Friday, May 09, 2008
Boaters and RV’ers Don’t Plan to Abandon Ship
With marine fuel nearing $5 a gallon and regular gas heading in that direction, you might be surprised to learn that when it comes to getting out on the water, or getting out on the road, Americans will not be denied.
If you already own a boat or an RV, chances are good that you're planning to put your boat in the water and you've made plans for road trips in your RV.
That would seem counterintuitive, but the numbers speak otherwise. While retail sales for recreational boating topped $39 billion in 2006 — an increase of nearly six percent from 2005 — the last two years have not been as buoyant. In 2007, the industry saw a drop of 14 percent in unit sales, and nine percent in dollar sales. And this year will be worse. In fact, at the recent Miami boat show, many new boat dealers were downright depressed. "See that brand-new boat over there?" said the president of one upscale boat manufacturer. "I've sold it four times this week." Translation: The prospective buyers couldn't close financing.
Full Story...
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Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, 2nd Edition
gives you tips, tools and resources to live where you want, when you want. With key points on topics like writing an RV resume, networking, and how to negotiate for better compensation, it is the ultimate handbook for those who are thinking about working or volunteering as they travel in their RV.
If you already own a boat or an RV, chances are good that you're planning to put your boat in the water and you've made plans for road trips in your RV.
That would seem counterintuitive, but the numbers speak otherwise. While retail sales for recreational boating topped $39 billion in 2006 — an increase of nearly six percent from 2005 — the last two years have not been as buoyant. In 2007, the industry saw a drop of 14 percent in unit sales, and nine percent in dollar sales. And this year will be worse. In fact, at the recent Miami boat show, many new boat dealers were downright depressed. "See that brand-new boat over there?" said the president of one upscale boat manufacturer. "I've sold it four times this week." Translation: The prospective buyers couldn't close financing.
Full Story...
---
Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, 2nd Edition
gives you tips, tools and resources to live where you want, when you want. With key points on topics like writing an RV resume, networking, and how to negotiate for better compensation, it is the ultimate handbook for those who are thinking about working or volunteering as they travel in their RV.