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44 | Boating Industry | May 2017 www.BoatingIndustry.com /// Market Trends /// 2013, 146,818 units in 2014, 157,052 units in 2015 and 165,435 units in 2016. Contrast this to a corresponding decline of sterndrive-powered boats over the same period, with volumes of 16,666 units in 2012, 15,060 in 2013, 13,923 in 2014, 12,941 in 2015 and 12,472 last year. "Prior to the downturn the cast iron sterndrive market was doing re- ally well," said Honda Marine OEM sales manager Dennis Ashley. "But coming out of the downturn the market shifted strongly over to pon- toons, and cast-iron sterndrives fell out of favor. As a result, the fiberglass boat builders started bringing out new outboard-powered deck boats and runabouts that are really nice, and designed to be able to compete head-on with pontoons. They've gained some momentum and I think they could be the next leader in the market. A lot of these are 3,000-pound boats that take 300 horsepower engines, and over the past couple of years that's a big part of where the growth in sales of larger out- boards is coming from. People want a sporty ride, and it all comes down to that power-to-weight ratio which inevitably favors outboards." Additional factors cited by boatbuilders in favor of outboards include easier maintenance, increased cockpit space, and quieter operation. "The market shift to outboard power has been closely associated to the types of boats that consumers want to buy today," Foulkes said. "Outboard- powered deck boats are creating demand for outboard engines in a segment of the market where there wasn't much demand 10 or 15 years ago. People are buying outboard-powered pontoons today, where in the past they might have bought a runabout, because they can go 50 miles an hour and still seat a dozen people and do tow sports and all kinds of things. The big cross- over saltwater fishing boats, which now offer the kind of accommodation a cruiser used to have, are also outboard-powered. All of these categories are particularly strong right now, and they are all contributing to driving the growth in outboard power." Relentless technological development While it may be tempting to suggest that it is the lower cost of outboards which gives them an edge over sterndrives – particularly in the wake of the EPA's evaporative emission regulations that came into effect in 2010 – the fact is that is has been rapid-fire technological de- velopment that has truly driven the market. The addition of features like digital throttle and shift, automatic trim and digital positioning systems not only make boating easier, they add tremendous value in the eyes of prospective buyers. That is particularly true today, as time-crunched profes- sionals have less and less time to spend honing their skills on the water. But it's not just newbie boaters who want all the bells and whistles. The old salts do too. "When serious boaters are ready to purchase a new boat, they want more full-featured products," said Yamaha Marine Group President Ben Speciale. "Yamaha mechanical engine systems are very reliable and operate the engine well. I will be the first one to state, however, that once you use a digital throttle and shift engine, it's hard to go back to mechanical again. This digital technology fully integrates boat control systems to create a unique experience for larger boats. To me, the system really makes big boats drive like smaller boats, and makes boating more approachable." "When serious boaters are ready to purchase a new boat, they want more full-featured products." — Ben Speciale, Yamaha Marine Group president More builders are opting for outboard power on runabouts and deck boats.