US PWC Snapshot

PWC (Personal Watercraft) are the motorcycle of the marine world, powered by jet propulsion, and are less than 14’ in length. They are quite prolific across the country in both salt and freshwater environments and frequently sold in pairs. PWCs are sometimes referred to as jet skis and can carry up to three passengers on larger models.

Here’s a quick summary:

• There are currently just over 1.4 million PWCs registered in the U.S., over half of them (58%) were purchased new or pre-owned during the past 5 years.
• The average PWC is 14 years old and roughly 63,000 of them are being retired from the fleet each year.
• During 2024, 131,100 PWCs were purchased pre-owned (67,000 New).
• 30% of the people that purchased PWCs in 2024 were first-time-boat buyers and 55% of them own another boat (including another PWC)
• On average, PWC owners are 47 years old, skewing somewhat younger than boat owners in general.