Flats/Bay Fishing Boats are fiberglass boats between 16’ and 20’ in length and are usually powered by a single outboard engine. They are most commonly a center console configuration with low freeboard and are used for fishing and general recreation in protected waters.
Here’s a quick summary:
- There are currently just over 500,000 flats/bay fishing boats registered in the U.S., nearly half (46%) of which were purchased new or pre-owned during the past 5 years.
- The average flats/bay fishing boat is 21 years old and roughly 10,000 of them are being retired from the fleet each year.
- Last year, 88% of all flats/bay fishing boats were purchased pre-owned (12% New).
- One third (31%) of the people that purchased flats/bay fishing boats in 2019 were first-time-boat buyers and 31% of them own another boat (including PWC)
- Flats/Bay fishing boat buyers tend to be well established. The average age of boat buyers in this segment is 49 years old; almost all own their home; and they have usually lived there for a while
