Not exactly a sea for the young.
At the opening of the 2025 Genoa International Boat Show, the President of Confindustria Nautica, Piero Formenti, shared the results of the new Osservatorio Nautico Nazionale (ONN). The numbers speak for themselves:
- 80% of Italian boat owners are over 50
- the largest segment is 60–75 years old (45%)
- under-40s represent just 4%
- women represent 13%, though on average they are younger
- the South of Italy accounts for 25% of owners, and is the leading macro-area for younger boaters
Source: [Confindustria Nautica – Osservatorio Nautico Nazionale, Genoa Boat Show 2025] (https://pressmare.it/it/saloni-nautici/i-saloni-nautici/2025-09-18/salone-nautico-internazionale-analisi-armatori-italiani-85896)
In the US the median age of boat owners is 60, with more skippers over 70 than under 40.
Source: NMMA 2024
And across Europe, the European Boating Industry has stressed the need to make boating more accessible to counteract ageing.
See also our September boat shows marketing guide.
Why it happens (and not just in Italy)
- Cost and complexity: boats are perceived as “luxury toys” with too many expenses (berthing, maintenance, insurance).
- Time: under-40 lifestyles rarely allow full dedication; new generations prefer use over ownership.
- Cultural codes: much communication still sounds “old school”, aspirational but exclusionary.
Where the opportunities lie
The ONN data is not a death sentence, but a roadmap:
- Defend the over-50 core (high purchasing power, high-value units).
- Expand by targeting youth, women, and Southern Italy.
1. Easy access
Boat clubs, memberships, fractional ownership: models that prefer experience over possession.
See also: Marketing strategies for boatbuilders.
2. Modular products
Dayboats 6–9 m, license-free options, family-friendly, app-connected.
3. Fast training
Sprint licenses (30/60/90 days) with mentoring in marinas.
4. Segmented communication
- Under-40s: clear monthly pricing, creator economy.
- Women: focus on safety, community, skipper ambassadors.
- South: start boating packages, marina networks.
Read more: Standing out in a crowded nautical market.
5. Local events
Demo days, clinics, family weekends.
What to measure
- share of under-45 leads
- % of women in test drives
- rental → club → purchase conversion
- 90-day repeat usage
Final takeaway
Boating has two options: pamper the 80% over-50, or prepare for new generations.
At LLiquida, we turn numbers into strategies: from events to social positioning, to models that speak to tomorrow’s owners.
Read also: The new funnel of the nautical customer.
