Preliminary registration data for February showed sales for all fiberglass boats declined 12.2 percent, while aluminum sales increased 0.6 percent.
"The trend in the aluminum segment is encouraging, but the declines in fiberglass and PWCs appear closer to what is anticipated for the balance of the year," said Aarn Rosen of Statistical Surveys.
The report is based on 25 states, or 59 percent of the U.S. market. The Coast Guard Documented Vessels file is not included in this preliminary summary, so the declines may be overstated as a result, according to Statistical Surveys.
Fiberglass boats, in the popular lengths of 14-30 feet, excluding PWCs, fell 11 percent in the early reporting states. Texas continues to defy the overall national trend, showing double-digit growth in all segments.
PWC sales dropped more than the aluminum segment, declining by 11.5 percent.
