Along With RVs, Boat Sales Are Booming

Above, two new Coachmen Class C motorhomes in transit at the Flying J. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The "pandemic" has not only caused a boom in RV sales, it has also caused a big surge in boats as well.

I have been seeing a lot of transporters with RVs and boats stopping at the local Flying J travel center lately. Interstate 40 seems to be a major east-west route for RV and boat manufacturers as they head towards Arizona and California.

According to the Sacramento Bee:

Boat and RV dealers have seen an unprecedented sales boom during the past few months, as people look for ways to cool off and have fun this summer while adhering to COVID-19 social distancing recommendations. 

“It’s been record-breaking,” said Bob Bense, the owner of Superior Boat Repair and Sales. “I’ve been in the industry for almost four decades and I’ve never seen anything like it.” 

According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, personal watercrafts saw big sales increases this May: up 75 percent compared to 2019. Outboard engine sales also increased. And Discover Boating, an online guide to boat buying, saw a triple-digit jump in consumers searching for boats last month. 

“With boating restrictions lifted in all 50 states, and the COVID-19 response dictating where and how far people can travel, the forecast for boating this summer is looking bright,” NMMA representative John-Michael Donahue wrote in an email to The Sacramento Bee. 

RV sales are on the rise, too, said Monika Geraci, a representative from the RV Industry Association. Some dealers said they’ve seen 200 percent increases in sales, compared to the same period of time in 2019. And a recent survey about Americans’ attitudes toward travel found that 46 million people are planning an RV trip in the next 12 months.

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