Queenslanders jumping aboard PWCs and tinnies

The latest Queensland boat registrations statistics have been released by the Department of Transport and Marine Roads, providing a snapshot of the marine industry and pointing to some key trends in the bellwether boating state.

The so-called Recreational Ship Census revealed that at June 30, 2016, there were 256,154 recreational ships (boats and personal water craft) listed on the register by 221,669 different registrants (individuals or organisations). This equates to approximately one registered recreational 'ship' for every 19 people resident in Queensland.

There were 232,716 recreational boats which were registered by 205,099 registrants. The majority of registrants (88.3 per cent) had registered a single boat, while another 10.4 per cent of registrants had registered two boats. The remaining 1.1 per cent of registrants had registered a total of 3.9 per cent of all registered boats (9108).

While the majority of boats (229,353) were registered by individuals, 3333 boats were registered by 2395 organisations.

While the majority of PWC (22,796) were registered by individuals, 636 PWC were registered by 406 organisations.

It is of interest to note that 4531 registrants had registered at least one boat and at least one PWC. In total, these registrants registered 5827 boats and 5335 PWC. The majority (69.9 per cent) registered a single boat and a single PWC.

During the 12 months ending June 30, 2015, 18,329 boat registrations were added to the register, 17,292 were removed from the register, while 19,788 were transferred from one registrant to another. Based on these figures Queensland’s flotilla of registered recreational boats has a decommissioning rate of approximately 6.8 per cent per annum.

Over this same period, 3719 PWC registrations were added to the register, 1749 were removed from the register while 2976 were transferred from one registrant to another. Based on these figures Queensland’s flotilla of registered recreational PWC has a decommissioning rate of approximately 8.1 per cent per annum.

Together these transactions resulted in the number of recreational boats and PWC on the register increasing by 0.59 per cent and 7.52 per cent over the last year and by an average of one per cent and 7.8 per cent respectively over the last five years.

BOAT SIZE TRENDS
The most popular type of recreational boat is the open runabout which accounts for 66.3 per cent (154,356) of the recreational boat flotilla. Fifty per cent of these open runabouts are no longer than 3.9 metres, have engines producing no more than 22 kilowatts, were manufactured more than 12 years ago and are registered by persons at least 52 years of age.

The majority of recreational boats (71.4 per cent) are no more than five metres in length. This percentage increases to 96.6 per cent for recreational boats which are no more than 10 metres in length.

ENGINE POWER TRENDS
The engine output figures need to be interpreted with some caution as they are likely to indicate the power of the motor fitted to a recreational boat at the time it was first registered.

The majority of recreational boats (89.1 per cent) are fitted with outboard motors. Sixty-nine per cent are fitted with an engine producing more than 10 and no more than 100 kilowatts.

The most commonly fitted engines (57 per  cent) produce more than 25 and no more than 50 kilowatts.

FLOTILLA AGE
Estimating the age of the flotilla presents some difficulty as 21.3 per cent of registered recreational boats were registered without the year of manufacture being recorded.

Nevertheless, the extant records indicate that 20.7 per cent of recreational boats were manufactured before 1996, 45.1 per cent were manufactured between 1996 and 2010, leaving 12.9 per cent which were manufactured within the last six years. The average age of a registered recreational boat is 15.7 years with a median age of 12 years.

In contrast with recreational boats, only 0.76 per cent of PWC have been registered without the year of manufacture being recorded.

The majority of PWC (55.1 per cent) were manufactured between 2006 and 2010, while 40.8 per cent of PWC were manufactured within the last six years. The average age of a registered recreational PWC is 9.3 years with a median age of 6 years.

BABY BOOMERS LEAD THE WAY
Baby Boomers (people born between 1947 and 1966) registered 45.2 per cent of all recreational boats and 32.5 per cent of all recreational PWC. Generation X/Y (people born between 1967 and 1986) registered 35.9 per cent of the recreational boats and 49.3 per cent of all recreational PWC.

The average age of those registering recreational ships was 52 years for boats and 44 years for PWC. Males registered 89.7 per cent of the boats and 84.7 per cent of the PWC on the register.

Thirteen per cent of recreational boats have been registered to a registrant who does not hold a Recreational Marine Driver Licence (RMDL). Forty-six per cent of registrants obtained there RMDL no later than the year 2000 while 41.4 per cent obtained their RMDL between 2001 and 2016.

Twelve per cent of PWC have been registered to a registrant who does not hold a Personal Water Craft Licence (PWCL). Seventeen per cent were issued a PWCL in 2005, the first year in which PWCL were issued, while 50.7 per cent were issued a PWCL during the last six years.

REGISTRATION NEWS
The Recreational Marine Licence Census released at the same time reveals some other Queensland boating trends.

In Queensland, being issued a Recreational Marine Driver Licence (RMDL) is a necessary prerequisite to being issued with a Personal Watercraft Licence (PWCL). Both of these marine licences are issued for an unlimited term and so will remain current unless they are surrendered, cancelled, or until the passage of time assures the licence can no longer be in use.

At June 30, 2016, records indicate that 841,761 people held a current marine license; two licenses for every nine people resident in Queensland who were 16 years of age or older.

An RMDL was held by 841,366 people of whom 155,439 also held a PWCL. An additional 395 people, with interstate recreational boat licences or a commercial marine qualification, held a standalone PWCL.

Twenty-one per cent (178,504) of the 841,366 holders of an RMDL had registered at least one of 203,996 recreational boats. The majority of these registrants (19 pr cent) registered a single boat.

Over the past 12 months, the number of RMDL holders increased by 3 per cent while the number of RMDL holders registering boats and the number of boats they had registered both increased by one per cent.

PWC LICENCES
Twelve per cent (19,404) of the 155,834 holders of a PWCL had registered at least one of 21,421 PWC. The majority of these registrants (11 per cent) registered a single PWC.

Over the past 12 months, the number of PWCL holders increased by 10 per cent while the number of PWCL holders who registered a PWC and the number of PWC they registered increased by 7 and 8 per cent respectively.

Only half of one per cent of licensees (4285) had registered both a boat (5420 boats) and a PWC (4966 PWC). The majority of these licensees (2972) had registered a single boat and a single PWC.

WHEN, WHERE AND HOW OLD
Eighty-two per cent of current RMDLs were issued between 1962 when licenses were first issued and 2010. A further 16 per cent of RMDLs were issued between 2011 and 2015.

The proportion of these licensees who were registrants of at least one boat increased from 9.5 per cent of those issued an RMDL in 1962 to a maximum of 25 per cent among those issued an RMDL in 1982 before falling to 19 per cent of those issued an RMDL in 2011. At this point the proportion of licensees who were registrants rose to 23 per cent in 2015; coincident with the year in which the RMDL was issued.

The majority (63.5 per cent) of RMDL holders were resident in the Brisbane Maritime Region followed by the Gladstone Maritime Region which accommodated a further 14.7 percent of RMDL holders. The Mackay, Townsville and Cairns regions accommodated 5.4, 7.5 and 7.8 per cent of RMDL holders respectively.

RMDL holders in the Mackay Maritime Region were the most likely (30 per cent) to be the registrant of a boat and, at 1.2 boats per registrant, registered the highest average number of boats per registrant. RMDL holders in the Brisbane Maritime Region were the least likely (18%) to be the registrant of a boat and registered the lowest average number of boats at 1.1 boats per registrant.

Sixteen per cent (139,508) of RMDLs had been issued to women, 6 per cent (7859) of whom had registered at least one of 8259 boats which accounts for 4.2 per cent of all the boats registered by licensees.

The mean age of the holder of an RMDL who had registered a boat was 52 years, while the median age was 53. Ten per cent of these RMDL holders were more than 71 years of age, 10 per cent were less than 34 years of age and 50 per cent were between 43 and 64 years of age.

It is of interest to note that the probability that the holder of an RMDL would be the registrant of a boat increased at a decreasing rate as the licensee became older. Only two per cent of 16 year old RMDL holders were the registrants of a boat. This proportion increased to 17 per cent at 32 years of age reaching a maximum of 28 per cent at 64 years of age. At this point boat registrations declined until only 2 per cent of 90 year old RMDL holders were the registrant of a boat.

The mean age of the holder of a PWCL who had registered a PWC was 44 years, while the median age was 46. Ten per cent of these PWCL holders were more than 59 years of age, 10 per cent were less than 28 years of age and 50 per cent were between 36 and 53 years of age.

Fifty-three per cent of current PWCL were issued between 2005, the first year in which PWCL were issued and 2010. Nine per cent of these licensees were the registrant of a PWC. The remaining 47 per cent of PWCL were issued between 2011 and 2016. Sixteen per cent of these licensees were the registrant of a PWC.

The majority (77.4 per cent) of PWCL holders were resident in the Brisbane Maritime Region followed by the Gladstone Maritime Region which accommodated a further 9.6 percent of PWCL holders. The Mackay, Townsville and Cairns regions accommodated 3.3, 4.5 and 4.2 per cent of PWCL holders respectively. More Maritime Statisitcs and Reports in Queensland at www.msq.qld.gov.au/About-us/Maritime-statistics-and-reports-library.