b'NEWSWIRE:CONGESTED WATERWAYS ALERTNEWSWIRE Increase in Recreational Boating Expected in 2021According to their data, interest inT wo national companies, a national on-water towing service and a lending organization that off ers loans nationwide, have data that supports a sharp increase in recreational boating, boat purchases doubled between 2019whichcouldleadtocongestedwaterways.In addition,thestand-uppaddleboardmarketis and 2020. The number of consumersprojected to grow.completing boat purchase query forms A national on-water towing service, TowBoatUS, rose 104 percent year over year. predicts that recreational boat usage will increase by as much as 20 percent over 2020. They also saw a 20 percent increase in on-the-water recreational boating demand last year. The forecast is based on requests for assistance.Last year, more than 81,000 boaters made requests for on-water assistance. Furthersupportforincreasedinterestin recreationalboatingcomesfromLendingTree, an online loan company.According to their data, interest in boat purchases doubled between 2019 and 2020. The number of consumers completing boat purchase query forms rose 104 percent year over year.Interest in boat ownership has risen in all states, not just coastal communities. Rhode Island, New Hampshire and New Jersey had the most boat loan inquiries. Demographically, new boat interest spans several age groups, according to LendingTrees data, with Gen Xers growing the most. In 2020, the number of boat loan inquiry forms from the 41-to-56 age grouprose137percent.Meanwhile,interestby Gen Zers (age 18 to 24) rose the leastbut still an attention to detail impressive 91 percent. But boaters arent the only ones who will be on the waterways this summer. In December, Technavio, a market research fi rm, forecasted that sales of stand-up paddleboards will continue to grow by nearly $59 million from 2020-2024. Professionalpassengervesseloperatorsshould beawareofthepointedincreaseinrecreational users since the pandemic began in the spring of 2019, many of whom are new to boating. With the number of boaters on the water, along with thereopeningofcommercialvesseloperations, congested waterways are an issue that professional marinersshouldbeawareofthisyear,perhaps more so than in the past. www.beurteaux.comNEWSWIRE 32 FOGHORN'