Made in America: The American Boating Congress 2025
By David Gee
The theme of this week’s NMMA American Boating Congress in our nation’s capital was Made in America – Resilience and Innovation.
However, the subtext was really a single word. Uncertainty. That is the word I heard uttered most often, whether it was from the speaker’s stage, during the social hours, or in my one-on-one conversations with the CEOs and GMs of boat building companies, a few top dealers, or trade association leadership.
Changing consumers
“The markets don’t like uncertainty, and neither do consumers,” said MarineMax CEO Brett McGill in the first panel discussion with NMMA’s Frank Hugelmeyer and Suntex Marinas CEO Bryan Redmond. “Uncertainty is our biggest challenge. There was a big pause in March and the end of April, but we’re beginning to see some signs of solid growth now. Right across the board though the stress was across all categories of boats. It’s a buyer’s market. There’s probably more discounting than at any other time I can remember. And the tightest margins in the history of our company. Especially in the smaller boats.”
Tariffs, high interest rates and fluctuating 401k balances and investment portfolios are keeping lots of boat buyers on the sidelines. However, the head of one marine company I spoke to doesn’t think it will necessarily last the entire selling season.
“I think it will be on the soft side through the early part of the summer,” he said, “but I think it will pick up. People still have jobs, and they still have money, but they have clearly put off large, discretionary purchases for the moment. That will change though, and we’ll be here for them when it does. I’m more optimistic than pessimistic for the near term.”
Redmond highlighted the demographic and cultural shifts that are coming, or in some cases, are already here. He noted that women exert a significant influence on consumer spending, controlling or influencing a substantial portion of purchasing power. While specific numbers vary, women are estimated to control or influence between 70% and 85% of all consumer spending in the U.S. This influence extends beyond individual purchases, as women often make decisions for their families as well as influence the choices of others.
In boating, the incidence of female first-time boat buyers is about one-third higher than the percentage of women in the general boat-owning population. “This means a higher percentage of women are giving boat ownership a try,” said Jack Ellis, managing director at Info-Link, who I sat next to at dinner on the conference’s opening night.
Redmond also noted that Generation Z, generally defined as those born between 1997 and 2012, is considered the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in the U.S., with half identifying as non-Caucasian. And those shifts represent opportunity.
“We need to not only expose more people to the boating lifestyle, especially these new groups of consumers, but we also need to make it as unintimidating as possible,” said Redmond. “Everyone in the industry needs to make it easier to get on the water.”
“We got really good at marketing to the same people over and over and getting them to buy a bunch of boats over their lifetimes,” added Marine Max’s McGill, talking about baby boomers. “But we’re now in danger of aging out. We’re selling to a smaller and smaller pool of consumers and that needs to change. We know that spending time with friends and family on the water is still attractive to lots of people though, and we just need to be customer-centric and offer a memorable, easy experience at every level.”
Washington report
Making things easier from a regulatory standpoint was the subject of a panel discussion on the shifting regulatory landscape in Washington.
Travis Voyles, who serves as the Assistant Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said providing regulatory relief to industries such as the recreational boating industry is something they look at every day.
“This administration is really embracing the deregulation agenda,” he said. “We’re trying to take a completely different approach and President Trump views things through the lens of economic development.”
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, a critical funding source for state and national recreational fishing and boating programs, and there was a very informative panel discussion highlighting that.
The trust fund is supported by excise taxes on fishing equipment, motorboat fuel, and import duties on recreational boats, and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Since the Act was passed, it has generated over $12 billion for the conservation and restoration of sport fish species and their habitats. The funds support boating safety programs, aquatic resource education, boating access infrastructure and multi-state conservation grants.
The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation is also funded primarily through the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund.
“It’s really been a model of conservation and these are all things that support the future of boating and fishing,” said panelist Mike Leonard, vice president of government affairs for the American Sportfishing Association. “Sometimes we refer to this as the greatest story never told, since many people in the boating and fishing community don’t know it exists. That can be a good thing though when members of Congress go looking for dollars. This program is highly successful though, and is a great example of industry and government working together to create value for the public.”
Propelling our future
I really enjoyed the panel discussion about marine technology and future fuels, moderated by Ben Speciale, president of Yamaha Marine USA.
As the panelists noted, recreational boats contribute less than 0.1% of global emissions, and about 0.7% of transportation carbon dioxide emissions in the United States. However, the industry is still endeavoring to be a good steward of the environment.
“A couple of years ago, there was a big push for electrification as everyone was in a hurry to electrify everything,” stated Jeff Wasil, vice president of environmental compliance and marine technology for NMMA. “It’s good that we have now taken a step back to consider other solutions. The fact is we need an entire portfolio of energy technologies.”
Eric Mueller, director of advanced engineering at Mercury Marine, says fuel consumption and greenhouse gases go hand in hand.
“If we improve our fuel economy, then we are also reducing hydrocarbon emissions,” he said. “Ultimately, it’s about what the consumers wants and values. Range and top speed are important. If we can make improvements and still retain range and speed, then that’s where we want to be.”
The economy
Acclaimed futurist and trendcaster Dr. Shawn DuBravac provided the conference keynote address, beginning with “the end of calm,” as he called it.
“We are seeing an unprecedented amount of volatility,” DuBravac stated, “volatility levels we have only seen twice in our nation’s entire history.”
He called the stock market overvalued and put the probability of a recession at 30%.
“I don’t think the American consumer will ultimately determine whether there will be a recession, but things look pretty shaky in my view. Personal savings are near an all-time low, and the average American is spending about 96 cents of every dollar that comes in. And over half of all consumers say now is not a good time to make a large purchase.”
He did, however, note that lots of Americans are sitting on lots of wealth, and that there are reasons to be hopeful about the future.
Telling our story
Sharing that hope for the future, and all that the recreational boating industry means to both the boating public and the American economy, was foremost in the minds of the several hundred conference attendees who spent their final day meeting with Congressional lawmakers from their districts on Capitol Hill.
As NMMA President and CEO Frank Hugelmeyer reminded us all, with 95% of the boats sold in the U.S. made in the U.S., the recreational boating industry represents the very best of American manufacturing.
“You are proof that this industry is worth protecting, investing in, and growing,” he said in a message to attendees. “We will tell our story – clearly and confidently. Let’s show that the recreational boating industry isn’t just strong, it’s essential. And let’s work together to ensure our voice is heard, our values are reflected and out future is secured.”
Source: https://boatingindustry.com/news/2025/05/15/made-in-america-the-american-boating-congress-2025/
