New boat sales remain strong in 2021, but dealerships need help
The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) reports that retail unit sales of new powerboats in February 2021 were up 34% compared to the same time period last year, but dealerships are still struggling to find both inventory and staff in some areas.
Total new boat sales are averaging 31,000 units sold monthly since the summer of 2020, on a seasonally-adjusted basis, above normal levels and indicative of the heightened demand for new boats spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the NMMA’s Powerboat Registrations Report
Insights from the February 2021 New Powerboat Registrations dashboard include:
-Total retail unit sales of new powerboats slowed in momentum in February, down 21% compared to January 2021 following record highs in 2020; however, sales remain elevated and are up 34% YOY (compared to Feb. 2020).
– Sales of most new powerboat segments were up in February YOY, with new personal watercraft (PWC) sales up 77%.
– Other segment leaders in February 2021 included pontoon boats, wakesport boats, and jet boats – all seeing double-digit increases YOY.
In the most recent edition, Powersports Business contributing writer Sarah Devlin wrote about the industry challenge to replace key employees – mainly service technicians – during such a continued sales surge.
What are you seeing for both sales and help in your area right now? Drop us a line at NLongworth@PowersportsBusiness.com and let us know!
