Today’s boat buyer looks nothing like yesterday’s. They are more cautious with their spending, more selective in what they’ll buy, more digitally savvy than any previous generation of shoppers, and as industry statistics show, they are fewer in number.

Economic obstacles such as inflation, interest rates, tariffs, and general unease complicate willingness to make discretionary purchases. Pair those realities with dealership sales teams who are still re-learning how to sell and new boat price points that have risen astronomically, and this adds up to more than just another slowdown. We are in the midst of a complete system reset — one that demands new strategies, new discipline, and new tools for success.

Since 2018, our last year of real sales growth, the average selling price of a boat has risen 72 percent. In 2018, the average sold boat was $52,178, about 16 percent less than the median U.S. household income of $61,937. By 2023, the average sold boat jumped to $89,715, 11 percent higher than the 2023 median income of $80,610. These numbers would be worse if 2024 and 2025 data were available.

That is the affordability wall we’ve run into. And because of interest rate challenges, it’s not just that boats cost more. They now require a family to spend twice as much each month at significantly higher financing costs.

On a typical 20-year loan, the 2018 boat at 5.49% APR worked out to a $359 monthly payment, about 6.9% of median household income. The 2023 boat, financed at 8.24% APR, jumps to $764 per month — more than double — consuming 11.4% of income. Over the life of the loan, total interest nearly triples, from $33,894 in 2018 to $93,613 in 2023.

If it feels like making that sale is harder, even when selling on payments, that’s because it is. Which raises tough questions: Have we left entire economic demographics behind? Are our products now affordable only for the upper class? And most importantly for you: have you reset your approach to marketing and selling in this environment?

On paper, dealership sales results don’t look catastrophic because higher prices mask reality. This encourages dealer optimism: Margins look better than 2023 or 2024, and inventory levels have improved. But as Wells Fargo’s July 2025 Marine Market Deck demonstrates, that’s not because sales are strong. It’s because manufacturers have reduced shipments while, according to Info Link, nearly 40 percent of boat purchases in the first half of 2025 were non-current models — the highest since the Great Recession.

With new traditional powerboat sales down another 9 percent in the first half of 2025, sales are collapsing back to 2012 levels. Worse, first-time buyers, who fuel future demand, have fallen to their lowest levels since tracking began.

This reset isn’t just about economics. It’s about the customer. Affordability pressures are deterring first-timers, leaving a dangerous hole in the ownership pipeline. Shoppers who do show up do so after months of digital research, expecting mobile-first websites, instant lead response, and transparent information before they ever step through your doors. Very little of which, as an industry, we are good at.

Sales cycles are lengthening, putting more pressure on dealerships to nurture leads, follow up consistently, overcome objections, and close deals with precision. Buying decisions now take 30, 60, even 90 days longer as buyers compare financing, consult peers, and use AI-powered tools. And to complicate matters, boating is once again competing head-on with travel, restaurants, youth sports, and countless other pursuits. Dealers must sell boating not just as a product, but as the lifestyle of choice.

This is not the same sales environment you’ve grown accustomed to. And it’s not the same customer you’ve come to know. It’s a new kind of customer entirely, and they’re telling us loud and clear: if you don’t adapt, you won’t earn their business.

I understand the pressure you’re under. Leads are less urgent. Margins are thinner. Inventory costs remain high. Curtailments are adding up. And winter is coming quickly. Many of you are hoping that interest rate relief will finally break things open again. Maybe it has by the time you’re reading this. Maybe it hasn’t. But you can’t wait for the Fed or for manufacturer promotions to save you. You must act yourself, by resetting your mindset and your approach if you want to achieve better results.

Dealers who are succeeding right now are doubling down on sales discipline, sharpening their digital presence, and training their teams to sell on value rather than discounting. The good news is no matter where you’re at, MRAA has programs to help.

Strengthen your sales leadership with MRAA’s all-new Sales Leadership Certification program, a comprehensive curriculum that equips managers with the skills to coach, train, and hold teams accountable. The best sales teams don’t run on luck; they run on leadership.

Reset your sales and marketing approach through Dealer Week’s all-new Sales & Marketing Pathway, designed to help you better connect with today’s digital-first shopper. Level up your dealership’s revenue engine with sessions like “How to Market and Sell to a Changing Boat Shopper in the AI Era,” “Sell More Boats Thru a Better Customer Experience Online,” and “Negotiate Win-Win Deals Thru Modern Mastery.” These courses will give your team the tools to meet buyers where they are — online, on social platforms, and across multiple devices — and convert them into loyal customers.

And if you want to launch strong in 2026, maximize your Dealer Week attendance (December 7-10 in Tampa) with MRAA’s all-new Boat Show Boot Camp. This one-day, intensive training will prepare your team to capitalize on every interaction, whether at large regional shows or in-house events. In today’s market, foot traffic is precious; Boot Camp will help ensure you don’t waste a single opportunity.

The choice is yours. Ignore this reset and keep operating as if today’s buyer is the same as yesterday’s, and you risk losing more than sales. You risk your margins, your customers, your relevance, and your place in the market. And when the rebound comes, with leaner inventory, potential rate relief, and steadier demand, unprepared dealers will miss out.

But if you act now, the reset becomes your chance to lead. Dealers who strengthen their sales leadership, sharpen their digital marketing, and train their teams to sell on value will not only survive this downturn, they will thrive in the rebound. They’ll engage today’s digital-first customer with confidence. They’ll convert leads that competitors ignore. And they’ll position boating as the lifestyle of choice in a world full of alternatives.

Today’s customer is different, and they’re demanding a new kind of dealership experience. You can rise to meet the challenge by engaging the tools, training, and strategies that will supercharge your sales engine and reconnect with today’s buyer. Invest in your leadership, your team, and your future now. Or sit back and wait for the market to fix itself.

The choice is yours.