Tackle Trade World - March 2024

COMMITTED TO INCREASING YOUR BUSINESS GLOBALLY
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CUTTING EDGE
Dr Slick owner lifts the lid
on longevity.
PAGE 18
NORTHERN LIGHTS
Why Scandinavia is a key
tackle business territory.
PAGE 28
PERSONAL WATERCRAFT BUCK
BOAT SALES DECLINE TREND
Boat dealers and users look
set to change tack from
larger powered vessels
to smaller personal watercraft
as the industry sees a shift in
buying patterns.
As the number of powered
boat sales in the USA continues
to decline from its strong
showing during the Covid-19
pandemic, attention has turned
to innovation and to smaller
craft.
The National Marine
Manufacturers Association
says new powerboat retail sales
will likely be down slightly in
2023, by approximately one to
three per cent, to an estimated
258,000 units.
It also predicts that this year
new recreational boat sales will
be on a par with 2023 as the
industry continues to navigate
interest rates not to mention
shifts in consumer confidence.
As a result, manufacturers are
said to be focused on continuing
to deliver innovative new
products and showcase emerging
technologies at boat shows
across the country, ranging
from hydrogen-fuelled marine
engines to boats powered fully
by sustainable marine fuels.
While most categories saw
declines in 2023 – in some cases
by up to a quarter – the personal
watercraft segment has bucked
the trend, with data suggesting
sales in this segment are up by
between a fifth and quarter (20
to 25 per cent)
These small craft, designed for
use by one to three people and
popular with anglers as they are
well-priced and easy to transport
to favoured fishing spots, are
expected to make up between
85,000 to 90,000 of the 258,000
estimated new units sold at
retail in 2023.
• Continued on page 8
S E N T T O M O R E T H A N 1 8 , 5 0 0 T A C K L E I N D U S T R Y
PROFESSIONALS IN OVER 120 COUNTRIES EVERY MONTH