Transforming Boats into Dreamboats
Updated August 7, 2019: Boat owners often discover their crafts’ shortcomings during peak boating season. Maybe the boat would be better if extra lights or speakers were added. Or an aging marine head unit should be upgraded to one that can stream music. Maybe last year’s fun toys are too corroded. Regardless of the issue, it’s time to replace them with new, waterproof marine accessories. These changes will make boating life more fun, safer or both.
Whatever that marine product might be, if it adds flare, sets a cool mood, or lends itself to a great social media post, you can count on boating enthusiasts from millennials to baby boomers to embrace it.
Wet ‘n’ wild products help turn boats into dreamboats. By carrying the latest marine tech and hottest boat accessories during the summer, you don’t need to wait till winter dry-dock time to land those marine aftermarket sales.
Tech that adds bling to boating
Boating without music to caption the fun is blah. Because the marine environment is so unforgiving to electronics when it comes time to replace, take the opportunity to upsell audio components that bring pizzazz to the party.
1. Head of the class
- Multimedia capabilities of marine-grade head units have evolved greatly—especially in connectivity options. Bluetooth, of course, is standard. So are USB and auxiliary inputs. Millennials use the latest tech to stream digital files from their smart devices, take calls, and access their Pandora Internet Radio stations.
- Head unit design is equally sophisticated to match more upscale boat consoles and cabins. Aggressive shapes and styles include gauge and black box. However, the more traditional single-DIN size remains popular for easier retrofitting.
2. Speaking out
- Marine speakers bear the brunt of water and UV damage. And as generational tastes change, so does their placement—and design. Replace those aging components with speakers that feature built-in LED lighting.
- For boats large enough to house additional amps, marine grade amplifiers will push sound to extra speakers or subwoofers.
3. Spotlight on fun!
- There’s more to boating tech than audio. For your customers who want to keep the party going long after sunset, recommend DB Link Lighting Solutions series of Lux Performance light bars. These blazing-bright LED light bars can handle submersion up to 3 feet. And they feature a combination spot and flood lighting pattern that will dazzle deck areas as well as light up the water.
- Another key component in boating, but often overlooked, is the boat hauling trailer. If practical, adding a backup camera or an LED light bar here can solve a lot of headaches.
Wet ‘n’ wild accessories
Popular boating activities including fishing, exploring, skiing, swimming and, of course, partying! Spread your nets wide and stock both hardware and accessories that cover the gamut.
- Fish finders come in a wide variety of technologies and price points. Be sure to ask your customers questions to determine if a stand-alone fish finder, a combo with chartplotter, or a fully networked system is best for their application.
- Ice chests and coolers are a boating staple. Whether soft sided or hard, they are leagues above those cheap foam containers and will prove their water worthiness for years to come.
- Offer colorful waterproof cameras. Carry those with Bluetooth capability so photos and videos can automatically be transferred to smartphones!
- Lightweight and waterproof two way radios are ideal for those times when people land on small islands or explore an intriguing coastline. Keeping track of everyone by way of walkie talkie is so much easier, and there’s no need to worry about cellular dead zones.
- And let’s not forget fun in the water itself! Today’s marine accessories include floating flashlights. And to see who else is on shore, in the water or aboard other boats, fogproof and waterproof binoculars are fun, useful, and possibly lifesaving.
Shipshape sales
According to NMMA’s 2018 statistical abstract, “total retail expenditures for recreational marine products and services increased for the eighth consecutive year in 2018 to $42 billion, up 7 percent compared to 2017. Spending on new boats accounted for $14 billion of the total and was up 10 percent from 2017.”
If you’re concerned that boating enthusiasts are skewing older, don’t worry. According to Statista.com of the number of Americans who regularly went boating in 2018:
- 12.16% were 18 and 29 years old
- 12.51% were 30 and 49 years old
- 9.14% were 50 to 64 years old
Every generation discovers the siren song of boating, including millennials. The adventure, the bonding, the water activities, the memories, and simply the need to get away never lose their appeal. So, whether you deal with marine aftermarket sales and installations, build or retrofit boats, operate a marina or run a charter service, don’t hoist the white flag. Adjust course to boost your social media presence. You’ll hook those boat-loving millennials as well as retain your baby boomer base. Be sure to visit Petra.com for the wet ‘n’ wild marine accessories that all generations will welcome aboard.