of regional economies. Up here in the NW we tend to be contrarian- we often do pretty well when a lot of the rest of the country is cooling off, and we have been known to be on our collective enomonic butts around here while everybody else is cutting a phat hog.

An equally accurate national survey would probably find pockets like ours where boat sales are holding up fairly well or even increasing in most categories. There may some places still relying on the ever dwindling industrially based and manufacturing economic model where there is less reason for optimism and a bit more "caution" in play.

Few people will splurge for an expensive luxury, like a new boat, if they feel apprehensive about future income and employment. The majority of people I encounter every day are not very apprehensive.