Industry turnover remains at a record-level A$10.5 billion
The Boating Industry Association's 2026 State of the Industry data places Australian marine-sector turnover at A$10.5 billion for 2025–26, holding level with the previous record year. The figures cover a broad recreational-marine economy that includes boatbuilding, sales, brokerage, engines, marinas, trades, tourism, insurance and associated professional services.
BIA reports 23,500 people directly employed by the industry, supported by another 11,500 contractors and more than 1,350 people in formal training roles. More than 2,000 businesses operate across the sector, with the association emphasising the large share of small and family-run companies that support regional employment as well as metropolitan boating centres.
Small boats remain the core of Australian ownership
The figure most directly relevant to Leisure Boat Guide is that 85% of registered boats are under six metres. Australia has more than 950,000 registered vessels and over 2.5 million licensed powerboat drivers, so the market is heavily weighted toward trailer boats, fishing craft, runabouts and other manageable leisure boats rather than large yachts.
Non-motorised paddle and sail craft sit outside many registration systems, meaning the total number of watercraft in use is higher still. That matters when assessing the size of the leisure market because kayaks, dinghies and other small craft support retail, equipment and safety sectors even when they never appear in official powered-vessel registration totals.
PWC registrations continue to grow
BIA says personal-watercraft registrations have risen 20% over the past five years, showing continued demand for compact, high-performance recreational craft. At the same time, 60% of boating trips last four hours or less, reinforcing the importance of products designed around day use rather than long-distance accommodation.
Those usage patterns help explain why the sub-six-metre segment remains so important to builders and dealers. Easy trailering, quick launching and the ability to fit boating around a single morning or afternoon are strong practical advantages, particularly in a country where many owners have access to coastal or inland water within driving distance.
Data is becoming more detailed as the sector matures
The 2026 report combines industry survey information with BIA Boating Data powered by DECKEE, drawing on billions of real-time and historical data points about how people move around waterways. Better usage data can help businesses decide where to invest while also informing safety campaigns, infrastructure planning and environmental management.
For manufacturers and suppliers looking at Australia, the report points to a market that is economically substantial but still fundamentally centred on smaller recreational craft. The strongest numbers are not only the headline turnover figure but the scale of participation, the dominance of boats below six metres and the continuing growth of personal watercraft.