Rough sailing for boat sales in 2001

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT-MESA -- 2001 proved a bad year for boat sales across the

nation and here in the nation’s largest pleasure harbor.

Nationwide, there was a 6% decline in sales, the National Marine

Manufacturers Assn. reported Thursday.

In some instances, city dealers felt steeper declines.

The declines were not surprising, association officials said.

Walter Granath, the general manager of DeFever Yachts in Newport

Beach, echoed comments made by association leaders. Granath said he

expected to finish 2001 with a 15% drop.

“Myself and everyone else on Newport have been down,” Granath said.

“It was slowing down before Sept. 11. But when Sept. 11 came, it came to

a screeching halt.”

Granath specializes in trawlers -- cruiser yachts that start at 35

feet long and average $245,000.

In addition to the cooling effect the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks had

on boat sales, a weak economy was also cited as a reason for the down

year.

Putting a brave face on the data, association President Thom Dammrich

said it could have been worse.

“Taking into account all the external factors affecting boating this

year, the industry is encouraged by sales figures for 2001,” Dammrich

said.

The association reported that 541,300 boats were sold during 2001.

While sales quantities were down, the amount of money spent on boats

increased 2.3% to $25.6 billion nationwide.

People were buying fewer boats, but those who were buying weren’t shy

about opening their wallets. The increase in the amount spent reflects a

buying trend that bigger is better, said Sam Boyd, a sales manager at

Allison Marine in Costa Mesa.

“People are buying larger, more expensive boats,” Boyd said. “We have

seen that trend.”

Boyd, who specializes in fishing boats, saw his sales plummet by as

much as 80% in October and November. Before that, he was on track for a

10 to 15% gain for the year.

The larger boats in Boyd’s showroom, a 21-foot model for $35,000 and a

26-foot model for $50,000, have been the ones he has been moving out the

door.

In the waning months of 2001, Paul Durant, the general manager of

Johnston Yacht Sales, sold two large powerboats.

Before that, post-Sept. 11 sales were centered on the 13-, 14- and

15-foot “tender” boats -- smaller skiffs yachters buy to take them to and

from the shoreline.

“People are just getting their lives back together,” Durant said. “It

was very weird. For a month, the world stood still. People were really

afraid. But then gradually [business] started coming back very slowly.”

* Paul Clinton covers the environment and John Wayne Airport. He may

be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail ato7

paul.clinton@latimes.comf7 .