MARKET TRENDS
BY ADAM QUANDT
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Pontoon manufacturers aim to create unique experiences for all
T he pontoon segment has forever been and seems to continue to be a place a versatility in the recreational marine market .
Whether consumers are looking for a vessel to tackle evening cruises , fishing excursions , tow sports for the whole family , or something else entirely , pontoon manufacturers continue to aim to offer a boat that can do it all , at a variety of price points .
“ For 2024 , we really focused on book ending our product portfolio with a variety of entry-level and high-end premium products ,” Harris Boats president Brian Athmer told Boating Industry . “ We ’ re continuing to invest at a very high rate across all of our product categories and we ’ re excited to continue pushing the segment forward .”
Athmer added that he and the Harris team are hearing a message of optimism from dealers as the industry heads into 2025 .
Polaris Marine , parent company of both Bennington and Godfrey , echoed similar
Ben
Duke sentiments when it comes to crafting products that appeal to all consumers , regardless of what they ' re looking for in terms of price point and capabilities .
“ Because we launched so many new models across all of our brands this year , our dealers have been really excited about the year ahead ,” Polaris Marine president Ben Duke said .
Buyer breakdown
Lightspeed DMS conducted a study focusing on 16k new and used units in the pontoon segment , sold between November 1 , 2023 , and October 31 , 2024 . Of note , twenty-three unique makes were included in the study . Roughly nine out of ten pontoons sold in this study were new units . In terms of regionality , the Midwest stands out with the highest average sales per dealer at 24 units , indicating strong market activity in this region . The South and Northeast follow with averages of 17 and 16 units , respectively , showing moderate performance . California , with 15 units per dealer , is slightly below the Northeast . The Northwest and West regions exhibit lower averages at 10 and 8 units , respectively .
Further breaking down regionality , the South and Midwest dominate the pontoon market , according to the Lightspeed study , each contributing an equal share of 43 %, collectively accounting for 86 % of total sales . This demonstrates the significant concentration of market activity in these two re-
22 december 2024 / january 2025 www . boatingindustry . com