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42 | Boating Industry | July 2017 www.BoatingIndustry.com /// Market Trends /// 2008," said Lori Kneeland, director of marketing for Crestliner Boats. "We came out of our boat show season this year with unit sales well up over last year. The Baby Boomer is still the principal buyer, but we're seeing more young families and young couples coming in looking for that fi rst boat, and that's good to see. We've added some amenities to attract younger buyers, like ski pylons, tables, upgraded stereos and sun pads, for example, but of course we maintain the core focus on fi shing." Kneeland notes that while versatile multi-species models remain strong sellers, the company is also seeing increased activity in special purpose designs. "Our aluminum bass boats have grown signifi cantly over the past two years, especially our premium PT series," Kneeland said. "That's a very com- petitive market space, but we've enjoyed a lot of success and they're doing well. We're also seeing upticks in some of the niche markets that we're into, like the catfi sh boats and the Pacifi c Northwest product." Some of the inroads in the bass boat space no doubt result from having an aluminum product in a segment long dominated by fi berglass. "Aluminum boat buyers are in aluminum boats because that's the prod- uct they want," said Mark Zwicker, senior sales and product manager at Ranger. "There isn't as much crossover from one to the other as one might think. Aluminum buyers have specifi c reasons for wanting that aluminum hull. So we offer both types of product in order to appeal in two very dif- ferent markets." Part of the reason for strong consumer dedication to aluminum hulls lies in the increasing sophistication of the product. The continued "up-fea- turing" of aluminum fi shing boats has brought luxury features into even the value segment of the market. "We're defi nitely seeing more amenities in aluminum fi shing boats such as improved fl ooring materials, more comfortable seating and reconfi gured helm consoles that can accommodate large, multi-function displays," said Peter Barrett, senior vice president of marketing at Smoker Craft Inc. "We're seeing integrated track systems for accessories, ventilation systems for the rod lockers and storage spaces, and new hull designs that don't need maxi- mum power to deliver great performance. These innovations add a ton of utility and a ton of value, yet the buyer still gets a boat that's moderately priced and something they can tow with a family vehicle." While full-featured models with dual live wells, in-fl oor rod storage and other high-end features can be found in boats right down to the 16-foot range, buyers have shown an interest in not only more features, but more fl oor space as well. Yu notes that where the "standard 16-footer" was once the undisputed king of aluminum fi shing boat sales, in recent years sizes – and horsepower ratings – have been steadily creeping up. "Four years ago 76 percent of freshwater fi shing boats were 16 feet in length or larger," she said. "Today, that fi gure is 79 percent." For Smoker Craft's aluminum fi shing brands – Smoker Craft, Starcraft While there is growing demand for larger boats, the 16-foot aluminum is still a popular size. Freshwater fi shing boats now account for almost half of all outboard-powered boat sales.