Recreational Boating Today

Recreational boating is a huge industry in the United States.  It is estimated that approximately 70 million people take to the water each year along the coasts, lakes, and rivers across the country, enjoying the fun and freedom associated with personal watercraft.  For many families, boating is an affordable recreational activity that doesn’t require a huge investment in order to get everyone involved and having a good time.  90 percent of Americans live within less than an hour’s drive of a body of water large enough to enjoy this leisure sport, and there is a strong correlation between those who use their boats solely for pleasure and those who also combine their boating with another popular American pastime – fishing.

While canoes, rowboats, and kayaks are often romanticized in literature and film, the average boater is more attracted to powerboats and personal watercraft such as Jet Skis or WaveRunners.  The number of motorized boats out on the water is increasing with each passing year, and although the majority of these boats are small outboard vehicles, they all feature similar maintenance and repair needs, projected across different scales.

In the face of the costs associated with keeping larger boats seaworthy, especially from a mechanical perspective, many new boaters are increasingly attracted to boating clubs.  The clubs are unique in that they offer members the chance to engage in a sort of time-sharing arrangement with others in the club and use a fleet of boats that are maintained for them at no additional cost.  The price of membership includes the use of a boat, any repairs that may be required to keep that boat in service, as well as insurance and licensing costs, if applicable.  New boaters in particular love this type of arrangement, as it allows them to spend the maximum amount of time enjoying themselves out on the water, instead of dealing with the issues that can crop up during boat ownership.  Some boat club members also use their access to different types of boats as a way of testing out various models and determining which boat might suit them best should they decide to purchase their own private boat in the future.

Fishing boats, as always, remain a strong dual-purpose option for recreational boaters.  Given that there are different types of boats which are best suited for different fishing activities – flat bottom boats for shallow river and swamp fishing, larger powerboats for offshore fishing, etc. – it is difficult to summarize which models are most often chosen by amateur boat lovers.  However, fishing boats generally feature generous amounts of space in order to store bait, tackle, and any fish which might be caught during an expedition.

Boats are also still a popular option for those looking to entertain a large group of friends for a special event or party.  The use of pontoon boats is in particular popular in lake regions, where a boat which can handle 20 or more people can be rented for an afternoon or evening and taken out to enjoy a pleasure cruise.  This more relaxed form of boating is not nearly as concentrated on horsepower and hull design as it is on providing passengers with a stable and safe platform for a few hours of fun.

Recreational boating is an area of the economy which is tied in to the amount of disposable income people have available at any given time.  Currently, boat sales may not be as strong as they once were before the recession hit.  However, experience has proven that time and again, Americans return to the water once times get better, eager to reconnect with one of their favorite hobbies.