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Boat builders report first orders for 2027 at Interboot
On 24 September 2026, the German marine trade association and its Swiss counterpart took stock at Interboot in Friedrichshafen. The year has been hard, yet the first orders for 2027 have arrived.
Associations NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH
Interboot, the boat show on Lake Constance, ran from 23 to 27 September 2026 in Friedrichshafen. Its industry panel on 24 September brought together the German marine trade association Verband Maritime Wirtschaft Deutschland (VMWD), the Swiss Boat Builders Association, a marina operator from Lake Zürich and an instructor who runs boat handling courses for women.
The figures for 2026 match the association's member survey: more than 60 per cent of businesses rate their situation as worse than last year, around half report falling sales of small motor boats, while motor yachts above twelve metres have held up comparatively well. The used boat market and service work continue to carry the trade.
What is new is the outlook. According to the association, the first boat orders for 2027 are already in, although new boat sales remain difficult. Both the show organiser and the German Motor Yacht Association (DMYV) describe the mood as cautious optimism rather than a turnaround. Neither source gives a number of orders.
The panel also discussed who is taking the helm. According to both sources, women hold roughly one in four German recreational boating licences. The industry sees room to grow there and wants to reach this group more directly through beginner offers and handling courses.
What this means for owners
Nothing in this discussion changes how boats are insured. Two practical questions follow, though. If you order a boat now for delivery in 2027, ask when ownership and risk pass to you and how the period until handover is protected. And if you plan to hand the helm to a partner or daughter more often, ask your insurer whether other skippers holding the required licence are named or included. This applies to motor boats and sailing yachts alike.
This paragraph is our view as an underwriting agency, not part of the news. What your own policy covers is written in your own terms; when in doubt, call us.
Where this comes from
- Interboot (Veranstalter), Branchengespräch vom 24.09.2026
- Deutscher Motoryachtverband (DMYV), 24.09.2026
The text above is our own. The sources listed supplied the facts and the figures, not the wording.