How old were you when you bought your first boat? The young are not buying boats...

[Gofirstclass]

Re: How old were you when you bought your first boat? The young are not buying boats

I'm not a bit surprised by the changing demographics. Look at the dates of the two years compared in the graph.....

In 2007 (10 years after the first stats) we entered "The Great Recession". Many of the young people who bought those boats in the late 90's and early 2000's were in hock up to their eyeballs. When the feathers hit the fan many of those young people had to give back their toys and their homes. Now fast forward to the second set of stats in the graph. The older guys (I'm in that group) survived the recession and were/are headed to retirement. They want something to do in their "golden years" so they turn to boating.

In response to the original question....

I was 5 when I got my first rowboat. A 7.5hp Evinrude was attached to the stern when I was 7. I got a blow boat when I was 13, then went through a long dry spell (bad pun there, but it's appropriate) until I was my 40's (1990) before I bought a 20' bowrider. I kept that until 2000 when I bought my first 330 Sundancer. Upsized in 2010 to our current boat.

It's in my blood.

 

[neffy85]

How old were you when you bought your first boat? The young are not buying boa

18 when I bought my first 12' Jon boat. Now at 39, and 5 boats later, up to the current boat.

 

[Zach312]

Re: How old were you when you bought your first boat? The young are not buying boats

At 17 bought a 18ft four winns.

Took a few years off

Wife and I bought a 185 Sport at 25

at 27 we bought our current boat a 380 sundancer.

We do not understand how more young people aren't boating more.

 

[moparlvr4406]

Re: How old were you when you bought your first boat? The young are not buying boats

At 17 bought a 18ft four winns.

Took a few years off

Wife and I bought a 185 Sport at 25

at 27 we bought our current boat a 380 sundancer.

We do not understand how more young people aren't boating more.

I have determined with my boat shopping that little kids don't float
I looked at many boats that were for sale due to the new mom not thinking it's safe to have a young child on the boat
needless to say new dads were not happy to sell.

 

[Dooley]

How old were you when you bought your first boat? The young are not buying boa

It's funny you should mention that.
My wife and I have been tiding motorcycles for years, and with the new baby we were "forced" into looking at an alternate lifestyle.

With all our closest friends being boaters, it was a no-brainer and got ourselves our first boat. I'm 34


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Dooley]

How old were you when you bought your first boat? The young are not buying boa

Oh yeah I almost forgot, boat is a 2002 280DA with twin 4.3s


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bella Bella]

Re: How old were you when you bought your first boat? The young are not buying boats

29, of course that was just a couple years ago it came with a husband. Well the husband didn't last but the boat did lol It has been great therapy.

 

[Russklan]

How old were you when you bought your first boat? The young are not buying boa

12 but have always been boat crazy. Got a 14' Jon boat at 12 and the at 15 got a 17 Sears boat with a 80 Evinrude on it.

 

[Newman]

Re: How old were you when you bought your first boat? The young are not buying boats

30 - 1986 Seville. That was last year. I'm loving it but having a hard time finding others around here to join in the fun. The goal is to retire on some sort of floating haven.

 

[Converse48]

Re: How old were you when you bought your first boat? The young are not buying boats

Wooden pram with 3.5 Montgomery Ward outboard at 11.
A series of inflatables, sailboats, dingoes, etc.. I don't "count" any of them...
First "real boat", a 16' runabout at 16.
Now on Boat #15 including 4 (gasp!) cruising sail boats.

 

[All's Well]

Re: How old were you when you bought your first boat? The young are not buying boats

I was 17 ... it was a 17' Glastron tri-hull ( a beautiful green hull) w/ 115 Evinrude.

I am glad those days are over!

 

[Boatdave]

Re: How old were you when you bought your first boat? The young are not buying boats

Been on the river since I was 3 month's old. The first that I purchased at 18 was a 1978 19ft Cobalt with a lot of teak in the interior. Sold that before having to mess with the teak! The first boat my dad gave us kids was a 10ft wood kit boat that he had when he was a kid with a 5 hp Firestone Outboard. Busted many of knuckles wrapping the rope and pull starting.