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State of the Industry: April 2026

How Dealers Are Using SSI Data to Replace Guesswork With Growth Strategy

State of the Marine Industry: March 2026

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In March 2026, the Marine industry recorded an -7.27% year-over-year (YoY) decline, following a similar -5.28% drop in March 2025. This indicates that overall sales activity remains relatively consistent with the prior year’s trend.

Category Performance

Outperforming the Market 

  • Aluminum Fishing Boat, 16-24 feet: +1.40% 
  • Saltwater Outboard 13-55 feet: -1.82%
  • Aluminum Fishing Boat, 8-24 feet: -2.31% 
  • Ski Wake: -2.44%

Performing in Line with the Market 

  • Bass: -6.46%

Underperforming the Market

  • PWC: -9.02% 
  • Pontoon: -10.27%
  • Aluminum Fishing Boat, 8-15 feet: -21.94% 

Registrations by Hull Type

  • Aluminum: -5.61%
  • Fiberglass: -8.64%

Regional Performance: Where Demand is Rising & Falling

While overall sales declined, certain markets are notably outperforming the national average, presenting opportunities for dealers. At the same time, other regions are experiencing sharper declines, highlighting potential challenges to watch. Below are some of the strongest and most-declining markets based on March 2026 data.

Top Growth Markets: March 2026

  1. Cumberland, MD +500.00%
  2. Greenville-Greenwood, MS +400.00%
  3. Las Cruces, NM +400.00%
  4. Laurel, MS +300.00%
  5. Hattiesburg, MS+266.67%

Declining Markets: March 2026

  1. Lewiston-Moscow, ID -87.50%
  2. Oil City-Franklin, PA -87.50% 
  3. Bakersfield, CA -85.71% 
  4. Merced, CA → –81.82% 
  5. Port Angeles, WA-77.78% 

Top Performing Lengths for Marine

The data below highlights the top-performing boat lengths based on year-over-year registration changes. 

Top-Performing Lengths

  • 17 feet: +2.08%
  • 21 feet: +1.38%
  • 28 feet: +1.17%

Stay Ahead with Data-Driven Insights

Industry trends are never as simple as being up or down, the real value comes from digging deeper to uncover opportunities and guide smarter decisions.

  • Want deeper insights for your market? Reach us at marketing@statisticalsurveys.com to access registration data that drives better business strategies.
  • Ready to put insights into action? TI Media  helps dealers turn data into growth with expert advertising solutions.
  • Looking to reach even more buyers? Connect with BoatMart for additional opportunities to get in front of in-market shoppers.

The data presented in this article reflects monthly new marine sales across the United States, with the exception of the following states: Illinois, Maryland, North Dakota, Rhode Island, and Virginia.

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State of the Industry: April 2026

How Dealers Are Using SSI Data to Replace Guesswork With Growth Strategy

State of the Marine Industry: March 2026