Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/556112
40 | Boating Industry | May 2015 www.BoatingIndustry.com /// Market Trends /// Kuck said part of the reason Regal chose to enter the 22-foot deck boat market was to appeal to younger buyers who are purchasing smaller vessels. "When you bring the price point down, that certainly opens up your ability to access a younger group," said Kuck. Regal added the 22 FasDeck ESX to its line to attract younger buy- ers. The boat features edgier graphics, colored upholstery and a black windshield. Kuck said younger buyers prefer a sportier look to the traditional design. A better, more stable ride Deck boats may have an open feel and are suitable for a large number of passengers, and pontoons can do the same thing. However, deck boat manufacturers see no need to be concerned that pontoons could take away market share from deck boats. Avent says Stingray deck boats will be able to compete against the pontoon boat by giving the ride of a fiberglass V-hull bottom to provide more speed for more horsepower, and to give more options for where the customers can go and what they can do with the boat. "What we try to do is be able to give the most flexible, yet most op- timum, seating for the size of the boat that we can give in the industry," said Avent. "We try to get our seating capacities to maximize the use of our boats for the number of occupants to give a boat buyer and option other than what the pontoon boat would provide." Wachs said the introduction of triple tube technology in pontoons has exploded in the marketplace but is not concerned they will take market share from deck boats. "They're not a fiberglass hull. They'll never corner as well as a Hurricane does. They have distinct disadvantages in saltwater that a Chaparral's 250 SunCoast is the company's first outboard-powered deck boat.