The recession may have diminished salaries and expectations, but it hasn’t killed the dream of boating for many people.
Recognizing that reality, marine publisher Mark Bunzel and boat designer and builder Sam Devlin have teamed up to offer an affordable option for boat ownership: a kit boat starting at $3,900.
The Candlefish 16 is a pointed bow [...]

The numbers of boats sold in Washington state and the value of those sales jumped during the last quarter of 2009, suggesting that the industry is finally on the upswing.
But the good news is tempered by an alarming drop in new boat sales and increasing numbers of people buying boats out of state and through [...]

If the Seattle Boat Show is any indication, the recovery the region’s boating industry has long been waiting for seems to finally have arrived.
The nine-day show, which ended Saturday, was marked by bigger crowds than last year, enthusiastic showgoers and most importantly, sales. Exhibitors reported boats selling in categories ranging from dinghies to luxury yachts, [...]

Not too long ago, the wait list to get into some of the region’s most popular marinas could be years long.
But increasing numbers of boats have vacated as the recession deepened, leaving marinas around Puget Sound struggling to fill empty slips, especially in smaller sizes. Some are now offering deals and promotions in an effort [...]

Seattle Boat Show organizers and exhibitors reported a strong start to the region’s premier annual boating event, with higher attendance and showgoers who were not just looking, but actually buying.
Attendance was up 23 percent over last year for the first four days of the show at Lake Union, while the indoor portion of the show [...]

Seeing the big yachts moored at marinas around Puget Sound, it’s easy to assume boating is only for those with deep pockets.
But boat dealers at the Seattle Boat Show are hoping to convey a different message to showgoers: that boating is more accessible than they might realize.
“I think that there are people who pass off [...]

As final preparations are carried out for Friday’s opening of the Seattle Boat Show, organizers are cautiously optimistic that this year’s event may finally herald a turnaround for the region’s beleaguered marine industry.
George Harris, president of the Northwest Marine Trade Association (NMTA), said there’s been strong interest from consumers leading up to the show, which [...]