New-boat sales rose in May, according to preliminary data compiled by Michigan-based Statistical Surveys.
Preliminary registration data for May showed sales of fiberglass boats were up 2.2 percent, while aluminum sales rose 2.4 percent. This report is based on 17 states, including California, Florida, Michigan and Texas. The reporting states represent 44 percent of the U.S. market.
"The May numbers look better than expected, although some of that is due to rebounding sales in Louisiana and Mississippi," said Dick DuMont of Statistical Surveys, in a statement. "Both these states had very low sales last May due to hurricanes."
Aluminum boat sales rose 2.4 percent in May, and are up 1.8 percent January through May 2006. This segment has done better than the fiberglass segment.
Fiberglass boats, in the popular lengths of 15 to 30 foot, rose a slight 0.3 percent in the early reporting states. For the first five months of 2006, sales were still down 5.6 percent
PWC sales increased 6.6 percent in the month and are up 1.8 percent for the year-to-date period.
