The Personal Watercraft Consumer

Today's personal watercraft are affordable family boats with clean, quiet, fuel-efficient engines and no exposed propellers. Manufacturers have responded to customers' desire for environmentally-friendly recreation, and have created cleaner, quieter and more versatile personal watercraft.

Additionally, PWC manufacturers have focused their new model designs on today's consumer base — families — thus, continuing to perfect and produce more of the three-person models. These models now account for more than 75 percent of today’s PWC market. Data from a few years ago shows that:

• the average purchaser of a new PWC is 41 years old.
• About 85 percent are male,
• 71 percent are married,
• 69 percent have owned a powerboat prior to their most recent PWC purchase, and
• 66 percent have taken or completed college-level course work.
• Forty-two percent of those PWC owners have owned waterfront property, and
• over 60 percent have access to a home on the water, whether it is their primary home or the home of a close friend or relative.

Today's consumer is likely more diverse with the broader selection of models currently available, which appeal to many different people.

In 2001, Leisure Trends Group, a national consumer research firm, surveyed consumer attitudes towards personal watercraft. Ninety-three percent of the respondents had positive attitudes towards the safety of personal watercraft, particularly if the vessels were operated properly.

Surveys have also found that the most common ways PWC are used (over 80 percent) involve rides with family and friends, short cruises, towing skiers, exploring, and entertaining friends.