Boating Trends for 2022

If it’s been a while since you last walked through a boat show or took a stroll through a dealership, you can be excused for feeling just a little out of touch. There’s no question that the pandemic has changed a lot of things in our world, and that includes the way we go boating.

A renewed interest in spending family time together outdoors is certainly part of the reason for the rapid changes in boating, but so too are changes in the boat market overall. Before the pandemic boat buyers tended to be mostly aging baby boomers looking for a retirement toy. But in the past two years that’s changed to a market that’s dominated by younger families, as Gen X and millennials alike enter their prime earning years. No longer saddled by student debt, the largest cohort of buyers in history now had disposable income to spend, and increasingly, it’s being spent on boats.

There are other factors driving new trends in boating, including new technology that makes boats smarter and more connected than ever. As a result, heading out on the water no longer means giving up on all the comforts of home, including goodies like dependable Wi-Fi.

The bottom line is that boats have changed dramatically in recent years. So what’s new? Here are six top trends in boats right now.

1. Fighter Jet Cockpits

Today’s helm consoles are dominated by touch-screen displays, giving boats a look that’s straight out of a jet cockpit.

If there’s one place where boats have changed it’s right at the driver’s seat. Forget the old days of endless dials and gauges – boat dashboards today are more apt to look like something straight out of a fighter jet, with all the essential data on one or more touch-screen displays. These so-called glass helms use familiar smartphone-like icons and gestures to display and control engine data, GPS maps, fish finder information and more – all with a simple flick of a finger.

2. Don’t Rock the Boat

Gyroscopic stabilizers fit boats as small as 20 feet.

Nothing sucks the fun out of a day on the water like sloshing around in big waves that leave everyone feeling nauseous. But you don’t have to own a luxury yacht to enjoy having living room-like stability when you’re out on the water. Onboard gyro stabilizer systems now come in compact enough forms that they can fit boats down to about 20 feet. That’s great news, since it’s normally smaller boats that need stabilizers the most. Spinning an internal flywheel, these devices counteract the force from the waves, leaving the boat calm and still in even bouncy seas. No one gets seasick, and no one spills their drinks. Once you’ve experienced just how effective gyros are, you’ll never want to leave the dock without one again.

3. Boating Is Easier Than Ever

Intuitive joystick controls let anyone dock the boat like an old pro the first time out.

Once upon time there was a huge learning curve associated with becoming a boater – you had to learn all kinds of new skills and almost an entirely new language, and that was back in the day when boats weren’t anywhere near as sophisticated as they are now. But that extra sophistication is precisely what makes boats so easy to enjoy today. We’re talking about goodies like automatic trim that adjusts the boat’s ride while underway to provide greater comfort and better fuel economy, and joystick docking controls that let anyone dock the boat like an old pro the first time out. What it all means is that the big learning curve of the past no longer exists, and there’s no excuse for not getting in on the fun.

4. Power Tops are Awesome

Forget about fighting with the Bimini – power tops that raise and lower at the touch of a button are one of the hottest trends in boating today.

Boating is fun. But sunstroke isn’t. And although many boats come with a Bimini top as standard equipment, sometimes just putting it up is such a chore that people would rather go back to the dock than fight with it. That’s why new power Bimini tops are such a welcome trend – just push a button on the dash and a couple of electric actuators do all the work for you. Now, boaters can enjoy protection from the sun without having to wrestle with uncooperative canvas.

5. Boating Is Better Connected

Boats are more connected than ever, allowing boaters to control almost anything from a smartphone. Hey Siri, start that engine, would you?

It wasn’t so long ago that talking to your boat would earn you a trip to the psychiatrist. But today, boats are more connected than ever, and that brings all kinds of new benefits for boaters. Owners can check on battery levels, fuel levels and other important data from anywhere in the world using convenient online apps. They can also control connected devices, turning on the lights remotely or powering up an onboard refrigerator so it’s nice and cool by the time the owner arrives at the dock. You can even control things by voice commands, with a “Hey Siri, start the engine” as you step aboard.

6. Comfort for All

Washroom facilities can now be found on even smaller inflatable boats, bringing all-new levels of comfort and convenience to families on the water.

You’re out on the water, you’re having a great time, then someone has to pee and it’s back to the dock you go. At least, that’s the way it used to be. But thanks to some innovative engineering, even smaller center consoles, pontoon boats and inflatable boats now come with onboard heads, meaning the call of nature doesn’t mean a return to shore. That’s one engineering advancement that everyone can appreciate.