InTheBite

Boating Market Report: Demand Continues to Move Inventory at Record Pace

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  • Strong consumer demand continues to move boat inventory faster than before the pandemic
  • Global average boat value is 28.9% higher than 2019
  • Boats sold in the first half of the year total over $6 billion globally
  • Average price of boats in the 26-foot range continues to rise, up 71.5% in the U.S. and 140.6% internationally

On August 1, 2022—Boats Group, a global leader in online boating marketplaces, announced findings from its latest market report, analyzing the first half of 2022 while comparing pre-pandemic trends alongside pandemic-driven growth. The rising value of boats has yet to affect consumer demand, with listed boats moving off the market faster and sales remaining higher than before the pandemic in 2019.

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DIY Teak Deck Sanding with Captain Tyler Andresen

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Capt. Tyler Andresen using a 6” Festool sander with 60-grit sandpaper on the deck.

By Dale Wills

“I’m sanding my own teak to save the boss money,” says Capt. Andresen from the deck of the 78-foot Rybovich and Sons Persistence. For a captain new to the luxury of teak decks, a DIY attempt at sanding them without a little guidance and know-how can easily turn into a big mistake. If that happens, do what most uber sportfishing captains decide to do and grab your iPhone, search Yelp for a highly rated sub-contractor and continue on with your other boat duties.

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When Lightning Strikes

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(Photo/Joe Byrum)

By James Cote

Ask any marine insurance adjuster about trends in lightning claims on recreational fishing boats and you will get an earful. During a recent marine insurance seminar, I remarked that without even seeing the boat I could estimate a direct strike to a new 72-foot sportfish could cause more than $600,000 in damage.

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Featured Boat: War Party

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The War Party at sea.

When Clearwater, Florida, native Paul Lokey picked up his new 64 Viking Convertible at the end of 2021, he knew he’d found a winner. Lokey had been looking for a boat that could work as a fierce tournament boat and just as easily switch to an on-the-water viewing area for college sports.

And it was Carmine Galati who led Lokey to the 64.

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The Rise of the Multi-Boat Program

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Bad Company's pacific fleet on the water.

Bad Company‘s pacific fleet with its mothership.

By Dave Ferrell

Ever since the first purpose-built fishing boats hit the water, the men who piloted them stretched the limits of their vessels and their crews in search of bigger and more abundant catches. From commercial cod fishermen that branched out from Europe to the shores of the New World in search of cod to the intrepid whalers out of New England who sailed around the world to harvest oceanic goliaths for their valuable oil. Traveling long distances on the sea for months or years at a time has always been an expensive and risky business. Those facts haven’t changed to this day; the boats capable of sustaining crews and safely navigating great distances come with a large price tag.

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Ping Jockey- Trolling with Sonar

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(Photos/Pepper Ailor)

By Capt. Steve Katz

Watching a NASCAR race can be monotonous until a crash occurs. Many spectators tune in for hours in the hopes to see a few seconds of a death-defying wreck. You watch the race carefully for hours, scheduling restroom and food breaks in conjunction with commercials, or if watching live, a dash to the concessions. Normally, the moment you step away from the action you miss the big event. This same scenario takes place every day while sportfishing; long days at the helm or in the cockpit and a lot of open ocean can easily create a mind-numbing scenario for even the best crew.

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Center Point: Big Center Console Trailering Advice

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A Yamaha Pro Fishing yacht resting on land.

(Photo/Bill Platt)

By Adam Peeples

A center console that can be trailered is a big advantage for those looking to fish different geographical locations across the continent. And the relative logistical ease and low cost of moving a boat via trailer can be more appealing than making the journey over waterways. As a professional charter boat captain with two boats that reside on trailers, I am very familiar with the view of a center console in the rearview mirror and the variety of issues that may arise while towing a boat.

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CY55 Debuts From Composite Yacht

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The CY55 on the water.

The new Composite Yacht CY55 reaches a top speed of 54.9 knots, a speed potentially not yet seen by conventionally driven diesel sportfishing boats. Lou Codega and Associates had this goal in mind when they designed this high-performance hull. To endure the loads a boat of this size and weight must support at these speeds, the vessel has a carbon and Kevlar laminate that utilizes heat activated urethane-acrylate resin.

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Splash Report: Lunatico

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The unfinished hull of the Lunatico.

Titan Yachts’ latest endeavor, the 63-foot Lunatico, charged straight out of the marina like a blue marlin chasing a livey from the moment it touched the water. Jokingly referred to as the “Splash and Go,” the Lunatico set out for the Bahamas two days after it splashed. In a hurry to make it to Marsh Harbour to participate in Skip’s Tournaments, they had limited time for sea trials. “Attention to detail left little room for error. We had great confidence in our work, as did our customer and his captain,” said Russ Garufi, President of Titan Yachts.

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