Challenges and Opportunities
What is Boating's Competition?
The American consumer is quick to respond that he or she would like to have more "time." So it's no surprise that the research indicated current boat owners wish they had more time to be on the water. Conversely, prospects and former owners say they would probably own or buy again if they could find more time. The bottom line is that other less time consuming activities have taken priority over boating for those people who don't own or are former owners. In a highly positive sense, many outdoor activities accrue when a boat is purchased. RPC members suggest further study is needed to define time constraints vs. boat owning and that marketers become more adept at conveying the "surprise benefits" people gain by taking time to go boating.
To compare the level of satisfaction provided by boating with that from other outdoor activities, recent buyers ranked camping, snow skiing, hiking, golf, tennis and a number of others lower. Compared to indoor activities, recent buyers would rather go boating than to sports events, exercise at home, go to the movies or mess with the home computer.
The challenge for industry is to find ways for prospects and others to get enough of a good taste of boating to understand it can be as much or more fun than these and other outdoor and indoor recreations.
Current owners and prospects also recognize a number of challengers they face on waterways. Understood is that it's getting more crowded out there and, as a result, safety concerns are higher than they were in the late 1980s. Boaters suggest improving waterway policing and enforcement and are more amenable to operator licensing if it were linked to legitimate boat and personal watercraft education and riding safety courses. In a concern for pocketbooks and the environment, there is general interest in having access to more fuel efficient motors.
