2024 is nearly at its end, which means as the snow falls here in Canada we've docked the boat to recap an epic year.
In last year's State of Boating Report, we speculated on six trends we thought would drive the market in 2024.
It turns out, we were accurate on all six, to varying degrees. Boating is indeed growing, despite the economic fluctuations that have hampered global markets and continue to be a concern heading into 2025.
The trends we predicted were coming onto plane in 2024 came to fruition, like electrification (both electric boats and related tech), and the push towards alternative power (hydrogen, methanol, and more). There's also a distinct European flair sweeping the North American market. We totally approve. The vertical bow is back!
At the same time, there are stalwarts that continue to drive the status quo. Boat builders and automotive companies are still very much in cahoots, which is driving the buyer's market with boaters eagerly seeking the latest tech.
On top of all that, 2024 provided some incredible stories. We met incredible people, saw incredible places, and heard unbelievable stories about boating and its adventures on the high seas. Boating culture went even more mainstream in 2024 -- and while many stories were happy, some were sad, and a few others were bittersweet.
To highlight what an incredible year it's been, here are 16 of the coolest boating stories we covered in 2024:
1) Michael Jordan's Catch-23
MJ is no stranger to boating, or fishing, and his unique yachts have a cult following on the East Coast. He's been rolling up to tuna tournaments in a custom Viking yacht dubbed Catch-23 in recent years, so when Air Jordan showed up to a fishing tournament this summer aboard a new 80-foot Bayliss yacht, which also bore the name Catch-23, except with a custom elephant print wrap, boaters and fishermen were keen to take a look. So that's what we did. Read more.
2) Inside Superyacht Harbor at the Monaco Grand Prix
World renowned photographer and YouTuber Kim Illman was a guest contributor in 2024, so when toured around the famous 'superyacht harbour' we asked him to write about his experience. He didn't disappoint, and it gave us an inside look at how some of the world's nicest boats look inside, a view that few boat fans ever get to see. He also gave us a rare glimpse inside one of the world's most expensive marinas. Read more.
3) Captain Red Flowers Sets New Great Loop Record
Completing the Great Loop -- a circumnavigation of the eastern half of North America -- is one of boating's ultimate feats. Most boaters use a cruiser or a yacht, typically taking 10-16 months to complete the 6000 mile (9700 km) journey. Not Captain Red Flowers. In a quest to raise $1 million for pediatric cancer research, Captain Flowers somehow ripped around the route in a staggering 19 days, 19 hours, and 50 minutes. An absolutely unbelievable accomplishment, in more ways than one. Kudos to you, Cap. Read more.
4) Scientists Solve the Orca Mystery in Strait of Gibraltar
Scientists have been absolutely baffled for the last four years trying to explain why Orcas are attacking boats in the Strait of Gibraltar. The problem has gotten so bad that yachts and sailboats are avoiding the Strait altogether, while the Orcas themselves are becoming more brazen and straying farther and farther from their 'playground.' Finally in 2024, scientists released a report that they claim explains their behavior. To put it lightly, Orcas are kinda jerks. Read more.
5) Meet the Man Doing the Great Loop on a $300 PWC
Meet Barno, aka Jacob Barnowski, a delightfully friendly fellow from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Barno decided the best way to spend his summer was hopping on his 1994 Polaris SLT 750 and seeing the continent. He spent a whole $350 on the machine, and a whole summer riding it, but the journey has been priceless. Few others have attempted, let alone completed 'The Loop' on a PWC, which puts Barno in elite company. We caught up with him on his journey to hear what it's like to be a PWC legend. Read more.
6) The Most Expensive Real Estate Listing is a Boater's Paradise
Known as Gordon Pointe, the most expensive real estate listing in America hit the market in June for a spicy $295 million. But what caught the eye of boaters is not the mansion itself (and its many secondary buildings), but the epic location. Gordon Pointe sits on its own point in the exclusive neighborhood of Port Royal in Naples, Florida. The location provides ocean views on one side, its own harbour on the other side, and enough private beachfront to host a massive sandbar party. Within the harbour is also some massive dockage that can hold up to three yachts or superyachts, leaving you with plenty of options to stay at sea rather than sit on the couch. Read more.
7) Tom Brady's Boat is For Sale
Our affinity for Wajer Yachts is no secret, so when Wajer's official spokesman Tom Brady put one up for sale we had to wonder -- can we afford that? We cannot, unfortunately, write off his beautiful Wajer 77 as a business expense, but somebody out there can. The boat, named TW12VE Angels, was actually on display the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show, so we took a gander. We were unable to haggle down the $7 million price tag, but you might have better luck. Read more.
8) B.C Boater Busted for $15K for Derelict Vessel
The boating community admittedly has a problem with abandoned boats. They turn up in empty fields, in destitute commercial lots, and present both an eyesore and an environmental problem. Many boaters lament the fact there's little recourse for bad captains who dump their boats, so the community felt hopeful when B.C. authorities finally dinged a bad boater for his derelict vessel. By all accounts, authorities gave him plenty of chances to clean up his act. He didn't, and now he's a salty sailor stuck on shore. Read more.
9) Bill Gates' Hydrogen-Powered Superyacht is For Sale
Of all the 'alternative fuels' currently being developed for marine use, few show as much promise as hydrogen. It's efficient, lightweight, emissions free, and abundant. That might be why Bill Gates elected to have his superyacht built with one of the first large-scale hydrogen-producing propulsion systems to reach the market. Despite the fancy tech, when his boat immediately went up for sale after completion (and no one is sure why), it raised eyebrows about the reason for its sale. Read more.
10) Dock Fight - Billionaire Fights to Keep His 146-Foot Yacht at Home
Everyone loves a little drama, especially boaters, so it wasn't surprising when the boating community latched onto the headlines about a Florida billionaire duking it out with county officials about parking his yacht at home. Sure, the boat in question is a 146-foot superyacht. And sure, it blocks the view a little. But when Michael Bozutto decided he wasn't going to let the Village of West Palm Beach dictate where he could keep the boat, especially on his own property, it made boaters wonder -- where does private property end and public water begin? It costs a lot of legal fees to learn the answer. Read more.
11) George H. Bush's Boat Goes to Auction
A custom Fountain speedboat belonging to former President George H.W. Bush went up for auction in March, so naturally boaters checked their piggy banks to see if they could swing it. The auction was for a great cause, and it was a really nice boat -- a 2011 Fountain 38CC named Fidelity V with triple Mercury 300's on the transom. The boat fetched an impressive $435, which was a pinch above our budget, but we envy the boater who' gets to pull up to the boat ramp with the presidential seal on the sidewall. Read more.
12) The Fiat 500 Offshore- The Littlest Big Winner at Miami
Small went big. Sometimes a small story about a small boat goes viral, which is exactly what happened when we uncovered the adorable Fiat 500 Offshore at the Miami International Boat Show. The Fiat 500 Offshore might look like a novelty, and perhaps it is, but it's also really cool. The videos show it being capable of some serious speed and maneuvering, and the interior (and exterior) is practically identical to the road-capable Fiat 500. Why not take your next road trip on the water, instead of on the highway? You know you want to. Read more.
13) Zuckerberg Scoops Up Russian Superyacht for Cheap
There have been several cases since 2022 of Americans purchasing yachts originally intended for Russians, but none were as monumental as Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg buying a $300 million superyacht directly from Feadship. Why directly from Feadship? Because the vessel was already being built for an unnamed Russian businessman until U.S. sanctions from the war in Ukraine put a halt to its transfer. So Zuck scooped in and scored himself a sweet deal. Allegedly. The legalities of the whole thing are as interesting as the boat. Read more.
14) Texas Built Its Own Lake for Boaters
Texas is known for many things, but lakes aren't one of them. One of the driest states in the Lower 48 is hurting for waterfront that isn't on the coast, so wiley Texans used their own ingenuity to solve the problem. They built themselves a lake, and not just any lake -- an epic $1.6 billion project to produce Bois d'Arc Lake. The expansive waterway boasts over 26 square miles of surface area and 17,000 acres of additional protected land around it. They even stocked the lake with 300,000 bass and installed boat ramps, then turned anglers loose and dared them to catch their limit. Everything is bigger in Texas, and boaters are better for it. Read more.
15) Niagara Falls Boat Rides Sinking in Debt
Niagara Falls is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, so naturally it attracts a few visitors. Throw in majestic waterwalls on both the U.S. and Canadian sides, and you've got good reason to offer boat rides to eager tourists. The problem, however, is that the company who owns the tour boats somehow accrued a whopping $1.2 billion dollar debt providing the service. No one seems to know how, exactly. Whether that's Canadian or U.S. dollars doesn't really matter, someone might end up walking the plank for the whole fiasco. Read more.
16) The Breezy Sea- The Refitted Lobster Boat Changing Lives in Haiti
Every boat has a story to tell, but few have been seen more in a single lifetime than the Breezy Sea. We connected with Haiti WISH Canada, a non-profit organization that works to provide water access to the troubled Caribbean island. The saga of the Breezy Sea needs to be read to be believed. Somehow, some way, a decommissioned lobster boat from New Brunswick, Canada has been rebuilt and reborn in a tiny island community in western Haiti. The Breezy Sea is now a critical vessel for survival on the island, and its longevity (and its future) is in the hands of the Haiti Wish Canada foundation. Read more.
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