Awwal 16, 1432 H/Feb 19, 2011, SPA -- The Detroit Boat Show gave industry officials the impression that business is picking up, according to UPI. "We definitely feel things are turning around for the boating industry," Nicki Polan, director of communications for the Michigan Boating Industries Association, told The Detroit News. John Ropp, the association's president and chief executive officer, said, "Customer confidence, it's up and it's reflecting in our show." The show, which closes Sunday, generally results in sales valued at about $35 million, the newspaper said. But sales for recreational boats fell 2.6 percent during the recession, which began in late 2007, through much of last year. "We were affected just like the auto industry," Polan said. Michigan, which ranks fourth in the country behind California, Florida and Minnesota on spending in boats, is a fair barometer for industry nationwide. The boat show, in turn, is a fair indicator of how sales will fare in Michigan, Wilson Marine owner and president Ron Wilson said. "If you have a good Cobo Hall, you have a good year," he said. Wilson said he would likely reach his goal for the show of selling 150 boats at an average cost of $25,000.
