California falls to fourth.  The National Marine Manufacturers Association has released their 2010 U.S. Recreational Boat Registration Statistics Report – here’s an excerpt:

Boat registration numbers decreased 2.2 percent (or 282,615 boats), for a total of 12.5 million registered boats in 2010, compared with 12.7 million in 2009.

Only 183,930 of the total 12.5 million total registered recreational boats were new in 2010. 

The top 10 states for boat registrations are:

1. Florida: 914,535 registered boats in 2010. Florida held the No. 1 spot, decreasing 3.6 percent from 949,030 in 2009.
2. Minnesota: 813,976 registered boats in 2010. Minnesota moved from third to second, increasing 0.3 percent from 811,775 in 2009.
3. Michigan: 812,066 registered boats in 2010. Michigan moved from fourth to third, staying relatively flat in 2010, compared with 811,670 in 2009.
4. California: 810,008 registered boats in 2010. California dropped to fourth from second, decreasing 10.7 percent, compared with 906,988 in 2009.
5. Wisconsin: 615,335 registered boats in 2010. Wisconsin remained fifth, decreasing 1.8 percent, compared with 626,304 in 2009.
6. Texas: 596,830 registered boats in 2010. Texas held its sixth-place ranking, decreasing 4.1 percent, compared with 622,184 in 2009.
7. New York: 475,689 registered boats in 2010. New York was again seventh, decreasing 0.7 percent from 479,161 in 2009.
8. South Carolina: 435,491 registered boats in 2010. South Carolina held its eighth-place ranking, remaining flat with 435,528 in 2009.
9. Ohio: 430,710 registered boats in 2010. Ohio kept its ninth-place ranking, increasing 1.4 percent, compared with 424,877 in 2009.
10. North Carolina: 400,846 registered boats in 2010. North Carolina again ranked 10th, decreasing 1.2 percent, compared with 405,663 in 2009.

In addition, the report analyzes total boat registrations and finds:

• 95 percent of mechanically propelled boats are less than 26 feet.
• 57 percent of mechanically propelled boats have a hull made of fiberglass; 38 percent have a hull made of metal.
• 66 percent of mechanically propelled boats are outboard boats; 20 percent are inboard/PWC; and 13 percent are sterndrive boats.
• The Pacific region posted the largest decline in registrations for 2010, down 9 percent, compared with a year earlier. The Mid-Atlantic region posted a 207 percent increase in registrations.
• The Great Lakes region again ranked first, accounting for slightly more than a quarter (27 percent) of registered boats in 2010.