Repair event cycle times (RECT) at U.S. marine dealerships improved significantly in July 2026, with the average dropping to 28 days. [Note: The July infographic reports 28 days as the national average RECT.]
- This represents an eight-day decrease from June’s 36-day average, marking the strongest month-over-month improvement of 2026.
- Despite the improvement, overall cycle times remain slightly elevated (plus three days) compared to July 2025. That indicates the industry is still working to regain prior-year efficiency levels.
- The July gains suggest dealerships are building momentum as the boating season progresses and service departments continue working to reduce repair delays.
The RECT for the main bottlenecks, warranty coverage and out-of-stock parts, showed substantial improvement in July. Warranty coverage averaged 47 days and out-of-stock parts averaged 44 days.
- Work orders with warranty coverage averaged 47 days, a significant reduction from June and the largest month-over-month improvement among the key RECT measures. IDS reports warranty work improved by 16 days compared to June.
- Out-of-stock parts work orders averaged 44 days, also improving substantially from June while remaining elevated relative to overall cycle times. IDS reports a 12-day improvement from June.
What This Means for Dealers
- Big MoM win: July’s eight-day drop is the strongest month-over-month RECT improvement of 2026 and a positive sign that service departments are gaining efficiency.
- Warranty momentum builds: A 16-day improvement in warranty work orders is significant. One of the industry’s most persistent service bottlenecks has made progress.
- Parts delays eased: Out-of-stock parts work orders improved by 12 days from June, helping narrow the gap between parts-related delays and overall repair timelines.
- Recovery is accelerating: Overall RECT fell below 30 days for the first time in 2026, signaling stronger service performance as dealerships move through peak season.
- Zoom out: Marine retailers are making meaningful month-over-month gains, but average cycle times remain three days slower than July 2025, leaving room for continued improvement.
Takeaway
When dealerships make progress on warranty workflows and parts-related delays it’s encouraging. However, the new challenge is sustaining that momentum through the remainder of the boating season and carrying those gains into the offseason.
