By the Numbers

Boat registrations rebounded slightly in January, boosting industry confidence.

Despite lower boat registrations in December, analysts are upbeat about 2019.

November is the third consecutive month of sales declines.

Total boat sales were down in September but are still on track for 3.5 percent growth this year.

Total boat sales were up 4 percent in August.

New-boat sales bounced back following a few months of slow growth, with large gains across most categories, including sterndrives 20 feet and larger.

Boat sales in the main powerboat categories increased 10.7 percent year-over-year in July, dramatically up after a lackluster summer.

Boat sales in June rose incrementally, with a 1.1 percent increase in the main powerboat segments and a 0.2 percent increase overall, according to data from Statistical Surveys, a Michigan firm that tracks new-boat registrations.

Ski and wake boats led marine industry growth with a 9.7 percent year-over-year increase in May. There were 1,160 boats registered versus 1,057 in May 2017.

A wet, cool spring that blanketed much of the United States caused boat sales in some categories, such as pontoons, to lag this April, but other categories — including yachts, aluminum fishing boats and sailboats — showed strong improvement.

Overall boat sales in March were slightly lower compared to last year, and year-over-year growth fell by just over 1 percent, according to Statistical Surveys Inc. data that was gathered for 30 states.

New powerboat registrations in January were up 2.9 percent in the main segments over January 2017, which had an increase of 9.5 percent over 2016, according to Statistical Surveys Inc.

Outboard-powered fiberglass and aluminum boats, pontoons and personal watercraft continued to carry the industry as 2017 came to a close.

Far from slipping into a “lull,” as it did in 2016 after strong March sales, the U.S. recreational boating industry achieved moderate gains in April this year that included double-digit growth in the pontoon category.

Last year the recreational boating industry was celebrating its best March results since 2008 — sales gains of 21 percent in the main powerboat segments and 20 percent industrywide.

After higher-volume sales to begin the year, U.S. yacht brokers have reported slightly lower sales in recent months. Volume declined by 82 boats in April as sales slipped from 2,916 to 2,834, a 3 percent shift.

The shift toward use of smartphones among unique visitors to the Boat Trader website continued during the past 12 months.

Marking another milestone in its recovery, the U.S. recreational boat industry sold more than 250,000 boats in 2016 for the first time in eight years.

There were smiles on the faces of many brokers during the first quarter this year. After moderate gains in January and February, U.S. brokerage market volume eased slightly in March, but total volume for the three months was 3 percent higher than in 2016 at 5,709.

Power-cruiser models were the second-most-viewed class of boat on Boat Trader in 2016.

Whether because of a warm winter, a rising stock market or a post-election bounce, U.S. brokerage sales volume and total valuation increased for the second month running in February.

Center console models were the most viewed class on Boat Trader last year. Site visitors looked at listings for center consoles, new and used, about 12.7 million times, nearly double the 6.5 million times that boats in the No. 2 class, power cruisers, were viewed.