Boating Trends to Keep your Eye on

Recreational boating has always been a popular activity and that is unlikely to change any time soon. In the U.S. alone, more than one hundred million Americans go boating each year. That’s nearly one out of three. The point is, boating isn’t going anywhere, but new trends are always on their way. As times change, so do trends, so let’s take a good look at some of the biggest boating trends to keep your eyes on in the coming months and years.

"In the U.S. alone, more than one hundred million Americans go boating each year. That’s nearly one out of three."

Fishing Recreationally

Recreational fishing is steadily becoming one of the more popular boating trends. The fact is that the marine community has seen the number of people fishing steadily increase over the last few years. Since 2019 the number of people who go fishing has increased roughly 5% a year and has gone up 15% between 2015 to 2019 ( source 1). This means that a lot more people are taking to fishing than before. One important thing to consider is safety and with more people getting out on the water safety is more important than ever. This brings us to our second trend.

Increased Safety

Safety is one of the most important aspects of boating and water sports. As boating, fishing, and other marine activities are increasing in popularity, it unfortunately means that there are more accidents and injuries. To combat this, many organizations are increasing their focus on safety. In Florida alone there have been several new bills in recent years revolving around boater safety and education ( source 2). Safety, education, and training all go hand and hand. You can expect to see this trend continue in the coming years. 

Increased Regulation

Regulation is a way of life for boaters, but things may be getting stricter. Many governmental bodies are working to create tougher rules that are aimed at preserving our water supplies and this includes limiting the number of boats on the water. This will also reduce the number of accidents and pollution in a given area. Organization like the Environmental Protection Agency are setting up guidelines for nationalized water programs ( source 3). It’s important as a boater to be aware of these changes as they can affect how, when, and where you can use your boat.

"Many governmental bodies are working to create tougher rules that are aimed at preserving our water supplies and this includes limiting the number of boats on the water."

Upgrading for Modern Conveniences

As people are more aware of the damage caused by burning fossil fuels, the move toward electric powered vehicles is just a logical step. As far as boating trends go, this is one of the best for the environment. One major benefit of electric boats is that they can offer zero emission ( source 4). Even though these new vehicles do not offer the same speed or distance as their gas counterparts, their reduced impact on the environment as well as their ability to charge on the spot (with solar panels) make them a smart move for boaters moving forward.

Lighter Materials

Reducing weight offers a range of benefits; most importantly, it requires less power to push a lighter object. This means less fuel is used to travel the same distance. Materials like carbon fiber are being incorporated more frequently as they offer high strength and durability as well as reduced weight.

Many of these lighter materials are not subject to the corrosive effects of the marine environment. Whereas iron and steel will eventually rust even when coated properly. For example carbon fiber is not subject to rusting but may still see other kinds of wear.

Boating, like everything else in our world, goes through changes and those changes can be observed ahead of time, through boating trends. We hope you learned something from this article and can use it to improve your boating experience. 

References:
1. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220718005011/en/Recreational-Fishing-Participation-Continues-Long-Term-Growth-Trend-Following-Record-Pandemic-Year
2. https://www.flsenate.gov/Media/PressRelease/Show/4064
3. https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-06/fy23-24-ow-draft-npg.pdf
4. https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2021/11/10/2331121/0/en/Electric-Boat-Market-Size-2021-2028-Market-Projection-By-Technology-Major-key-players-Vehicle-Catalyst-Growth-Revenue-CAGR-Regional-Analysis-Industry-Forecast.html