Why Now Is The Best Time To Buy A Boat In Minnesota

There is no shortage of boats on Minnesota's lakes this summer. With more than 10,000 lakes to choose from and a boating culture that runs as deep as the water itself, Minnesotans have always found a way to get out on the water when the season arrives.

But behind the scenes at dealerships across the state, the view from the dock looks a little different than it did a few years ago.

The pandemic boat boom is over, and the hangover has been significant. The National Marine Manufacturers Association estimates new powerboat retail unit sales dropped 8 to 10 percent in 2025, falling to roughly 215,000 to 225,000 units nationwide, a steep comedown from the COVID-era surge that sent first-time buyers flooding into dealerships with stimulus checks and nowhere else to go.

Licensed angler numbers are also down more than 8.5 percent between 2021 and 2023, and U.S. tackle sales fell about 8 percent from 2023 to 2024.

Minnesota Dealers Have Noticed A Big Change

Dan Chesky, owner of Dan's Southside Marine in Bloomington, has more than 40 years in the industry and has seen the market ride every wave, but nothing compares to what the pandemic delivered. "We were sold out. There was nothing on the show floor. That was due to a lot of demand," Chesky told CBS News.

The reason, he explained, was simple: families stuck at home needed something to do. "There is a percentage of people who bought a boat in '20, their kids were in sports, COVID came along, and they had to find something for their kids to do."

A 30 percent surge translated to thousands of first-time boaters and millions in sales. Now that life is back to normal for the most part, many of those buyers have stepped away, and the boats they bought are sitting in garages or hitting the used market at discounted prices.

People Are Still On the Water — Just Differently

Here is the thing, though, Minnesotans have not stopped going to the lake. They have just changed how they get there. Participation spending across the boating industry reached $24.5 billion in 2024, which is on par with pandemic-era highs, driven by a growing appetite for boat clubs, peer-to-peer rentals, and charter options.

So, rather than owning a boat outright, more people are paying for access when they want it and skipping the storage, maintenance, and insurance costs that come with ownership.

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For Minnesota dealerships, that means adapting, with some adding rental fleets, service packages, and financing options designed for buyers who are more cautious than they were in 2020.

What It Means For Buyers This Summer

If you have been thinking about getting into boating, this may actually be one of the better times to do it. With inventory levels up and demand softer than it has been in years, dealerships are motivated, and many are slashing prices on both new and used inventory to move product before the heart of summer arrives.

The same boats that were impossible to find in 2020 are now sitting on showroom floors with price tags that would have seemed unthinkable just five years ago. So, the lake is still calling; it's just a buyer's market now.