The National Marine Manufacturers Association’s (NMMA) latest summary on the recreational boating segment, featuring data through November 2025, showed retail and wholesale activity remained under pressure as elevated interest rates and cautious consumer sentiment continued to influence purchasing behavior.
Freshwater fishing boats showed relative stability compared to other categories, while more discretionary segments, including pontoons, wakesports and cruisers, experienced retail declines.
Key economic indicators continued to reflect a cautious consumer environment in November. The conference board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell to 88.7, its lowest level since April 2025, signaling restrained holiday spending as year-end approached.
On a rolling 12-month basis (December 2024–November 2025), retail sales fell 8.6% to 215,736 units for the recreational segment, according to reporting from Boating Industry.
Manufacturing activity remained in expansion territory, with the U.S. Manufacturing PMI at 52.0, though momentum has moderated compared to earlier in the year. Housing starts held steady at 1.4 million annualized units, while the 30-year fixed mortgage rate remained elevated at 6.3%.
With November data now reported, the recreational boating industry entered 2026 facing a moderated demand environment.
Source: Boating Industry, NMMA
Yamaha’s U.S. Marine Business Unit captured multiple top industry honors at the 2026 Miami International Boat Show, reinforcing a product and marketing strategy that closely mirrors trends shaping the powersports market.
The awards — spanning product innovation, marketing execution and customer satisfaction — highlight how Yamaha is leveraging technology, lifestyle positioning, and supporting dealers across both marine and powersports channels.
“These awards reflect the passion and precision our teams bring to every product we design and build,” says Ben Speciale, president, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit. “From redefining entire categories with the CrossWave to delivering customer satisfaction year after year, these recognitions underscore our commitment to innovation that delivers real value on the water.”
The biggest headline came from Boating Magazine, which named Yamaha’s CrossWave WaveRunner “Boat of the Year,” the publication’s highest annual honor.
The CrossWave also earned an Innovation Award from the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and Boating Writers International in the personal watercraft category.
For powersports dealers, the CrossWave represents a notable crossover play. Measuring nearly 13 feet long and powered by Yamaha’s 1.9-liter HO marine engine, the platform blends personal watercraft performance with fishing and utility capability — effectively carving out a new hybrid category between traditional PWCs and small fishing boats.
Delivered in a single, fully equipped configuration with a custom trailer, the CrossWave is positioned as a turnkey lifestyle product — a strategy powersports dealers will recognize from premium side-by-side and personal watercraft packages.
Yamaha also earned Neptune Awards from Marine Marketers of America for both outboard and watercraft campaigns, including an Integrated Marketing Campaign award for the CrossWave launch. More than 80 marketing professionals judged entries across 22 categories, evaluating campaigns executed in 2025.
Yamaha accepted NMMA CSI Awards for excellence in customer satisfaction in five categories, including Outboard Engine, Sport Boats and Personal Watercraft, as well as recognition for Skeeter and G3 boat brands.
Notably, Yamaha has earned the NMMA CSI Award in the Outboard Engine category every year since the program’s inception in 2001.
The consistency is significant. Both marine and powersports retailers are navigating normalized demand after pandemic highs, and brands that maintain strong CSI scores tend to support dealer profitability through repeat purchases, service retention and brand advocacy.
Yamaha’s strategy in boating is noteworthy as it closely aligns with what is driving growth in powersports segments such as high-end PWCs, ADV motorcycles, and feature-rich side-by-sides.
As marine and powersports increasingly compete for the same discretionary dollars, Yamaha’s cross-category approach illustrates how OEMs are blurring traditional lines to capture lifestyle buyers.
For multiline dealers carrying both marine and powersports products, the takeaway is clear: category-defining innovation and elevated customer experiences are becoming big-time differentiators in today’s market.
Honda Marine, a division of Honda Power Sports & Products, announced the launch of a new five-year limited rigging warranty for its complete line of Honda Marine
outboards.
The new coverage expands the scope of Honda True 5 Warranty protection for the complete line of Honda Marine outboards.
The new factory-direct assurance program, fully backed by Honda Marine, extends to customers a full five years of protection on Honda Marine rigging components and systems for new package boat sales or new repower packages made on or after Jan. 1, 2026. This includes protection for rigging elements such as controls, control cables, wiring harnesses, gauges, switches, tiller handles, and displays.
Honda Marine, which has been building outboards since 1964, says its new five-year rigging warranty deepens its commitment to promoting recreational boating and elevating on-the-water experiences, helping keep boaters their watercrafts on the water longer.
“The Honda Marine mission celebrates every reason boaters take to the water: adventure, tranquility, and everything in between. Our new true five-year limited rigging warranty strengthens that purpose,” says Josh Matthews, division director of Honda Marine. “Honda Marine took the best warranty in the industry and made it even better, really embracing the next wave in warranty protection.”
The new five-year rigging warranty coincides with Honda Marine’s Buyer’s Choice sales event, which ran through March 30. The promotion offered either $10,000 savings on the purchase of select Honda Marine outboards, or a no-cost addition of 36 months of the HondaCare protection plan — an extension of Honda’s standard five-year limited warranty — for a total of eight years of protection. With no pro-rating that decreases coverage over time, the five-year limited rigging warranty is fully transferable.