Notes From The Watersports Participation Survey for 2017

There can be few more rewarding pastimes than spending time on the water, whether for sport or relaxation, but nobody in their right mind could claim it was a particularly cheap one. As such, like pretty much everything else in the world, it was badly affected by the recession. But now the worst appears to be behind us, increasing amounts of people are discovering or rediscovering their love of water sports and boating in general, according to the Watersports Participation Survey for 2017. This survey is an annual barometer of interest and participation in water-based leisure activities, and is conducted by a consortium of marine organisations including the Royal Yachting Association, the Marine and Coastguard Agency and the Royal National Lifeboat Institute. Although it’s probably not quite time yet to declare that it’s all plain sailing from here, with the potential economic instability due to Brexit, the news is still largely positive so far.

A total of over 14.3 million people, or more than a quarter of adults in the United Kingdom, participated in water-based leisure activities during the period of the survey. Young people in particular seemed to be feeling the call of the waves, with 1.54 million people aged between 16 and 34 taking part in boating activities. Physical activities such as kitesurfing, surfing, bodyboarding and standup paddle boarding continued their rise in popularity, with standup paddle boarding showing the greatest increase, as 176,000 new people took up the sport. However, motor boating kept its place in the top three marine leisure activities, behind yacht cruising and canoeing.

This can only be good news for those of us who love the water and want to see our pastime thriving. And whether you have a yacht, a speedboat or a jetski, we at Morgan Marine Insurance are perfectly placed to supply all your insurance needs. Committed to a philosophy of integrity and fairness, we are a small family of insurance professionals dedicated to providing you with superior value, efficiency and timely processing of claims. Whatever your marine insurance requirements, we can provide you with the exact policy you need, helping to take the unnecessary stress out of things and allowing you to get on with enjoying the water.