Walk the docks at most marinas or check out the bars at your local yacht club and it’s obvious that the average boat owner is getting older.
Plus, speaking from personal experience, as boaters get older many of them make the switch from sailing to powerboating. A few years ago, I went from a Beneteau First 35S5 to a Silverton 38C power boat. No more hauling heavy sails around, reefing when the wind picks up, going to the foredeck in heavy weather because the jib is fouled. Plus, my favorite anchorage is now three hours away instead of 12. It was an easy decision—I still get my sailing fix by bareboat chartering from time to time.
Sailboat sales are down—the new sailboat market is difficult right now. Brokerage sailboats are faring a little better, but at my yacht brokerage we are moving more powerboats than sailboats.
Barriers to Entry for Young Potential Buyers
At the same time, the younger adults who are reaching boat-buying age get their news and do their research differently than we did. They have more access to information and are more connected than at any time in human history. They have been raised on more digital access, more of a group social style, and want to do less work, not more.
Charlie Mann, a 28-year-old sailor, pointed out a bigger problem, and this reaches far beyond boating; the wealth gap between older and younger people today. According to Pew Research, in 1984 in the U.S., households headed by adults age 65 and over had a median net worth that was 10 times the wealth of households headed by adults younger than age 35. By 2009, that multiplier had increased to 47 times. Most of these young people aren’t sitting around with $100,000 to spend on a sailboat (or anything else for that matter).
So the sailing industry faces the additional challenge of luring in younger sailors and buyers who have far less disposable income today than they did 40 years ago.
For the sailing yacht market to grow and address these challenges, the industry needs to rethink how it communicates, how it markets, how it represents its sport, and how to better appeal to younger people.
Understanding the Young, Digital Buyer
Younger potential yacht buyers today are comfortable researching big purchases online, comparing options, reading reviews, and watching hours of video before ever speaking to a salesperson. I spent 40 years in sales in the tech world, and back in the day buyers learned almost everything from the salesperson. These days buyers have done most of the necessary research on a technology before even speaking with a salesperson.
I was at a local boating conference a few weeks ago and struck up a conversation with a 23-year-old lady who works at a ship’s store for a small local marina. I asked her what her generation is looking for in sailboats she said:
- Something that groups of people can do;
- Fun is the number one priority, not manual labor;
- Not a ton of prep work beforehand—jump in and get going;
- Possibilities to rent a boat, rather than buy one.
I have talked to other young people and the feedback is similar. I spoke with Tia, who as a child lived aboard a sailboat in the Mediterranean with her parents for nine months. She said the best part of that journey was meeting other kids her age and sailing with them to new destinations. She loves sailing because while it is a challenge, she found using the wind and sails to move the boat was way cooler than driving a powerboat. She believes many young people feel the same way. She also enjoys teaching her friends and companions to sail—this led to her becoming a sailing coach over the last few years.
How Is Sailing Seen Today?
To many younger people, sailing still carries a reputation that feels distant from their world. It can appear expensive, exclusive, and complicated. With a powerboat you just need a key and a checkbook. Some of the younger people I spoke with say it appears to be inaccessible. You need lessons or you must be lucky enough to have parents, friends or relatives who sail and you learned from them. Most of the younger adults that I know who sail, and especially those who race, grew up in a sailing family and are carrying on the tradition.
What’s worse, try googling something like “What do young people think about sailboats today?” I did that and found multiple videos that depressingly go like this. The narrator sounds depressed and he paints a glum picture of the costs and work involved in sailing—a total “glass is half empty” narrative.
What Can Be Done?
One thing that’s missing is storytelling that connects the dots for the younger buyer. When younger buyers see real people living aboard (especially in their age group), working remotely on a boat, exploring coastlines, building communities around sailing, and taking the dinghy to the beach or to town, this can help make sailing more appealing.
YouTube has become a main marketing tool for almost everything. Videos showing real cruising experiences and the day-to-day rhythm of life aboard can give viewers a window into what ownership actually looks like. Instagram and other short-form video platforms add the aspirational layer: sunsets under sail, island anchorages, and the emotional appeal of freedom on the water. Marketing to this group is not just one thing—it’s multifaceted.
Younger buyers also search constantly. They want answers to practical questions: How much does it cost to own a sailboat? What’s the best way to keep it? What is a good first cruising sailboat? Brokers and marine businesses who create useful content around these questions as well as what the younger crowd wants can make potential buyers eager to learn more.
Check out the depressing video link I mentioned earlier. The sailboat industry needs to create the polar opposite of that negative take, targeted towards the 28 to 45 age range. Here is a good example—the whole vibe is totally upbeat. It shows the sailors doing fun things and really romanticizes sailing. It’s a message that needs repeating and building upon. Of course safety, maintenance and skills-building are important to emphasize as well, but the fun parts of sailing also need to be included in our storytelling.
Sustainability
Another plus for sailboats is the environmental impact. According to a recent survey done by GlobeScan, Gen Z feels the most impacted by climate change compared to other age groups. Powerboats must burn fuel to get around. Sailboats do as well but not nearly as much. In my Beneteau I had a 10-gallon fuel tank that I refilled maybe two to three times per five month season—I live in the Northeast U.S. My Silverton burns over 20 gallons per hour while cruising.
Modern boats also incorporate technologies that reinforce this message. Solar panels, lithium battery systems, electric propulsion, and efficient onboard systems also contribute to the positive environmental story. Young people need to hear more about this.
Brokers and Sellers Need to Improve Listing Quality
When digitally native buyers do click on a listing, expectations are high. Many marine listings still rely on static photos and minimal narrative. But younger buyers are used to immersive online shopping experiences. Video walkthroughs are becoming essential. Drone footage, cockpit tours, and simple narrated walk-throughs help buyers visualize the space. Short-form clips showing how the boat moves under sail or what a weekend aboard looks like can be even more powerful. Make sure there are young people in the videos. Putting people in pictures or video used to be taboo—not anymore.
Also, make sure your listings are formatted to be effectively viewed on a smartphone or tablet. If they have a bad experience here, they won’t move any further.
Costs
In my opinion this is huge. The internet is full of differing opinions, most centered around how the boat is used. In long distance cruising, a sailboat is cheaper. For the weekend warrior, it still is less but maybe not as much. I can tell you that the most expensive thing I did to the Beneteau was buy a new main and gennaker. In the early 2000s that cost me around $10-12K. For my Silverton I pay three times that yearly just for slip costs, fuel, maintenance, etc.—do the math. I don’t think we pitch the cost differences enough to potential buyers who are undecided between sail and power.
Community Matters More Than Ever
Younger buyers often gravitate toward communities rather than individual products. They want to feel part of something larger than a transaction.
Cruising groups, online forums, regional meetups, sailing schools, and yacht clubs all create social ecosystems where boaters and buyers can learn from each other. This was mentioned by everyone I talked to. Sophie Leduc, who races for Eckerd College in Florida, said that non-sailors are simply unaware of many of these social outlets that can help young people learn about sailing.
I also spoke with Heather and Liam who are in their 20s and currently living on their Joubert-Nivelt Sauvage 41 Karma. By their own admission, five years ago they didn’t know how to sail at all. Now they’re on their second cruising sailboat (their first was a Doug Peterson 37) and after sailing in Canada last season they’re in Newport Rhode Island refitting their sloop for the coming season. To them, the community aspect is a big part of their experience.
In their five years of cruising they’ve met many young people in various anchorages whom they now tend to run into every so often in different ports. Some of their shore-bound friends have asked them if they get lonely; their response is that you have to try hard not to interact with others on a journey like this. As for getting people in their age group into sailing, their advice was to get on other people’s boats. Go sailing and learn, even if you’re just added weight. They also advise newcomers to learn about any other community outlets that you can get local access to.
Outreach Materials
The message is clear that sailing groups should take a look at their outreach campaigns and see where they might be enhanced. Sophie also mentioned that there needs to be more young people shown in any outreach program marketing materials. She said most people you see in pictures (i.e. yacht club photos on a website) are of “old people.” She also said that more videos such as Garrett’s Adventure, a young man’s diary of his solo cruising, need to be out there to help younger sailors get an understanding of what cruising life can be like.
Accessible Pricing Formats
Charlie mentioned that his home yacht club, Stonington Harbor Yacht Club in Stonington Connecticut, now offers a special membership priced for younger people. No initiation fee, just a $450 annual membership fee and they can bring their spouse or their partner anytime to club activities. They also have access to all the amenities that the more senior members have. Now more young people are showing up at events and getting into boating. Other yacht clubs and boating membership groups all over the world should look at doing something like this if they’re not already.
Racing Opportunities
Another sailing inroad for young boaters is racing. I took my first sailing lessons at eight years old and then raced the next 10 summers on Duckboats. After college I raced one design Highlanders for the next dozen years. I got a little tired of the intensity—Sunday races always began the afternoon before when I had to go out and look at the racecourse—so I did my first bareboat charter in the Caribbean. A year later I bought the Beneteau. “Grillin’ and chillin’” became the name of the game instead of trying to decide which end of the line was favored. My point is that racing can be a great segue into cruising boats. Getting younger people better access to racing programs can help.
Chartering
Another option to get young people interested in sailing is chartering. If someone is unsure about the cruising experience, get five of your friends together and hire a skipper and go do a charter for a week. When I did that, the next thing I did when I returned home is I bought the Beneteau.
Conclusion
The statistics cited here are for the U.S., but I bet that most other countries have similar statistics. Let us know in the comments, what is the young boater situation where you live?
There’s no doubt that this issue is a real problem for the global sailing community, and we need to do something about it now. Focus on what’s working in your sailing communities to support and engage younger sailors and please leave a comment and help those ideas spread.*
*Note that in order for your comment to be auto-approved, do not include any clickable links.
My first sailboat was a used Beach cat (Prindle) in 1986. I was “Gen Z” age at the time. In today’s dollars, about $4500. I launched at ramp. You can get a fun used boat for $4500, and then sell it 10 years from now for what you paid for it, as I did. No ownership obstacle, because it’s not $100,000.
Sailing started with dinghies. We’ve created the obstacle by implying the need for a 40-foot water line and a suite of electronics. Heck, I often don’t turn the electronics on. I’d rather sail by my scenes. Sailing is about the wind and the senses.
Let them worry about a cruising boat when they turn 40. I eventually bought a cruising boat. I have also since downsized to something sporty and more fun to actually SAIL. It’s a bit more, but still cheaper than a car. No obstacle.
I don’t think it’s the money. It’s the flood of competition for their interest. Maybe the learning curve for something you can’t Google. Mostly, I think it is the required investment of time.
I agree with Drew’s comment above. In Toronto we are lucky to have several co-op dinghy clubs as well, so the capital outlay is zero for people to get involved in sailing. At my (non-dinghy) club, we also offer a Co-op membership, which is an add-on to a social membership – again, much lower annual fees and no initiation or boat purchase required (only some sweat equity in maintaining our fleet).
There are plenty of YouTube videos of people living the life on larger sailboats. There are some cruising dinghy videos as well, but these are mostly European and generally feature older folks. This may be a place to start …
We see similar issues in Canada. My Club is Bronte Harbour Yacht Club in Oakville, Ontario which is on Lake Ontario. Our club membership is greying and shrinking. Some members sell their boats and join as social members. Therefore, we struggle to generate enough income to operate at break even. I was wondering if you or any readers know of any yacht clubs that manage a boat share program. I know of a brokerage that does that. If a club were to do it, how would it work? I wonder if we could offer that as a new class of membership where your membership fee would get you access to a boat for a certain number of days during the sailing season. The fee would cover dockage, maintenance, winter commissioning, winter storage and summer commissioning. Members could do some of the work as volunteer hours. Some work would be sourced to specialist, such as engine and electronics work. The fee also give the person/family rights to year round membership to the club.
If anyone has experience with this type of arrangement post them here. Or write me at dennis_giokas [at] yahoo.com.
Boston has more than half a dozen shared sailing organizations, from Community Boating on the Charles River to Boston Harbor Sailing Club which offers access to cruising boats. Shared ownership options like SailTime also exist. These arrangements offer substantially lower cost, training, and maintenance free sailing. This is where young people, including me, get their start in the sport.
Young people are having a hard enough time paying rent in high priced cities like Boston, never mind buying an expensive toy. Wages have been dropping steadily since the 1980s. Not good news for boat sellers.
Yet, there are big winners in our economy. Boat sellers will have to find these people and meet their needs. These well paid folks work really hard to get ahead of the pack and have little free time. Sailing can offer excitement and the feeling of accomplishment that the successful find attractive.
I think exposure to sailing growing up is key, but at some point there has to be a bridge to a bigger boat. I took my daughter to a sailing class when she was 6, she now runs a sailing school in Minnesota that 1,200 kids go through a summer. But as those kids become teenagers, unless they are in the racing program few keep sailing. If their families have big boats, those are a 2-4 hour drive away on Lake Superior or Lake Pepin — not where their friends are, always the priority for teenagers. And even if they are interested in racing on the big lakes, sports or a million other activities can preclude the time commitment. For 20-somethings there is a bifurcation between 1) the vast majority who are trying to figure out how to live when a one-bedroom apartment costs $1,700 a month and a new car payment $600 a month and 2) the few adventurous 20-somethings who are willing and interested in taking on an old boat. Which brings me to my last point: a new car cost an average of $7000 in 1980 ($29000 in 2026 dollars), average price now is $49,000. I suspect it is even worse for cruising sailboats: listings I see for boats in the 30 foot range that are less than 6 years old are north of $150,000. There is no entry point for a family cruiser that is new (or at least newish) that costs perhaps maybe a little more than a car, whereas in 1980 there was. So if you are on a budget, like most people, your only choice is an old boat that might be a great boat, but is immediately going to entail mechanical and plumbing and other work — and you don’t take up sailing because you like to do plumbing. And by definition you can’t afford to pay the marina $150 an hour if you are on a budget. The lack of an affordable turnkey starter cruiser cannot be helping the situation.
Boat brokers need to push 30ft to 35ft boats (not “racing” boats) and not 45ft +. Just look at the ads in the sailing magazines.