• New research provides critical benchmarking insight into compensation, benefit and workforce structure across marine dealerships
MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 30, 2025 — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) has released the 2025 Marine Retail Compensation Study, delivering the most comprehensive, marine-specific analysis of dealership compensation and workforce trends available in the industry.
Developed in partnership with Readex Research, the study was created and launched in response to ongoing workforce challenges across marine retail. It provides data-driven insight into compensation structures, benefits offerings and staffing trends across dozens of dealership roles, helping business leaders make informed decisions to attract, retain and develop top talent.
“The success of the marine industry depends on strong dealerships — and strong dealerships depend on strong people,” said Matt Gruhn, President of MRAA. “This study equips dealers with the intelligence they need to build competitive, sustainable workforce strategies.”
Exclusive Member Insights Into Marine Retail Compensation
The Executive Summary, offered exclusively to MRAA members and study participants, provides a high-level overview of key findings, including compensation ranges, benefit prevalence and workforce composition trends. The Compensation Study – Full Report, available for purchase by members and non-members, includes detailed role-by-role benchmarks, regional insights and deeper analysis to support strategic planning and decision-making.
The study reflects dealer-reported data from across North America and is the only compensation benchmarking resource tailored specifically to marine retail.
About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is the trusted catalyst for success in the marine retail industry. Dedicated to fueling dealer growth and strengthening the boating experience, MRAA delivers industry-leading insights, expert guidance and proven solutions that assist marine retailers in navigating challenges and seizing opportunities. Through education, advocacy and innovative resources, MRAA empowers dealers to thrive, and help drive a stronger more sustainable marine industry. Learn more at MRAA.com.
• Why Offseason Cash Flow Matters for Marine Retailers
By Brenda Cline-Kereakes, Chief Operating Officer at Line\5, an MRAA Platinum Partner
For many marine retailers, seasonality is a familiar rhythm. Spring and summer bring showroom traffic, strong unit sales and packed service schedules. Then the calendar turns, temperatures drop and consumer urgency softens. The offseason can feel like a holding pattern, but for profitable dealers, it is anything but idle time. It is a critical window to protect cash flow, strengthen operations and prepare for a powerful return to peak selling season.
Staying cash-strong through slower months is not simply about cutting expenses. It requires proactive planning, disciplined financial strategy and a focus on revenue opportunities that exist year-round. Marine retailers who approach the offseason with intention often find themselves in a stronger position than competitors once the market heats up again.
Understand the Offseason Cash Flow Challenge
Marine dealerships carry unique financial dynamics. Inventory costs remain high even when showroom traffic slows. Floorplan interest, insurance, storage, staffing, marketing and facility expenses do not pause just because customer demand softens. At the same time, reduced unit sales can limit incoming cash.
This gap between fixed expenses and seasonal revenue is the core offseason challenge. Dealers who rely solely on peak-season profits to carry them through winter months often experience unnecessary stress on working capital. Others turn to aggressive discounting to move units, which can compress margins and create pricing expectations that hurt long-term profitability.
The most resilient retailers instead focus on stabilizing revenue streams, protecting liquidity and improving financial predictability. Cash strength is less about reacting to slow months and more about planning for them.
Forecast with Precision
Offseason success begins with accurate forecasting. Many dealerships rely on general year-over-year trends to estimate slow-season performance. However, more granular forecasting can reveal opportunities and risks that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Start by reviewing historical data for:
Unit sales
F&I product penetration
Service department revenue
Parts sales across previous years
Identify:
When traffic typically declines
When service revenue peaks
When marketing efforts deliver the best return
Pair insights with:
Current inventory levels
Floorplan terms to project monthly cash obligations
When dealers build realistic forecasts, they gain visibility into potential shortfalls well in advance. This allows time to adjust inventory orders, negotiate floorplan terms or introduce promotional strategies before financial pressure mounts.
Forecasting also supports better staffing decisions. Rather than reducing staff abruptly during slow months, dealers can schedule strategically, cross-train employees and maintain customer service quality while controlling payroll expenses.
Leverage Service and Parts Revenue
While new boat sales may slow in colder months, service and parts departments can remain active and profitable year-round. Winterization, maintenance, repairs and storage services offer steady revenue streams that help stabilize cash flow.
Successful dealers position their service departments as essential seasonal partners for boat owners. Proactive communication is key.
Consider doing email reminders for:
Winterization
Storage reservations
Battery maintenance
Spring commissioning
These touchpoints help keep customers engaged while driving appointment volume. Bundling service packages can also improve cash predictability. Offering prepaid maintenance plans or seasonal service packages encourages customers to commit earlier and provides upfront cash during slower sales months.
Additionally, parts departments benefit from stocking popular maintenance items and accessories that customers purchase for offseason projects. Promoting do-it-yourself repair content or hosting maintenance workshops can further stimulate parts sales while strengthening customer loyalty.
Image provided by Line\5.
Maximize F&I Opportunities Year-Round
Finance and insurance products play a critical role in cash strength across every season. Many marine retailers see F&I activity slow when unit sales soften. However, there are opportunities to maintain consistent performance.
Train your teams to offer:
Extended service contracts
Prepaid maintenance plans
Key and accessory protection
Appearance protection products
Protective products appeal to boat owners regardless of purchase timing. Dealers who train teams to offer protection products during service visits often uncover incremental revenue that would otherwise be missed.
Another important tool is flexible financing. When interest rates rise or consumer budgets tighten, offering payment solutions that fit customer needs can keep deals moving that might otherwise stall. Providing financing options for both boat purchases and protection products can increase close rates while delivering immediate cash from funded contracts.
The offseason is also an ideal time to refine F&I processes.
To allow teams to identify improvements before peak season returns, review:
Menu presentations
Penetration rates
Lender relationships
Manage Inventory Strategically
Inventory is often the largest cash commitment for marine dealers. Carrying excess units through slow months can strain liquidity and increase floorplan costs. On the other hand, understocking can leave dealers unprepared when demand rebounds.
The offseason is an opportunity to right-size inventory with intention rather than urgency.
At the same time, stay close to manufacturers and distributors to anticipate lead times for spring deliveries. Dealers who coordinate inventory early avoid rush shipping costs and last-minute financing pressure when the selling season begins.
Negotiating favorable floorplan terms before slow months arrive can also ease cash strain. Even modest reductions in interest rates or deferred payment schedules can have meaningful impact on monthly obligations.
Invest in Process and Training
When showroom traffic slows, time becomes an asset. The offseason provides a rare opportunity to invest in process improvement and team development without sacrificing customer experience.
Consider reviewing sales and service workflows, to:
Identify bottlenecks
Are quotes delivered quickly?
Are follow-ups consistent?
Is the handoff between sales and service seamless?
Small operational improvements can produce measurable revenue gains when traffic returns.
Training is equally valuable.
Train sales teams to:
Sharpen product knowledge
Objection handling
Closing techniques.
Train service advisors to:
Refine customer communication
Use upsell strategies.
Train F&I managers to:
Review compliance practices
Improve presentation consistency
Dealers who commit to team development during slower months enter peak season with higher confidence, stronger morale and improved performance.
Strengthen Customer Relationships
Offseason communication is essential for maintaining mindshare. Boat owners who feel connected to their dealership are more likely to return for service, accessories and future purchases.
Keep the dealership top of mind even when boating activity slows with:
Email newsletters
Social media content
Customer appreciation events
Provide value without aggressive selling, by sharing:
Maintenance tips
Storage guidance
Safety reminders
Upcoming product previews
Some dealers host winter seminars, owner nights or demo events for new model introductions. These gatherings create community and reinforce trust while generating soft leads for spring sales.
Loyalty programs and referral incentives also encourage repeat business. Retaining existing customers costs less than acquiring new ones and contributes to steadier long-term revenue.
Maintain Strong Financial Partnerships
Offseason cash strength is often supported by strategic financial partners. This includes lenders, insurance providers, protection product administrators and service contract underwriters. Open communication with these partners helps ensure consistent funding, reliable support and competitive programs for customers.
Dealers should review partner performance annually, asking:
Are funding timelines consistent?
Are customer service teams responsive?
Are product offerings aligned with current market needs?
Adjusting partnerships during slower months prevents disruption during peak season. Strong partnerships also allow dealers to introduce creative promotions, flexible terms and customer-friendly solutions that differentiate them in competitive markets.
Prepare for a Strong Spring Launch
The final advantage of offseason planning is readiness. Dealers who use slower months to stabilize cash flow, improve operations and deepen customer relationships enter spring with momentum.
They are not scrambling to train staff, secure financing or move aged inventory. Instead, they are positioned to capture demand quickly, close deals confidently and deliver exceptional experiences.
Cash strength is not about hoarding resources. It is about using the offseason to build financial resilience that supports long-term growth.
Final Thoughts on Seasonality
Seasonality will always be part of the marine retail business. However, the offseason does not have to be a period of uncertainty. Boat dealers can maintain steady cash flow year-round with:
Proactive forecasting
Diversified revenue strategies
Disciplined inventory management
Team development
Strong customer engagement
Marine retailers who treat the offseason as a strategic opportunity rather than a slowdown consistently outperform those who simply wait for warmer weather. Financial strength is built in the quiet months. The results are realized when the docks fill again.
About the Author
By Brenda Cline-Kereakes, Line\5 COO
Brenda Cline-Kereakes is the Chief Operating Officer at Line\5, bringing extensive leadership experience across the RV, automotive, marine, powersports and home warranty industries. A recognized expert in F&I training and development, she has coached countless dealership teams on best practices for profitability, compliance and customer satisfaction.
As a frequent industry speaker, Brenda shares insights on how top-performing F&I teams elevate the customer experience and drive success. To learn more about Line\5 or connect with Brenda, you can reach her at 312-342-5558 or brenda@line5.com.
If 100 people walked into your showroom and left, would you just let them leave? January in the marine industry is a month of contradictions. While showroom floors might be quiet, digital traffic is often surging. Potential buyers are at home, escaping the winter chill by scrolling through inventory and dreaming of summer days on the water. They are deep in the research phase — comparing specs on center consoles, checking MSRPs and eyeing luxury wake boats.
Then, they disappear.
In digital marketing, this is known as the “dark funnel.” Statistics show that roughly 98% of website visitors leave a dealership’s site without ever filling out a “Contact Us” form or clicking “Request a Quote.” Traditionally, these prospects are lost to the void. Dealers see the traffic spikes in Google Analytics, but their CRM remains stagnant. They are playing a waiting game, hoping the customer will eventually take action or raise their hand.
The Strategic Solution: Proactive Identification
Your dealership’s pre-emptive ability to truly capture lead generation is a game-changer for 2026. Artificial intelligence-backed technology — like AutoAttract from Pin-Up Marketing — shifts the power dynamic from reactive to proactive. It allows you to automatically identify the households visiting your site. Yes, even if the user never provides an email or phone number. You need to have a program that bridges the gap between an “anonymous hit” on your website and a real-world sales opportunity by matching digital signals to a privacy-compliant consumer identity graph.
Key AI Solutions & Attributes for Marine Dealers
Website Visitor Identification: A lightweight pixel is placed on your dealership website. This technology identifies visiting households using privacy-compliant IP and device-level matching. It doesn’t require a single form fill.
Buyer Intent Tracking: Your program should do more than identify names. It also should track intent signals. The system flags prospects based on:
Repeated visits to specific boat models or brands
Time spent on high-value inventory pages
Frequency and recency of visits
(Example: A high-intent prospect is automatically flagged because they viewed a Sea Ray SLX 400 page three times in 48 hours.)
Immediate Marketing Activation: Once identified, and while the buyer remains in the research phase, your supportive program must activate these households within hours through:
Targeted Direct Mail: Sent straight to the household address.
Household-Level Social Ads: Precise targeting on Facebook and Instagram.
Cross-Device Digital Advertising: Following the prospect from their phone to their office desktop.
‘The Crystal Ball Strategy’
Pin-Up Marketing’s “The Crystal Ball Strategy”— powered by AutoAttract — lets you stop marketing to the “haystack” of general demographics. And it helps your dealership start marketing to the “needle” of active shoppers. This process gives your dealership total visibility into your digital showroom. It’s not predictive guesswork.
Key Takeaways for MRAA Members
Solving the 98% Problem: Your current lead volume represents only a tiny fraction of your actual market opportunity. The objective is to unlock the hidden 98%, providing a massive, untapped audience of qualified prospects who are already engaging with your inventory online.
Ethical, Dealer-Safe Outreach: Successful customer research programs are designed to feel natural, not intrusive. You won’t have to contact shoppers directly to say, “I saw you online.” Instead, the insights are used to deliver a well-timed brochure or a “Special January Incentive” ad. It feels like a helpful coincidence to the consumer, but it’s a calculated strike for your dealership.
Retargeting on Steroids: Standard retargeting is dying alongside third-party cookies. AI-power tools are the future. Because it is based on household-level identity resolution, your marketing remains persistent and accurate across every device the prospect owns.
The Bottom Line: From Boat Shoppers to Boat Owners
In 2026, the most successful dealers won’t be the ones waiting for the phone to ring; they will be the ones who unmask their invisible buyers using AI-powered lead management tools. Dealers that capture high-intent leads during the crucial research months, ensure that when spring arrives, the delivery schedule is already full.
Want to see who is on your website right now?
Visit Pin-Up Marketing to learn how we, through the use of our proprietary AI tool AutoAttract, can help you illuminate the dark funnel, and convert your dealership’s window shoppers into boat owners.
About the Author
Michele Howard is the Co-Owner of Pin-Up Marketing with over 20 years of hands-on marketing experience across the marine, automotive, truck & trailer and RV industries. Her deep understanding of each market allows her to develop data-driven, performance-focused strategies that help dealerships streamline operations, increase visibility and drive sustained revenue growth.
• House Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Hearing: Hunting and Fishing Access in the Great American Outdoors
By MRAA and NMMA
On January 13, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries held a hearing titled “Hunting and Fishing Access in the Great American Outdoors” that focused on access to recreation on public lands throughout the United States.
Marine Industry Representation Through Chris Butler
Recommended by the Center for Sportfishing Policy, Chris Butler of Butler Marine in Beaufort, S.C. testified on behalf of the marine industry. Butler, who serves on the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas Board of Directors as well as the South Carolina Boating and Fishing Alliance, underscoring his commitment to supporting both the state and national recreational boating industry. In fact, Butler is an excellent example of how marine retailers and MRAA Members can get involved.
(Center) Chris Butler of Butler Marine in Beaufort, S.C., testified on behalf of the marine industry.
Other witnesses joining Mr. Butler include The Honorable Brian Nesvik, Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Mr. Jason Tharpe, CEO, Delta Waterfowl; Mr. Paul Johansen, Chief, Wildlife Resources Section of the WV Division of Natural Resources; and Ryan Callaghan, President and CEO, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.
Butler Highlights Conservation and Boating Technology Issues
Specifically during this hearing, Mr. Butler spoke on access and fisheries issues, stating, “We are the original conservationists … we provide funds to help with conservation. Allow us a seat at the table to talk about ways we can improve what is being done. The Right Whale issue is a perfect example. Had we been brought to the table we would have been able to bring in the new technology. We are working on that technology now.”
He later added, “I think I am the only one in this room that has seen a right whale … I saw it because of radar about two miles away. And while we didn’t get close to it, that moment has stuck with me 20 years later.”
Lawmakers Emphasize the Need for Stable Conservation Funding
Congressional leaders and Administration officials recognized the impact of the boating industry, and the need for continued investment. Rep. Val Hoyle (D-OR-04) stated that “hunters and anglers deserve access to the places their dollars help protect.” Jared Huffman (D-CA-02) went further by highlighting that the Sportfish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, H.R. 3858, introduced by Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) and Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) “demonstrate(s) the power of science based, well-funded conservation focused on long-term stewardship, and not just short-term gain.”
Nesvik put a finer point on this by testifying that “Sportfish Restoration fund is absolutely critical for our state partners … They are a lot of the times on the front lines of these issues … They really rely on these funds to do great work for the American people. You can’t have boating access if you don’t have boat docks.”
“That fund … is brought in by the people who actually use it. I think the importance of it is that the funds are redistributed where they need to go. They are used smartly, with good science, and with the people that have a stake in what is happening,” replied Bulter when asked a question on the Sport Fish Restoration Fund.
Committee Leadership Responds to Butler’s Testimony
Furthermore, during the hearing, House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR-04) commended Mr. Butler on his testimony, stating, “Mr. Butler, you made a statement that I think was very profound in your testimony” and goes on to quote Mr. Butler, saying, “Public access is not just a quality of life issue, it is the foundation of the conservation funding model in this country. When access declines, participation declines; when participation declines, conservation funding declines as well; when conservation funding declines, on the water and on the ground, conservation and management decline as well. It’s a vicious cycle.”
Moreover, after reading the statement, Chairman Westerman highlights the importance of conservation funding as well as overviews previous work that the Committee has done to help support conservation, like the Great American Outdoors Act.
Investment in Boating Access Remains Critical Nationwide
The recreational marine industry depends on continued investment into boating access points across the nation. These discussions underscore a focus on strategic action by Congress to prioritize these investments.
The MRAA and the NMMA actively monitor Congressional hearings with implications for the recreational boating industry and engages lawmakers and staff to shape the dialogue where appropriate.
For more information on infrastructure developments or access issues impacting marine retail, contact Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager, at chad@mraa.com.
By Russell Baqir, SVP – Business Development, Northpoint Commercial Finance, an MRAA Strategic Partner
In today’s dealership environment, dealership cash flow and profitability is more critical than ever. Your annual financial statements tell the story of your business’s health.
In our floorplan or lending world, we obtain financials annually that originate from several sources. They range from “Internally Prepared” to “Accountant Prepared” to “Accountant Reviewed” or “Accountant Audited.” Sometimes a review of these docs throw up a red flag and cause concern for our clients. For example, we may find balance sheets that don’t balance. We may detect missing assets or corresponding liabilities. Sometimes, profit and loss (P&L) statements may be missing key elements like depreciation or interest expense.
The Importance of Accurate Financials
In our conversations with customers, we understand some dealers produce financials just to satisfy the lender or bank requirements. They really don’t understand the genuine benefits of having financials to help guide smart business decisions.
Yes, we know working on the books is sometimes akin to visiting the dentist to get a tooth pulled. We get it! We also understand it takes a lot of time and work to establish a budget and/or forecast, but we can’t recommend it enough. Your ability to carefully monitor and measure against it is really “the secret sauce” for sustained business success.
Here are a few important considerations:
Owners and key managers should have a basic understanding of the impact of ALL costs and expenses on their business. FACT: Even though you may be profitable, you can still run out of cash.
What’s your process for when you review statements that you’ve received for the tax year? We recommend sitting with your key leadership team to jointly analyze and review what has happened to your assets, debt, equity or cash flow. Get everybody up to speed and on the same page.
We recommend reviewing your financials on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis and aligning them to the budget you’ve established. This will allow you to quickly discern if you’re missing the boat or in control at the helm. And, having the key leadership team on the same page creates a higher level of accountability … and significantly better chance for maximizing profitability.
Cash Flow Management and Leadership Accountability
Make sure your GM or sales manager possesses and knows how to apply basic accounting skills including how to effectively price out the sale of a boat. They must understand the bare minimums that must be charged for service by accounting for ALL the impacts of expenses, like cost of labor, rent/mortgage, interest, etc.
When requesting assistance from a partner or lender, be prepared to communicate and demonstrate the minimum cash needs on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis for the business.
Align corresponding periods of your balance sheet with P&L statements so you know if cash in the bank is decreasing; if accounts receivable or inventory has increased; or if corresponding debt is trending up.
Turning Financial Insights into Smart Business Moves
We’d like to offer up this analogy: your financials are your business story for the year. Your business successes and/or failures should be reflected through the changes in your numbers.
Having a finger on the pulse of your business allows you to pivot as needed. Regular reviews are essential for maintaining dealership cash flow profitability and may prompt smart questions, like:
“Are retail deals taking longer to fund?”
“How much did the inventory cost go up”
“How much do you have in inventory?”
Having the facts allows you to intelligently consider available options. For example, how much could you save and earn by allowing Elite Recreational Finance handle your F&I?
Finance & Accounting Educational Resources
In closing, your dealership needs to find a reliable finance business that you can “count on,” and support your organization. The Northpointteam has provided a few links to resources that can boost your accounting IQ as needed, and we’re always an email or phone call away at (678) 359-6336.
The following is a short list of established marine industry service providers that assist dealers and OEMs in accounting/financial management. Northpoint does not provide recommendations but provides these references and resources for your consideration.
Senior VP – Business Development at Northpoint Commercial Finance, Russell Baqir is a true industry veteran having spent a significant portion of his career in Marine inventory finance, most recently as Marine Division President at Textron Financial.
By Russell Baqir, SVP – Business Development, Northpoint Commercial Finance
When tasked with launching Northpoint’s Marine program in 2012, Baqir sought to create a highly customized and personal approach that the mega banks simply could not deliver. Drawing on his substantial industry relationships, he quickly established Northpoint as a market leader with genuine support from some of the top dealers and OEMs in North America.
Baqir proudly represents Northpoint as an active member of the National Marine Manufacturers Association and Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. When he’s not helping businesses stay cash-strong, he enjoys exploring the outdoors and staying connected to the boating lifestyle that has defined much of his professional journey.
ByChad Tokowicz, Government Relations Manager, Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA)
If there was one clear takeaway from state level advocacy battles in 2025, it’s this: recreational boats remain an attractive revenue target for lawmakers. Across the country, legislators introduced proposals to increase sales taxes, impose new “luxury” taxes, or remove long-standing tax exemptions on recreational vessels. While many of these efforts were ultimately defeated or scaled back, they offer a clear warning sign for what marine retailers, and the boating public, may face again in 2026.
Boat Taxes Gained Momentum in 2025
Throughout 2025, multiple states introduced legislation aimed at increasing taxes on recreational boats. These proposals were often framed as “luxury” taxes or minor adjustments to existing tax codes, but in reality they would have imposed significant new costs on boat buyers, dealers and marine service providers.
These efforts highlight a clear pattern: when states face budget pressure, recreational boats often become an easy political target.
– Chad Tokowicz
In Washington State, lawmakers proposed a luxury tax on recreational vessels that would have extracted millions of dollars from the marine industry annually. Strong advocacy by the Northwest Marine Trade Association, supported by MRAA, ultimately led to the bill being tabled and dramatically reduced the long-term tax burden on boat sales.
In New Jersey, a proposed increase in taxes on recreational boats was defeated after coordinated opposition from industry stakeholders.
Meanwhile, Rhode Island lawmakers introduced legislation that would have eliminated long-standing tax exemptions for recreational vessels, threatening one of the state’s most important economic sectors. That proposal stalled after overwhelming opposition from boaters and marine businesses.
These efforts highlight a clear pattern: when states face budget pressure, recreational boats often become an easy political target.
Why Recreational Boat Taxes Hurt Marine Retailers
Proposed boat taxes don’t just affect boat buyers, they directly impact marine retailers, service departments, marinas and the broader recreational boating industry.
Increased taxes:
Raise the cost of ownershipDiscourage new boat purchases
Can push consumers to buy boats in neighboring states with more favorable tax structures
For marine retailers, that means:
Fewer salesReduced service revenueTighter margins
Uncertainty when planning inventory and staffing.
These policies also harm local economies by:
Reducing tourism
Shrinking marina activity
Weakening waterfront communities that depend on recreational boating
Why 2026 Could Be Another Critical Year
History shows that failed tax proposals rarely disappear for good. More often, they return in subsequent legislative sessions with new bill numbers, revised language or expanded scope. With ongoing state budget challenges and continued political momentum behind “tax the rich” initiatives, recreational boat taxes are likely to remain on the agenda in 2026.
That makes early engagement essential. In many of the 2025 battles, success depended on lawmakers hearing directly from MRAA Members, business owners who could explain the real-world consequences of taxing recreational boats. Those conversations helped shift the narrative from abstract revenue projections to tangible economic harm.
How Marine Retailers Can Help Stop Boat Tax Increases
The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is already preparing for renewed state-level tax fights in 2026. Our Government Relations team is actively monitoring legislative activity, working with state marine trade associations and building coalitions to oppose harmful tax proposals before they gain momentum.
But advocacy is strongest when MRAA member retailers are involved. Dealers are often the most trusted voices with policymakers, and your experience helps lawmakers understand how proposed taxes impact jobs, small businesses and local economies. Whether it’s responding to action alerts, meeting with elected officials, or sharing data about your business, dealer engagement remains critical to defeating new recreational boat taxes.
So stay on the lookout for opportunities to engage from the MRAA Government Relations Team. If you learn of a proposal to increase taxes in your state, reach out to us immediately!
Staying Ahead of the Threat
The state boat tax battles of 2025 demonstrated both the risks facing the recreational boating industry and the power of coordinated advocacy. As we head into 2026, MRAA remains committed to protecting marine retailers and ensuring recreational boating remains accessible and affordable. Staying informed, engaged and ready to act will be essential to preventing harmful tax policies from becoming law.
MRAA stands ready to fight these battles alongside you, but maintaining a strong business starts with awareness and engagement today. Curious about how to get engaged in your state or have questions? Email MRAA Government Relations Manager Chad Tokowicz at Chad@mraa.com or MRAA Government Relations Director atSayre@mraa.com to connect today.
• How a Dealer Management System Makes the Difference
By Ryan Kloppe – Associate Director, OEM Business Development, Lightspeed DMS, an MRAA Strategic Partner
In the marine industry, cash flow is the financial lifeblood of your dealership. It’s what keeps the lights on, the service bays spinning and your team focused on delivering exceptional customer experiences. Yet for many marine dealers, maintaining healthy cash flow remains one of the most persistent challenges especially during the slower winter months when revenue naturally dips and inventory carrying costs stay high. So how can marine dealerships better monitor and manage cash flow all year long? The answer increasingly lies in leveraging a powerful dealer management system (DMS). It brings clarity, real-time insights and actionable data to your financial decision-making.
Discover how a robust dealer management system (DMS) delivers real-time insights, actionable data, and clarity to drive smarter decisions.
Why Cash Flow Matters — Especially in Marine Retail
Marine dealerships face a unique combination of seasonal variability and high fixed costs. Some of the most common cash flow pressures include:
Seasonality: Winter months often bring lower unit sales and service volume, putting pressure on incoming cash.
Inventory Costs: Boats, trailers and accessories require significant upfront investment and ongoing carrying costs.
Service Fluctuations: While service spikes in peak season, off-season shop capacity can go underutilized.
Financing and Floorplan Expenses: Interest and fees continue regardless of sales pace.
Without proper visibility into your financial performance, dealerships can easily find themselves scrambling when cash inflows and outflows don’t align.
Where a Dealer Management System Fits In
A modern DMS isn’t just for processing transactions it’s a centralized engine for real-time financial visibility. Your dealership should be able to holistically monitor cash flow, understand the drivers of revenue and expense and react to trends before they become problems.
Here’s how:
1. Real-Time Financial Dashboards
Live dashboards show critical financial metrics instantly — including:
Cash positions by bank account
Daily sales totals
Outstanding receivables
Upcoming payables
Instead of waiting for month-end reports, management teams can see today’s picture of cash flow and make informed decisions.
2. Seasonal Trend Analysis
Understanding patterns over time is crucial in marine retail. Historical reporting tools allow managers to:
Compare revenue performance year-over-year
Forecast slow months based on past trends
Adjust staffing or incentive strategies during seasonal lulls
This depth of insight helps dealerships prepare for winter ahead of time rather than react when cash becomes tight.
3. Inventory Management That Protects Cash
Inventory is typically a dealership’s largest asset but it can also be a heavy drag on cash when boats sit unsold in winter. DMS inventory tools should allow you to:
Track aging inventory and carrying costs
Identify which units are tying up capital
Set smart discount or run-promotion strategies before seasonal slowdowns
A DMS makes it easier to make objective decisions around markdowns, demo programs and floorplan management, all of which preserve working capital.
4. Accounts Receivable & Payable Visibility
Delayed payments from customers or slow payment processing can choke cash flow. A DMS helps dealerships:
Monitor receivables in real time
Set alerts for overdue accounts
Schedule payables strategically
Integrate with financing partners for faster funding cycles
This visibility eliminates surprises and supports proactive cash management.
5. Integration with Accounting and Financial Tools
An accounting tool, like the Lightspeed Accounting Module, gives your dealership a single source of truth and reduces manual errors. This means:
Better cash forecasting
Faster reconciliations
Clear audit trails
Reduced administrative burden
Accounting teams spend less time wrangling spreadsheets and more time advising ownership on cash strategy.
A Strategic Advantage — Year-Round
Marine retail isn’t a 90-day season — it’s a 365-day business with cash flow implications that stretch well beyond summer slips and sunny weekends. By empowering dealerships with real-time financial visibility, actionable business intelligence and seamless financial workflows, a DMS helps you stay ahead of cash flow challenges — not just survive the winter, but plan for long-term growth. Every dealer knows that cash flow isn’t a static number — it’s a story. A good DMS turns that story into insights you can act on today. And it helps your dealership get the tools you need to monitor cash, manage inventory wisely and plan confidently — even when the waves are calm and the months are slow. If you would like more information about Lightspeed DMS, please contact us.
About the Author
Based in Grand Rapids, Mich., Ryan Kloppe is a sales and business-development professional passionate about driving growth in the Marine, RV and Powersports industries. My expertise lies in leveraging market intelligence, data-driven insights and technology solutions to build stronger, smarter partnerships between OEMs, dealers and suppliers.
Ryan Kloppe – Associate Director, OEM Business Development, Lightspeed DMS
During my decade as Director of Sales, I led strategic initiatives across Marine, RV, Powersports, Trailer and Manufactured Housing verticals. I helped clients transform raw data into actionable insights through a SaaS-based analytics platform, forged deep relationships with manufacturers, dealers and financial institutions and delivered 12 consecutive years of revenue growth.
Today, at Lightspeed, I focus on empowering OEMs and dealers with advanced dealership management solutions that streamline operations, optimize inventory and enhance customer experiences. By integrating technology and data, I help businesses unlock efficiency and scale in highly competitive markets. If you’re in the marine, RV or powersports world and want to explore how smarter data and innovative technology can accelerate your growth — let’s connect.
• Implementable Goals for Your Dealership to Get Your Cash Flowing with Force
By Bernie DeGraw, MRAA Senior Education Developer
Isn’t it amazing how obstacles rarely stop water? Water finds a way, around, over, sometimes under and sometimes right straight through. Obstacles usually don’t stop water. Flatness — a plateau — does. When water reaches a big flat area, a plateau, it spreads out, it stops flowing, sometimes it stagnates and just slowly drains away and eventually evaporates. Sometimes that OK with water, but it’s not OK when your cash flow hit a plateau! It occurred to me how cash behaves similarly to water in a healthy business. Your money, your cash flow, runs into obstacles like lower margins, inventory, nervous customers and big interest rates. Typically, one way or another your cash runs around them, often through pricing or volume or product mix. And yet, just as water reaches a plateau and loses its urgency, so can your cash flow. When there’s no pressure pulling it, no gravity to move it onward it loses momentum and stagnates. We all know stagnant water becomes murky, smelly, and turns green. It becomes unhealthy. An unhealthy cash flow is just that and the reason why you must maintain its flow rather than allow it to reach the dreaded cash flow plateau.
Seeping Away
The cash flow plateau can happen for a number of reasons It isn’t usually just one big problem or obstacle. Instead, we find ourselves doing what we’ve always done. Sales are OK, expenses are nerve racking but manageable, inventory is mostly under control with a few challenges and processes in the dealership are good enough. That plateau doesn’t feel wonderful, but it feels safe. However, safe is probably more dangerous than it seems. Just like the water, your cash flow begins to seep away.
Dave Newell identifies the seven levers that directly impact and boost profitability. His course helps you prioritize three of those levers in People, Process and Cost.
Your Intentional Goals Create Flow
At Dealer Week and now in Dealer Week Online Dave Newell talks about “7 Levers to Boost Efficiency and Margins”. Within his discussion he gave us an enlightening and dramatic way to consider setting the goals that can get cash flowing again with force. He gave us a way to consider where cash might come from and where it can move to by changing the way we think about and set our goals for success in the dealership. For those in attendance we were forced to consider the need to change how we think about our goal setting, to think much, much bigger about what we would need to do to truly make our cash flow like water over Niagara Falls. At first, I’m sure most of us thought “we can’t do it” but by the end we recognized that unless we think big, force ourselves to view goals differently and then take action we are likely to see our cash flow… and indeed our cash begin to seep away.
Start the Trickle Today
If you want to find ways to impact your cash flow, to get it flowing vigorously, you need watch Dave Newell’s “7 Levers to Boost Efficiency and Margins” course on MRAATraining.com, currently available within the Dealer Week Online package. Also, be prepared to set some goals you won’t believe you can achieve! And, in a sense, that’s the point when your cash flow will move from shrinking plateau to a tight stream.
Have questions or want access to this course and others from Dealer Week 2025? Contact Sherri Cuvala, MRAA Director of Membership.
About the Author
Bernie DeGraw, MRAA Senior Education Developer, is a lifelong educator and natural leader with a distinguished career spanning education, business and industry development. He has cultivated deep expertise in coaching, leadership and front-line operations. His career includes experience as a guidance counselor, director of guidance and dealership co-owner, where he seamlessly filled roles such as salesperson, service manager and service advisor. Throughout his career, Bernie has directed multiple college programs at prestigious institutions, including the University of Connecticut, the University of Vermont, the University of Michigan, the University of California San Diego and the University of Texas at Austin. His ability to develop and implement impactful educational initiatives has helped shape countless students and professionals. An influential voice in the boating industry, Bernie serves as the past president and remains a dedicated board member of the Boating Industry Association of Central New York.
• Boston and Atlanta Shows Launch 2026 Discover Boating Event Calendar
The 2026 boat show season is officially underway, with two major Discover Boating boat shows opening this week in Boston and Atlanta — setting the stage for new boat sales, marine accessories and boating lifestyle engagement nationwide.
The Discover Boating® New England Boat Show®, in partnership with Progressive®, opened yesterday at Boston’s MCEC, followed today by the Discover Boating® Atlanta Boat Show® at the GWCC. Both sold-out shows run through Sunday, featuring hundreds of NMMA member companies, boat dealers, engine manufacturers and marine brands showcasing the latest boats, marine technology and innovations.
As part of the Discover Boating boat show portfolio, these events offer boating education, family-friendly activities and interactive experiences. They include: boating safety seminars, simulators and live entertainment.
Next up: New York Boat Show (Jan. 21–25) and Minneapolis Boat Show (Jan. 22–25).
A customer recently told one of our dealers a story that has stuck with me ever since. He had reached out with a handful of simple questions about a boat he was interested in. Instead of answers, he got the response too many customers still receive: “Come on in and we can walk through everything.” He lived two hours away. He explained that, but the message didn’t change. “Come on in.” So, he went. He arrived exactly when they asked him to, only to find the boat still wrapped, inaccessible, and the team completely unprepared for his arrival. No plan. No guidance. No apology for the wasted time. Just a promise that they’d “get it ready next time.” His response was the real gut punch: “There won’t be a next time.”
This isn’t an isolated story. And before you rush to the comforting conclusion that your sales team would never let something like this happen, pause for a moment. Because this story, in its own form, is happening inside dealerships just like yours every day. Maybe it’s not a wrapped boat. Maybe it’s an unanswered email. A follow-up that never happened. A weak handoff between departments. A service update that arrived too late. A price explanation that wasn’t clear. A customer who left more confused than when they walked in. The specifics differ, but the pattern is the same: We fail to meet expectations that should be considered the bare minimum. And if we can’t execute on the basics, how can we possibly be ready for the far more demanding expectations today’s buyers bring around transparency, responsiveness, digital access, expertise, and a frictionless experience from the very first touchpoint? The real danger is not that these moments happen. It’s that we dismiss them as flukes or assume they only happen somewhere else. These are flashing red lights, pointing to deeper issues. Processes that need tightening, habits that need unlearning, communication gaps that need closing. And we are out of time to ignore them. Customers have been telling us for some time now that they want speed, clarity, honesty, and consistency, and the gap between those expectations and our reality has only widened. The marketplace will no longer wait for us to catch up. Which is why 2026 cannot be treated as just another year. It must be the year we take a hard look at how we operate, identify where the customer experience breaks down, and fix the issues with urgency and intention. The challenges our businesses face today are not just another downturn or temporary softness. This moment represents a fundamental clash between a retail model built for a very different time and the rapidly evolving expectations of today’s consumer. Simply working harder inside the old structure isn’t going to make it work. This moment demands a reset and a reinvention of what the dealership experience is and how it functions. But this isn’t a message of doom. It’s an opportunity. And it begins with recognizing that dealers remain the beating heart of this industry. You are the trusted advisors, the educators, the connectors who bring families onto the water and keep them there. When customers experience the level of service dealers want to provide, they fall in love with boating and stay in love with boating. The challenge is that the customer has changed faster than our business model has evolved. The structure of today’s dealership simply wasn’t built for the expectations that now define the marketplace. Modern customers want clarity from the moment they reach out, not a maze of questions left unanswered. They expect transparency, speed, and consistency across every interaction. They want real-time updates, honest timelines, and meaningful guidance as they make major purchase decisions. They want fewer surprises and more confidence. And they want the entire experience — research, purchase, ownership — to feel connected and respectful of their time and intelligence. Most dealers strive to deliver exactly that. But the current model wasn’t built for it. That is why the MRAA formed its Dealership of the Future Task Force, bringing together dealers, manufacturers, technology partners, and industry leaders who all recognize the same truth: our model is lagging behind, and the gap is widening. What MRAA’s Task Force is surfacing is both urgent and encouraging. Their work has identified the three forces that are reshaping the future of marine retail, indeed the future of your business. The first is the customer. They’re no longer simply shopping for a boat; they’re shopping for an experience that feels seamless online, confident in the showroom, and well-supported on the water. The current process is too slow, too opaque, and too inconsistent to satisfy those expectations. Customers want answers before they ever walk through your doors. They want honesty, realistic timelines, and to feel understood. When boats cost more than ever and downtime can derail an entire season, their tolerance for friction disappears.
The second force is technology. Digital tools are no longer optional or “nice to have.” AI-powered communication, online scheduling, real-time service updates, transparent inventory, mobile access, and unified data systems have become baseline expectations, not competitive advantages. Dealers embracing technology aren’t chasing trends. They’re creating consistency, improving responsiveness, and freeing their teams to deliver their best work. The third force is the retail experience itself. The Task Force discussions have made it clear: this is about rebuilding an outdated retail business model, where a negotiation-centered approach no longer aligns with the modern ownership journey. The dealership of the future is an experience center, a technology-enabled, relationship-driven hub centered on transparency, convenience, expertise, and lifelong engagement. It blends digital pathways and in-person experiences seamlessly. And it operates in alignment with manufacturers who understand that customer experience must be a shared commitment. So, what does that Dealership of the Future look like? It’s a business where every stage of the purchase and service journey is visible and predictable. Where updates are proactive, not reactive. Where inventory and pricing are accurate and real-time. Where staff aren’t selling; they’re guiding. Where downtime shrinks, trust grows, and retention becomes the engine of every department. It’s a business built around the ownership lifecycle, not the transaction. As we step into 2026, my call to you is unmistakable: evolve. Meet these forces head-on and build the dealership your customers already assume exists. Elevate the standards of trust, transparency, and consistency that define world-class retailers in every industry. And lean on the tools, insights, and frameworks MRAA’s Task Force will deliver throughout the year. This is your roadmap; we’ll walk it with you. You don’t need to have the future figured out to shape it. You only need the courage to begin. Market tides will rise and fall, but leadership, adaptability, and intention will always chart the course forward. The Dealership of the Future is being shaped right now, and those who embrace this moment will be the ones steering our industry into the next decade. So, the question isn’t whether the future is coming. It’s whether you’re ready to build it, or watch someone else do it first.
