Wholesale dollar sales of the traditional powerboat segment (outboard, sterndrive, and inboard boats) were up nearly 6 percent while unit sales declined 3.8 percent in the first seven months of 2005, compared to the same period last year according to the July Monthly Shipment Report (MSR) released Friday by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA).
For the month of July, wholesale dollars for the traditional powerboat segment were down 6 percent and units were down 15.3 percent. Year-to-date for all boats, wholesale dollars were up 5.7 percent while units declined 1.1 percent. In July alone, wholesale dollars for all boats were down 6.4 percent while units were up 4.8 percent.
“From a manufacturer’s perspective, the good news is that inboard ski boat and cruiser unit sales are up year-to-date,” said Jim Petru, director of industry research and statistics for the NMMA. “With retail numbers down in the traditional powerboat segment, it’s no surprise that wholesale units declined in July compared to the same period last year.”
NMMA’s MSR tracks manufacturers’ shipments to dealers for both boats and outboard engines using a control group of boat and engine manufacturers. The 2005 boat control group represents about 77 percent of the overall boat marketplace while the 2005 outboard engine control group represents about 95 percent of the market. With this information, companies can measure their sales compared to other boat and engine manufacturers.
Companies participating in the MSR control group are asked to contribute their sales figures by the fifteenth of each following month. For information on subscribing to NMMA’s monthly statistical reports, contact Vicky Yu at (312) 946-6261; [email protected].
By: Kelly Kaylor
