Boat sales during the first quarter of this year were strong enough to make brokers tentatively optimistic that the region’s marine industry was finally heading upward. But sales took an alarming plunge during the second quarter, underscoring the slow economy recovery being felt nationwide. Total boat sales in Washington were down 13.6 percent – or 2,081 [...]

If you thought the Seattle Boat Show at Shilsole Bay Marina is only about walking the docks, checking out boats and accessories, you’d be mistaken. The show, running from Thursday to Sunday, will indeed have boats and marine gear for sale. But its attractions also include demos by professional wakeboarders, free sailboat rides, paddleboard lessons, live [...]

One of Seattle’s major boat brokerages has a new owner, a new name and a new focus. As of today, SAS Yachts — also known as Sailboats at Shilshole — has changed its name to Seattle Yachts to reflect the changes, which include partnerships with Northwest Trawlers and Island Gypsy trawlers. The company was purchased in January [...]

Even in a recession, one thing remains constant at Port Ludlow Marina: its waiting list. Ongoing demand from local boaters is behind a proposal to expand the marina to add 66 slips for larger boats. The marina’s owners, Port Ludlow Associates (PLA), plan to build a new F dock on the west side of the [...]

It’s been a tough few years for boat sales in Washington state, which were hammered first by a spike in fuel prices and then followed by an economic recession and credit crunch that brought some parts of the market to a virtual standstill.  But just-released sales numbers for the first three months of this year — [...]

Noticing the numbers of owners looking to sell their boats, Kori Ward started thinking about creating an opportunity for them to do just that. So Ward, the manager of Port Ludlow Marina, arranged the marina’s inaugural “For Sale by Owner Boat Show and Marine Swap,” held last spring. The event turned out better than she’d [...]

Each year around this time, boaters regionwide begin the annual ritual of clearing out lockers, getting rid of boating gear and figuring out what new items they need for the year’s cruising season. Now there’s one more place to buy and sell that boating gear. The Marine Exchange, located in the Contractors Warehouse in Poulsbo, [...]