The Biggest Problem Facing Boaters Isn’t the Boat — It’s Getting to the Water
For many recreational boaters, the hardest part of a day on the water may be getting the boat there in the first place.
The issue of access to public waterways has long been a topic of conversation, both within the industry and the larger boating community. Boaters have long cited poor or outdated infrastructure, overused launches, limited parking and storage, and a lack of regulation as common issues that negatively affect the boating experience.
A recent survey of 2,000 active U.S. recreational boaters conducted by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) matches those concerns. The survey, published in August 2026, found that 80% of boat owners surveyed said they experience congestion at their primary access point, while 83% said congestion limits their ability to go boating at least sometimes.
The survey also found that issues with access are changing how people use their boats. 71% of respondents said they had already changed their boating behaviour because of access challenges, including boating less often, travelling farther to launch, or spending less time boating overall.
“These findings underscore what we hear from boaters in every region. When access points are congested or waterways aren’t properly maintained, families lose time on the water,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president and CEO of the NMMA.
“This survey makes clear that addressing access challenges isn’t just about convenience. It’s about protecting participation, enjoyment, and the economic vitality of boating communities.”
Access Is More Than a Boat Ramp
The survey also examined several aspects surrounding access, including ramps, marinas, storage, parking, and the condition of waterways.
93% of respondents said improved access would increase how often they go boating, with more than half saying it would increase significantly. The improvements frequently identified by respondents mentioned three core issues: more public boat ramps and marina slips, additional storage, and better parking. Waterway conditions were also regularly cited as a significant hurdle to access.
66% of survey respondents said waterway maintenance was extremely important to their boating experience, while 64% said they had been affected during the previous year by issues involving water levels, dredging, or debris.
“Healthy, well-maintained waterways are essential infrastructure,” Hugelmeyer added. “They reduce congestion, improve safety, and allow more people to enjoy America’s rivers, lakes, and coastlines. Boaters are telling us clearly that maintenance and access go hand in hand.”
The Problem Varies by Region
The NMMA survey also found differences across the United States.
Boaters in the Pacific/Southwest and Great Lakes regions reported the highest levels of congestion, while respondents in the Rocky Mountains/Plains and South Atlantic regions expressed the strongest concerns about waterway maintenance.
South Atlantic boaters reported the highest satisfaction with access and the shortest travel times to the water.
The findings also suggest that access can play a role in future boat ownership.
Nearly half of non-boat owners surveyed said they were planning to move forward with a boat purchase. Among those, access-related issues like available storage, closer launch ramps, and beginner-friendly programs were factors that could support their decision to purchase a boat. Neither Canada's Pleasure Craft Operator Card nor the U.S. recreational boating licensing systems generally require a practical, on-water skills test before a boater can legally operate a vessel, although requirements vary by jurisdiction. That being said, a lack of on-water training is regularly cited as a key issue among boating safety advocates, law enforcement, and government regulators.
Canada Is Dealing With Access Challenges, Too
The recent NMMA survey covered U.S. boaters, but access and infrastructure challenges are also an ongoing concern in Canada.
In Ontario, for example, the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority north of Ottawa is currently surveying recreational boaters about provincially controlled boat launches and related public recreation facilities. The survey specifically asks users to assess factors including drive time, whether a waterbody is overused, parking availability, trailer parking, ease of access to the launch, and launch quality. It also asks users whether public use of provincial boat launches has increased or decreased over the past five years.
Nearby on the Rideau Canal, Parks Canada has been forced to establish a schedule for marine access through the LaSalle Causeway near Kingston. Vessels with more than 16 feet of vertical clearance are limited to scheduled openings on the main navigation channel under a temporary modular bridge. Construction and repairs have been the cause of repeated delays.
Access issues caused by water conditions and the ability of existing infrastructure to regulate water flow are also a current topic of discussion. On the popular Trent-Severn Waterway, a major thoroughfare that connects Lake Ontario to Lake Huron via Georgian Bay, Parks Canada opened the 2026 navigation season in stages after heavy precipitation and snowpack created elevated water levels and flows that required additional time before some sections could safely open.
While natural weather patterns are unpredictable and regulators manage as best they can under changing conditions, a common topic of discussion among the boating community has centered around how to develop and implement new infrastructure so boating seasons can last as long as possible without service interruptions.
A Growing Infrastructure Question
The NMMA has made public-water access a central focus of its 2026 Waterways Access Initiative. The organization says access to ramps, marinas, harbours and channels supports the U.S. recreational boating industry's broader economic activity. The more that boating is accessible and available, the more it can contribute to the U.S. economy. In the U.S., recreational boating generates $230 billion in annual economic impact and supports more than 812,000 jobs across approximately 36,000 businesses, according to the NMMA.
The infrastructure issue is particularly apparent at some heavily used U.S. reservoirs. At Lake Powell, for example, the National Park Service warns visitors about longer lines, limited parking, and congestion at boat ramps as changing water levels affect launch facilities. The NPS also recommends that boaters prepare their boats in nearby parking areas before proceeding to the launch ramp.
The same principle applies north of the border. In Canada, the recreational boating sector added $9.2 billion to the national GDP and supported more than 80,000 jobs in 2022, according to NMMA Canada. The industry also generated an estimated $4.6 billion in tax revenues for municipal, provincial, and federal governments.
In British Columbia, a 2026 report from the British Columbia Chamber of Commerce cited Okanagan Lake, arguably inland B.C.'s most popular boating destination, as one of several waterways where public boat launches simply can't handle the existing traffic. The report cites high demand, queueing, and limited parking and staging space as being drivers of major delays. At some sites, peak launch activity exceeds 20 boats per hour, with limited room for staging and queues, leading to traffic jams and reduced time on the water.
The access challenge is about more than simply having enough ramps. A launch may exist, but related issues like parking, trailer storage, marina capacity, navigable water, properly maintained infrastructure, and the practical ability to use that waterway are all slowing down the process.
For boat owners, that means longer drives, longer waits, and fewer hours actually spent on the water. For the industry, that means having to further increase the push for improved public waterways.
The industry has always been a strong and vocal advocate for the issues discussed above. In fact, the recreational boating industries in both Canada and the U.S. raise millions of dollars per year to advocate, implement, and improve these matters. The question is, are we falling behind on that mission? Or do we need to consider redirecting our efforts to get more results?
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