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"Boaters Do It Better"
THE BIRDS, THE BEES, THE BOATERS! FRISKIEST SPRINGTIME COUPLES
LIKELY TO BE BOATERS, SURVEY FINDS
National Survey Indicates Boat Owners Rate Marriage, Romance, Health,
Other Key Areas of Life Satisfaction Higher
MIAMI, February 15, 2001 - Ah, spring. Mating season ensues, especially for boaters and their "first mates." According to recent findings, the friskiest frolicking couples this season are likely to be boaters.
A new national survey released today during the Miami Boat Show finds boat owners report higher levels of satisfaction in marriage and romance than non-boaters. In addition, many key areas of life, including overall well-being, friendship, spirituality, health, work, leisure, sleep and finances, are more likely to be rated "excellent" or "very good" by boat owners than by their non-boat owning counterparts.
The survey of nearly 1,100 Americans was conducted on-line by Impulse Research Corporation, Los Angeles, and commissioned by the National Marine Manufacturers Association. The survey queried 542 boat owners and 536 non-boat owners.
THE SWEET LIFE
When asked to assess the overall quality of their lives, two-thirds of boat owners (67 percent) rated theirs as "excellent" or "very good," compared to 56 percent of those who don't own boats.
Boaters are better lovers... according to boaters. Boats appear to improve the quality of marriage and romance. In fact, more boat owners rate all aspects of their lives "excellent" or "very good" than non-boat owners do. From such matters of the heart as family and friends, to self-focused arenas of spirituality, health and finance, boat owners report higher satisfaction levels across the board.
Comprehensive findings appear in chart below: (Percentages are those reporting the aspect of life to be excellent or very good)
| Aspect of Life | Boat Owner | Non-Boat Owner |
|---|
| Overall Quality of Life | 67% | 56% |
| Family | 87% | 77% |
| Friendships | 65% | 55% |
| Marriage/Romance | 62% | 51% |
| Spirituality | 54% | 46% |
| Health | 53% | 45% |
| Work | 41% | 35% |
| Leisure | 40% | 33% |
| Sleep | 30% | 26% |
| Finances | 31% | 23% |
While boat owners experience a high quality of life across the board, the areas that boat owners are 20 percent or more likely to rate "excellent" or "very good" are Overall Quality of Life and Leisure (21% each), Marriage and Romance (24%) and Finances (30%).
| Aspect of Life | Quality of Life Difference* |
|---|
| Overall Quality of Life | 21% |
| Family | 14% |
| Friendships | 18% |
| Marriage/Romance | 24% |
| Spirituality | 17% |
| Health | 18% |
| Work | 17% |
| Leisure | 21% |
| Sleep | 19% |
| Finances | 30% |
The survey also would seem to indicate that boat owners live life to the fullest. Boat owners participate in an average of 4.6 leisure activities, nearly twice as many as non-boat owners (2.4). Naturally, boat owners tend to be more involved in water-related activities, but they are also more likely to participate in other outdoor activities as camping, skiing, tennis and golf. More boat owners (48 percent) than non-owners (39 percent) regularly travel.
* Describes how much more likely boaters are to rate an area of their lives "excellent" or "very good" than non-boat owners.
Even when asked about how they liked to spend their weekends, there were clear differences between boat owners and non-owners. When not on board their boats, boat owners like to spend their weekends engaged in cooking, gardening, playing sports and traveling. Non-owners are more likely to spend their weekends relaxing, doing household chores and attending movies/concerts/sporting events.
Loving Life And On The Go:
Do boat owners just plain have more fun than non-boat owners? Boat owners do seem to enjoy being "out and about" on both water and land more than non-owners. From Harleys to Winnebagos to snowmobiles, boat owners are more likely to own one:
| Vehicle | Boat Owner | Non-Boat Owner |
|---|
| Mountain bike | 27% | 14% |
| Motorcycle | 13% | 6% |
| Motor home | 8% | 1% |
| Snowmobile | 4% | 1% |
| Average Number Owned | 1.9 | .3 |
Size Does Matter!
Motorboats are the most popular boats among owners, with 52 percent of boat-owning respondents having one. However, it appears that size really does matter among boat owners when asked about their level of happiness with their boat. With more room to live and love, owners of larger boats do report a higher level of satisfaction than owners of smaller craft.
Boat Envy
The research found that boat owners and non-boat owners agree about the benefits of boating. Most often cited benefits by both groups are: being outdoors, spending time on the water, the ability to unwind and the tranquility that boating provides.
One non-boat-owning respondent echoed a very popular sentiment among his peers when he indicated that he "would love to have the freedom and fun that comes with boat ownership." In fact, nearly four of ten (39 percent) current non-boat owners indicated an interest in owning a boat.
The survey was conducted by Impulse Research Corporation to develop a better understanding of how boat owners differ from non-boat owners, and if there is a difference in how the two groups assess the quality of their lives. The sampling error is +/- three percent at a 95 percent confidence level.
Boating in the U.S. is a nearly $26 billion industry and is one of the nation's most popular and fastest growing recreational activities. There are more than 72 million boaters and nearly 17 million registered boats.
The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), the national voice of the recreational boating industry, represents nearly 1,500 companies that produce more than 80 percent of the recreational boating products in North America. The core activities of NMMA are divided into public education, industry coordination, and compliance and certification. Headquartered in Chicago, NMMA also has a legislative office in D.C. and regional field offices in Miami, New Orleans, New York, St. Louis, San Diego and Toronto, and employs approximately 120 professionals.
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