Total unit sales of new boats increased in Canada by 4.7 percent in 2017 according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) Canada 2017 Canadian Recreational Boating Statistical Abstract – Economic Facts and Retail Markets (New Boats). The report contains a comprehensive collection of statistics on the Canadian recreational boating industry. Other highlights from the report include:

•Estimated retail dollar sales for new boats and outboard engines totaled about $2.3 billion in 2017, remaining about the same as 2016.

•In 2017, unit sales were up for the following boat categories: personal watercraft (up 12.8 percent), outboard boats (up 4.3 percent), sport jetboats (up 3.4 percent), and sailboats (up 2.0 percent).

•Outboard engine unit sales totaled 40,826 in 2017, up 2.8 percent from the previous year. Corresponding dollars were up 8.5 percent to $321.6 million.

•Consumer confidence, which closely correlates to new boat sales, rose to 123.1 in December 2017, compared to 103.8 during the same month in 2016.

•Disposable income, a key economic indicator for new boat sales, was up a seasonally adjusted 4.4 percent through the fourth quarter of 2017.

For more information, visit http://www.nmma.ca.