Cruising Numbers: UP or DOWN?

[ArmyDaveNY]

I agree that these numbers will vary based upon location. I think they will also vary from year to year depending upon the economy. I would guess that they declined after the 2008 economic decline and have increased each year since then as the general economy improved. I think if there is another decline the numbers of cruisers will also decline.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Hawaii and Dutch Harbor are on there. Not too many ports to pick from that are consistent clearing in destinations for cruisers on the west coast of N America. Maybe including the Baja haha numbers would be interesting. 196 in 2020, 137 in 2015 and 153 in 2019

Should be 196 in 2010

[MarkusK]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

Most cruisers don't become such overnight. Usually there is a timeframe from "newbie sailor/boat owner" to a full time cruiser. So Cornell's stats are about right if lower numbers of cruisers reflect general trend of fewer newbie boat owners which started back when.

When I got my first boat in 2006, our mooring field had no waiting list and no limits on how many empty moorings one could have - just pay the annual permit and mooring sevice fees. Fast forward to today - the waiting list is about 3 to 4 years, up from 2-3 just 5 years ago, and there is a 1 year limit for an empty mooring i.e. owner in between boats or one's boat is being fixed.

Granted our area has a better than average economy so this rise in boat ownership is not surprising. I would venture a guess that among these newly minted boat owners some will join the ranks of crusiers in some not too distant future. In fact the guy who sold me my second mooring, when I was a two boat owner, retired early and left to cruise the Carribean.

I myself is long past my then 5 to 7 years timeframe to go cruising but that's another story.

Where are you?