True boat lovers reject the popular saying that the two happiest days of a boater’s life are the day they buy the boat and the day they sell it. For them, happiness is putting the boat in the water and sailing off, never-ending expenses included.
That devotion drove a boom in boat sales during the Covid pandemic, as many Americans turned to the water to escape. After seeing a spike in sales during the crisis, when most other industries struggled, the recreational boating market is now feeling the impact of consumers’ discretionary spending cuts.
In fact, most boat owners make less than $100,000 a year, often purchasing smaller and more affordable vessels. This makes the industry “particularly sensitive to shifts in consumer confidence and credit availability,” according to IBIS World’s Boat Sales & Repair in the U.S. report.
According to Deloitte’s State of the US Consumer July 2026 report, discretionary spending intentions grew for a third straight month in June; however, they remain below the 2021 baseline.
The full-year 2025 data from NMMA reveal that new boat retail unit sales dropped 8.8% year over year to 215,237 units, down from 236,070 units in 2024.
Amid these shifts in consumer behavior, the largest U.S. boating retailer, West Marine, recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed 59 stores. More recently, the boat retailer confirmed an additional wave of closures.
West Marine closes another 32 stores
West Marine Inc., the largest boating and marine supplies retailer in the United States, recently confirmed plans to close an additional 32 retail locations, bringing the total number of stores slated for closure to 91, reported BoatBlurb.
The latest 32 closures join the previously announced 59 closures and are part of the company’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring.
The company disclosed several factors pushing it into bankruptcy, includingsupply chain disruptions, extreme weather events, and shifts in consumer behavior, according to its official press release.
West Marine aims for Chapter 11 to help it strengthen its balance sheet, reduce debt, and improve financial flexibility.
“We recently made the difficult decision to close select store locations. While this change wasn’t easy, our commitment to you hasn’t changed one bit — West Marine is open, stocked and ready to help with everything you need to get back on the water,” the company states on the store closure web page.
West Marine’s total 91 locations closed:
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Alabama (1)
Mobile: 5004 Dauphin Island Pkwy. -
California (7)
Chula Vista: 630 Bay Blvd. Monterey: 2024 Del Monte Ave. Oceanside: 1719 Oceanside Blvd. Pittsburg: 4645 Century Blvd. Redding: 2607 Bechelli Lane Sacramento: 9500 Micron Ave #116 Santa Barbara: 132C Harbor Wy. -
Connecticut (2)
Branford: 33 Business Park Dr.Norwalk: 99 Water St.
