How can we capitalise on the growing wave of interest in the boating and marine industry?
Posted-on March 2022
By Inside Marine Podcast
Much to our excitement, the boating and marine industry is receiving an unprecedented amount of attention. We seem to be experiencing the rise of a new wave – but could this recent surge of interest come to be nothing but a short-term blip?
We recently discussed this with the CEO and founder of Dromeas Yachts, Efe Kuyumcu, who considers the current lack of accessibility in the industry is largely to blame for the fact the interest isn’t even greater.
Thousands if not millions of people worldwide dream of buying a boat. But by the time they have the money to do so, they’re typically in their 40s or 50s; they have a family, and various other responsibilities. And at the moment, owning a boat is a burden.
Boat owners have to think about the maintenance, the storage, the insurance; a seemingly endless series of things to add to their already-overwhelming to-do lists. And, the way things are in the industry right now, checking these things off the list isn't exactly easy.
But very few players in the industry seem to care about that. Most companies are concerned with building bigger boats and out-competing their rivals with the flashiest designs. And since many of these players are publicly traded, it’s hard to blame them. They have no choice. They’re doing whatever it takes to increase their profitability.
It's an inter governmental problem on a global scale. We need to find a way to put pressure on governments to create more accessible seas and build the infrastructure that’s needed to make owning a boat accessible for everyone.
We do need more marinas. But it’s not just about that. Owning a boat needs to become a pleasure rather than a burden. More emphasis needs to be placed on practicality. We need to think about storage, boat-sharing schemes, and Boat Club systems. In turn, with greater ownership options, owning a boat would inevitably become a more financially viable option for a greater number of people.
Better infrastructure on a global scale, coupled with a greater number of ownership options would improve the accessibility issue. And if the industry can achieve this, there’s no reason why the surge of interest would diminish.
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