Boat show organizer sees more fair seas ahead for industry

The recreational boating industry, without a doubt, has been one of the big, if not biggest, winners of the pandemic. Sales are way, way up across all categories of vessels, from entry-level runabouts to superyachts, leading retailers such as Clearwater-based MarineMax to enjoy record-shattering revenue growth.

Led by CEO Brett McGill, MarineMax reported $1.24 billion in sales in 2019, a solid, if not spectacular, improvement over 2018’s $1.18 billion. Then came 2020 … and the pandemic. The firm’s annual revenue surged to $1.51 billion, and 2021 was even better, with $2.06 billion in sales.