Rob Gardella remembers working the gas dock at Norwalk Cove Marina in the early 1980s when fuel prices were high, along with interest rates for any new boat owners who had to finance a purchase.
Fast-forward to this weekend and the 50th installment of the Norwalk Boat Show, and the industry is seeing a similar undertow — but with demand in Connecticut still comparatively high, as marinas that have little or no slip space to offer can attest.
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Here are five things to know about the boating industry on the eve of the in-water show that starts Thursday at Norwalk Cove Marina.
What is 'affordable' for popular boat models in 2026?
For boating wannabees who might be priced out of the newest boat models featured at this year's Discover Boating Norwalk Boat Show, center-console power boats are on sale in Connecticut for about $10,000 or less — including a Mako 22 priced at $10,500 in Mystic, with a model year matching the inaugural Norwalk Boat Show.
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The Norwalk Boat Show does not list prices of the new boat models it has on display, but East Coast brokerages dangle a $2 million price tag for the 2026 model of the Princess F50 cruiser that will be at the docks.
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When does the show start, and what can we do there?
The Norwalk Boat Show runs Thursday through Sunday, with hours of 10.a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and until 5 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $20 for ages 18 and up and $10 for ages 13-17, with admission free for younger children.
The show is located at Norwalk Cove Marina at 48 Calf Pasture Beach Road in Norwalk, with information and a schedule of events, tours, activities and workshops online at www.boatshownorwalk.com.
What are the costs boat buyers can expect?
Gardella, president of Norwalk Cove Marina, said he remembers the early '80s when high inflation, gas prices and interest rates were a drag on the boating industry, but with Connecticut's industry remaining comparatively strong.
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He said he is seeing a similar dynamic today, though he thinks some boat owners may be shying away from trading in their existing boat for an upgrade while waiting for interest rates to drop before taking out a loan for a new purchase — similar to the "rate lock" that has held back home sales in 2026.
"People are holding onto their boats and the loans they have because they got them at super-low low interest rates," Gardella said. "It's been a tight market after the COVID years."
As of Wednesday, least expensive used center console listed for sale in Connecticut on Boat Trader was a 1987 Aquasport listed for $6,000 by a Westbrook owner. The priciest listed by a Connecticut broker was a 2025 Pursuit S 378 Sport, listed for just under $700,000 by All Seasons Marine Works on Fivemile River in Norwalk.
Boats carry additional costs, including insurance, trailers or slip fees, winter storage and maintenance.
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How many boats are for sale in Connecticut?
For those looking to buy new or used, the number of boats listed for sale vary by website. Boat Trader lists more than 1,650 boats for sale in Connecticut, ranging in price from a 10-foot, flat-bottomed Tracker Grizzly "jon" boat in stock at Bass Pro Shops in Bridgeport; to a 96-foot Princess Y95 cabin cruiser listed for nearly $11 million in Essex.
And for those willing to roll the dice, Connecticut residents have described on social media purchasing boats for as little as $1, with prior owners happy to part with them rather than spend the amounts needed for repairs and ongoing upkeep, whether hulls or engines.
How is the Connecticut industry faring?
Carrie Waible, a spokesperson for the Norwalk Boat Show, said that the industry has been holding its own in 2026 despite a prolonged stretch of inflation.
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"Projections from NMMA show that unit sales for 2026 are likely to be flat with 2025 — which is a good thing," Waible told CT Insider. "As much as there may have been a cooling, post-pandemic and the boating boom, the demand has remained so high for fun on the water, and people keep seeking it out."
The Norwalk Boat Show arrives in advance of annual boat registrations published by the National Marine Manufacturers Association, which organizes the Norwalk Boat Show along with several others on the East Coast. In 2024, NMMA tracked a 0.9% decline in boat registrations in Connecticut, even as the U.S. total rose 1.1% driven by a big jump in Florida.
Connecticut had nearly 800 fewer registered boats in 2024 compared to the year before, a 0.9% drop even as the U.S. total rose 1.1%. Boat registrations were down in all Northeast states except Maine and New Hampshire.