Regal and Sea Ray tied for first in the express cruiser segment (24-33 feet). This is the third consecutive year that Regal has ranked highest in this category. In the 2009 results, Sea Ray performs particularly well in ride and handling while Regal did well in the cabin factor.
For runabouts 16-19 feet, Sea Ray ranked highest performing particularly well in the engine, design and styling and water sports factors. Regal and Monterey follow respectively in the rankings. In the 20-29 feet runabout category, Colbalt ranked highest for the eighth year in a row. It did well in water sports, design and styling and ride and handling. Regal and Sea Ray, respectively, follow Cobalt.
Richard Stone, president of Sea Ray Boats, said the company is proud of how its customers “continue to regard our boats for their quality and performance.”
The report also found that customer satisfaction across the boating industry is up from an index score of 813 on a 1,000-point scale in 2008, to 830 in 2009. The express cruiser and large runabout segments both saw a significant increase, which is the primary reason for the overall satisfaction increase, according to Todd Markusic, senior director of the powersports practice at J.D. Power.
“In a time when sales are down nearly 30% and consumers are scrutinizing their discretionary spending, enhancing satisfaction and improving quality is vital,” he said. “Ensuring the most satisfying experience possible during this down time will not only enhance customer loyalty, but also will likely secure even more sales through recommendations and referrals once the market improves.”
The 2009 Boat Competitive Information Study results are partly based on a survey of nearly 10,000 owners of registered new boats from June 2007 to May 2008.
