InTheBite

  • Home
  • News
    • All News
    • Featured Stories
    • General News
    • Captain of the Year
    • Tournament Results
    • First Builds
    • Splash Reports
    • Old Salts Rule
    • Tackle Tips
    • Dock Talk
    • Crew Records
    • Conservation
  • Tournaments
    • Calendar
    • Captain of the Year
    • Champion’s Cup
  • Shop
    • All Products
    • Subscriptions
    • Back Issues
    • Shirts
    • Hats & Visors
    • Miscellaneous
    • Release Rulers
  • Classifieds
  • Job Board
  • Contact
    • Contact InTheBite
    • InTheBite Media Kit
  • Log in

How Aesthetics Will Save the American Sportfishing Industry

March 1, 2022 By InTheBite Digital Editor

boat interior design aesthetics

By Patrick Knowles 

Imagine a time of consistent and identifiable customers who kept your order books, and the shipyards, filled to maximum capacity. An industry where business flows in as steadily as the tides. This was the state of the U.S. marine industry three decades ago upon my entry as an American yacht designer. The client base was well-grounded, stable and secure.

As is the case in all industries, customer base and market share are subject to shift. So it should come as no surprise that there have been a few variations over the years. However, there is an even greater shift underway now, one that will soon be a game-changer for all in our industry, particularly here in the U.S.

THE OLD INDUSTRY AND THE NEW

There was a time when an individual would commission a yacht, based upon tradition and etiquette, to immortalize his success and achievements in a way that no other material possession could. A yacht was the crown jewel of a lifestyle, reflecting one’s personal achievements. A legacy piece to be passed down generation to generation.

To a certain degree, the success of the U.S. marine industry relied on this generational cycle. This fueled an industry based on trust and personal relationships and galvanized brand loyalty for many builders throughout the years.

Today’s world is different. The new generation no longer falls back on tradition or looks to its predecessors for cues on how to proceed. They are pushing forward full speed ahead, cutting their own path with the greatest tutor known to man: technology.

Through technology comes the exposure to thoughts and aspirations that influence their path unlike anything before. Our future clients are driven by peer influence, and it has become increasingly clear that what we once depended on as a guarantee—the generational flow of those who looked to their predecessors for guidance on the purchase and acquisitions of vessels—will in time evaporate.

boat aesthetics

WE ARE FACING A COMPLETELY NEW ERA AND ARENA OF CONSUMERS

The advent of social media has shown that brands across all sectors can rise from the depths of obscurity. At the same time, well-heeled familiar brands can be thrown into peril by effortless taps on a keyboard.

Complacency in the analog age took years, if not decades, to erode the customer base of monumental brands. Today, smaller, downsized versions of once behemoth brands serve as vestiges of their once powerful brand strength and stability. Without brand loyalty in this new digital age, even the industry’s most iconic brands may not stay afloat.

What is the solution then? What will drive the market back to the States and revive the success of global luxury brands?

boat aesthetics in the head

AESTHETICS

The change in this global game is the equal weight of aesthetics and function. The automotive industry is an example of such a reality. At first glance, the cab of today’s four-door work truck can easily be mistaken for the cabin in a luxury four-door Sedan.

This isn’t unique to a singular brand. This is the new norm, and it is a wake-up call to the fact that aesthetics is now in the driver’s seat. Every space must be termed valuable not only in usage, but also in visual design.

As sportfishing embodies a truly American passion, it is here I see the biggest opportunity for a collective stronghold. It is more historic and become more popular in the U.S. than anywhere else on the planet.

I think we can agree with confidence that we own this game. We can maintain that status by looking at the state of the U.S. motor yacht industry and heeding the lessons learned there. After almost 30 years of mostly superyacht design work, in the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of designing five very interesting sportfish projects, which is a relatively new sector for me. With the exception of two, all were American clients. Of all five vessels, the driving factor was, you guessed it, aesthetics.

Please allow me to state the very obvious before I proceed. All of these vessels are fighting machines, and each and every one of these owners are avid sportfishermen. It goes without saying that the specifications and appointments that make a boat a sportfishing boat were indeed an integral part of their build/re-fit program.

That being said, an emerging driving factor is that today’s new and ever-younger owner is looking for a boat to function, perform and operate as a fighting machine. Yet these owners still expect to have the aesthetics of everything else in their life represented in their vessel.

salon bar

WHY AESTHETICS MATTERS

Now more than ever, the details of one’s personal brand extend to every aspect of their world.

Movement between their residences, their airplanes, their yachts, and now their sportfishing boats, has become a series of seamless transitions. Continuity is achieved when the aesthetics of all environments are familiar and symbiotic.

Not only is this the chief ambition for the new generation of yacht owners, but an opportunity for the entire industry. We now become problem solvers creating a way to bring consistency into an ever-changing world. Aesthetics is the whistle, and the louder the blow, the greater the following. With this perspective, one can see why clients will disappear to follow the designer with the most visibly appealing projects.

OPPOSING WORLDVIEWS

So as not to appear sanctimonious, as an American yacht designer I include myself in the following statement: as an industry, we have fallen asleep at the wheel when it comes to keeping up with the times. As an industry, we can recognize and acknowledge who our clients are by considering a somewhat foreign mindset.

There needs to be a general open-mindedness about the new generation. Yards that insist on remaining loyal to tradition need to offer new clients modern aesthetics while servicing their traditional clients. This is the only way to keep American yards alive and open as foreign builders take buyers away.

There are many positives to this shift. Though this new generation thinks differently than the traditionalists, we can learn something from both sides. Those entering the market with newly amassed wealth and an interest in sportfishing without the weight of what “should be done” will bring new creative ideas to the industry, while those who have led the way in the American sportfishing market will have the opportunity to teach the proper traditions, care and maintenance to a new generation.

dinette

IT IS TIME TO ACCEPT AND EMBRACE THIS CHANGE

As global stewards leading the way in the sportfishing sector, we risk being beaten at our own game. Global brands may already be eating our meals, but there is still meat on the table. It’s time for the U.S. Marine Industry to reclaim its rightful eminence.

Wake up! Our new client is here!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Do you have any comments or questions for us? We’d love to hear from you.

    Filed Under: Boats, Design, Featured Stories Tagged With: boat design, boat interior, boat interior design, boats

    Recent News

    The Yamaha X450 overboard engine.

    Yamaha Introduces Upgraded 450-Horsepower XTO Offshore® Outboard

    KENNESAW, Ga., Jan. 17, 2023—Yamaha Marine kicks off 2023 with new product offerings, including an updated XTO Offshore outboard which delivers greater convenience, enhanced technology and 450 horsepower. Featuring the same 5.6-liter of big block d … [Read More...]

    Shifting Course: New Sonar Tactics

    By Steve Katz It seems that most everyone either has a scanning sonar or is getting a new scanning sonar. The upsurge in installations, along with a variety of brands and models, requires captains and ping jockeys to develop their technical skill … [Read More...]

    New Year, New Gear – A Few Items to Check Out for 2023

    Numerous fishing gear companies have kicked off 2023 with revolutionary new products. Here are a few items of interest early on in 2023. Links to each company's website provided in the heading. … [Read More...]

    Hiring a Captain For Your Center Console?

    By Adam Peeples As a current owner or prospective owner of a high-performance center console, hiring a captain may not be something that has been a consideration for the term of your boat ownership. After all, one of the main benefits of owning a … [Read More...]

    Blue Water Desalination Introduces the Fully Automatic Explorer XT Watermaker

    Signal Hill, California (January 5, 2023)—Blue Water Desalination (BWD) revealed its latest innovation in water purification during the recent Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The all-new Explorer XT is a robust, expandable system designed to … [Read More...]

    Leave a Reply

    Connect With InTheBite

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Subscribe to InTheBite Magazine Today!

    InTheBite current cover image

    Our latest issue is hitting the docks now! Be sure to subscribe to the hottest bluewater mag on the market. Purchase or Subscribe »

    InTheBite Champion’s Cup

    InTheBite Champions Cup Logo

    New for 2022, the Champion’s Cup is an optional paid entry with a winner-takes-all prize format for teams who want to up the stakes in each division utilizing our longstanding tournament scoring formula.

    Captain of the Year Cup Standings

    COTY / ITB Cup Logo

    News

    • Old Salt: Capt. Eddie Herbert

      Old Salt: Capt. Eddie Herbert

      By Carol M. Bareuther, RD The moon and stars shone brightly in the pre-dawn night as Capt. Eddie Herbert started the engines on the 80-foot Merritt Reel Tight. His destination, the Virgin Islands’ North Drop. Reel Tight owner Jim Lambert Sr. took his passion for fishing seriously. He wanted to be first off the dock so he could catch and... [Read More...]

    • Splash Report: Bayliss Boatworks' Overtime

      Splash Report: Bayliss Boatworks' Overtime

      Every boat built by Bayliss Boatworks is a truly custom project. In the case of Overtime, the newest 67’ 6’’ build to hit the water, the sportfisher is the weapon of choice for a Cabo-San-Lucas-based program. With the help of the experienced captain and owner team, Bayliss Boatworks designed a sportfishing yacht unique enough to meet the demands of conquering... [Read More...]

    • First Build: Jarrett Bay's Sensation

      First Build: Jarrett Bay's Sensation

      By Nichole Osinski "If you’d asked me when I was 16 years old if I was going to build a boat, I would have told you you’re crazy," says Jarrett Bay Founder and President Randy Ramsey when recalling his 30-plus year career in the boat building industry. But to understand how the company has risen to where it is today,... [Read More...]

    • InTheBite Christmas Gift Offers

      InTheBite Christmas Gift Offers

      In addition to the other products listed below, InTheBite is offering two amazing holiday gift deals: a free gift subscription and a hat, shirt and sticker bundle. Act now before the offer ends on December 24th at midnight! Christmas Special: Hat, Shirt & Sticker Bundle (While Supplies Last) Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the fisherman in your life?... [Read More...]

    • Tackle Tips: L-Bar Bottom Rig

      Tackle Tips: L-Bar Bottom Rig

      Capt. Bill Buckland, Fisherman’s Center Supplies Needed: L-Bar, 250 lb mono, 11/0 circle hooks, three-way swivel, deep drop gang rig and sash weight. The L-Bar is an excellent accessory to utilize when deep dropping for bottom fish. It is especially effective for catching tilefish. With a traditional five-hook gang rig, the hooks are suspended in the water column. Utilizing the... [Read More...]

    Search InTheBite

    Copyright © 2023 InTheBite, LLC · All Rights Reserved.