I asked one rep...how are sales going? His eyes rolled back and said, well, I suppose it is better then years past but the expectations are so low now that any sale is a big deal.
Most new builders are not building on spec...they don't start anything until they get a deposit now.
The market is flooded with A LOT of very good, late model boats well below cost. Why buy new when you can get a 2 yo boat less than 1/2 the cost of new?
4-5 buck gas is not going to help and could drive the dagger in many pleasure boat builders as many get < 1 mpg. A little CC with a new OB gets about 2.5mpg
E15 = pending nightmare
Boat loans???
you better have cash
Labor market in US makes it too challenging. Yeah, there are people who want to work but with all the government demands on providing benefits and pay...you can't sell a boat made in the US because the labor costs drive it out of sight. You need to go overseas or across borders to find cheap labor build it there and and import it . This government still does not get the picture.
The industry has a lot of obstacles and expensive toys that consume large quantities of fossil fuel are low on most peoples list these days.
To be honest, I would love to get into the business but it is so bad out there any money invested would be better spent at a crap table right now.