If you were fortunate enough to grow up in and around boats, you probably have fond memories of one boat in particular that was the “fishing boat.” The fishing boat was usually a smallish open fiberglass skiff, powered by a bulky two-cycle outboard, and the list of amenities stopped at a cooler for drinks and lunch and a bucket. Fishermen (and women; my mother fished with the best of them) were a rough and ready lot and so were their boats. I’m sure there are still a lot of those great little boats out there.
As an observer of the boating scene for a long time, I believe there are two relatively recent events which have had a large effect on today’s boating. One was the development of high horsepower four-stroke outboards which radically changed the variety of outboard fiberglass boats available. The other was Covid.
The Covid epidemic had an undeniable effect on the recreational boating world. People rediscovered boating in great numbers and boat sales boomed. Families were spending more time together during the quarantine, and boating was one activity that could be enjoyed by the whole family. In the post-Covid years, interest in family boating has continued, and boat manufacturers began to take notice. Keith Rhodes, owner and CEO of Tri-State Marine in Annapolis, Deale, and Middle River, MD, describes the change this way. “We are Grady White dealers. Grady White was more about walkaround cuddy cabins, small fishing boats. They had a Hunt-designed, smooth, comfortable-riding hull. Fishermen loved them, so that was their market,” he explained.
“Then Covid hit,” Keith said. “People were buying boats; we were sold out. We could have sold anything; this showroom was empty. You started seeing a flexibility in people’s work schedules. People didn’t have to go to the office every day, both husbands and wives, so there was more time with family. During Covid people broke out board games and had to distance themselves from other families. The family relationships got tighter. People’s outlook was changing because they could work, but they also could play together. Camping, RVs, motorcycles all took off. But boating exploded. The family’s decision was no longer, ‘can we get a boat?’ but ‘what kind of boat should we get?’ That generally meant that the rough and ready fishing boat was no longer acceptable. The family requires and expects a higher level of comfort and amenities to spend time together and go cruising with friends.”
“Post Covid it wasn’t an increase in boating, but a change in the type of boating that led manufacturers to expand what they were already doing,” Keith explained. “Moving away from center console boats to dual console and larger boats with more refinements. For example, you have Grady White making a 415 Open Bowrider, one of the largest in the world. It’s absolutely beautiful inside, glass and natural wood and teak accents and every amenity you can imagine. No one’s going to fish that boat. So, Grady White now offers an optional fishing package on their boats. You now have a new type of boat that meets the dual demands of fishing and cruising. On the other hand, you have Tiara offering optional rod holders on their boats, so the distinction between fishing and cruising is becoming blurred. I think this trend will continue.”
As Keith explained, “One of the big surprises post-Covid is that the ‘big sell off’ that experts predicted after the lockdown ended never happened. We have more people trading up now. They have kept their boat for three or four years and are looking for something a little bigger, a little nicer, and have a boat to trade. We love trade ins.”
Rick Boulay, Jr., general manager of Chesapeake Whalertowne in Grasonville and Annapolis, MD, shares his observations on the changes. “Boston Whaler is the only major premium brand that really puts a lot of resources into development of boats like the Montauk series of 15-, 17-, 19-, and 21-footers. Those boats have never waned as far as demand goes. They are the most popular boats we’ve sold. The 17 Montauk and the 19 Montauk are the most popular boats within that segment world-wide. A lot of that has to do with the utility of the boat. It is a little more basic and a little more fishing oriented but also low maintenance. There is a direct correlation between fishing boats and low maintenance so that makes them attractive,” he said.
“I think that when you move up to a 24-, 28-, or 32-footer, it is more likely to transition to a multi-purpose family platform,” Rick continued. “You can fish and cruise equally; I’d say the priorities are equal. You want the boat to be able to fish; you want fishing features like live wells, raw water pump, and rod holders, lots of cockpit space. All of that you definitely need. I think the dual console market and the demand and the evolution within that market proves that.
“What was traditionally a bowriding boat, like Sea Rays and that style of boat, a sport boat, has changed. The outboard fiberglass nature of the fishing platform is now available in a larger boat. When we all entered that market, Boston Whaler did a lot of development in that line-up to create a family-friendly fishing platform. You can take that boat out with eight people and cruise around, go water skiing, stop at a sandbar, or go fishing. You can do both things in one day; you can fish in the morning and have a family cruise in the afternoon. I do think there is a transition in the market. I also think there are competitive brands that are creating a niche in that family fishing category. Look at premium outboard fiberglass brand leaders like Grady White, Pursuit, Whaler, and larger boats like Tiara. Those are all going to be cruising or yacht-oriented boats when you get to that price point,” he concluded.
Rick also addressed the emerging dual console market. “Our Outrage series boats have always been family-friendly fishing platforms. This is not something new with us. You can go back 20 years in Whaler’s history to when we began making family-friendly center consoles like the Outrages. The dual console market is a little more recent as far as what we’ve built so far. The Outrage series started to transition to a more family friendly platform in the early 2000s. The Ventura model line-up was our dual console line up. Then we transitioned those boats to the Vantage line. That dual console market has certainly changed the game in the outboard fiberglass market for us,” he added.
Rick’s final comment harks back to a tried-and-true Whaler feature. “I think that it’s worth mentioning the uniqueness of Whaler in this conversation from a safety perspective. That is that they all share the closed cell injected foam hull that makes them unsinkable. I know that’s old news, but it is important from a safety standpoint for a family-oriented boat.”
We all use our boats differently. The four-cycle outboard motor has made larger, more comfortable boats available by getting all the machinery out of the hull in an easily maintained format. I wonder what’s next?
By Capt. Rick Franke