Yamaha Holds Top Spot as Marine Market Settles Into Summer Rhythm

Yamaha has retained its position as Australia's most-searched marine brand heading into the 2025 summer season, with 8.4% of search share in Q3 2025 according to Retain Media's Q3 2025 Marine Market Brand Consideration Report. The Japanese outboard giant maintained the lead it claimed last quarter despite a modest 7.6% quarterly decline, holding steady compared to its 8.3% result from Q4 2024.

The third quarter revealed a marine market finding its footing after earlier volatility, with Sea Doo rebounding to second place at 7.6% and Mercury Marine holding third with 6.3%. The results suggest operators and consumers are settling into more predictable patterns as the prime Australian boating season approaches.

Personal Watercraft Rebounds

Sea Doo posted a 5.5% quarterly increase to reclaim second position after a turbulent year that saw the personal watercraft specialist plummet from 13.5% in Q4 2024 to 7.2% by Q2 2025. The Q3 recovery suggests seasonal fluctuations in the water sports segment, with renewed interest as summer temperatures arrive.

Despite sitting 5.9 percentage points below year-ago levels, the uptick indicates the PWC market may be stabilising after post-COVID corrections across the broader marine industry.

Mercury Marine held third position with 6.3%, down slightly from 6.5% in Q2 but up 0.2 percentage points compared to Q4 2024. The American propulsion manufacturer's steady performance comes against a challenging backdrop for the engine sector, with parent company Brunswick reporting a 23% drop in propulsion division sales for Q1 2024, from $751.6M to $578.2M.

Australian Builders Hold Strong

Quintrex remained Australia's most-searched boat builder at 6%, down marginally from 6.2% in Q2 but up 0.4 percentage points year-on-year. The iconic aluminium boat manufacturer continues to dominate domestic search interest despite the quarterly softening.

Haines Hunter advanced to 3.7% from 3.5%, marking a 5.7% quarterly increase and its first growth period after three quarters of stability. The result demonstrates sustained appeal for the Australian builder's fishing and family boats.

Bar Crusher experienced a significant correction, falling from 3.8% to 3.3%—a 13.1% quarterly decline following last quarter's exceptional 25.9% surge. Company representatives attributed the Q2 spike to strong sales at Tasmania's Agfest and Queensland's Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show. Despite the pullback, the performance fishing boat manufacturer remains at the same level it held in Q4 2024.

Inflatables and Luxury Segments

Highfield Boats delivered substantial gains, jumping from 3.3% to 3.5%—a 6% quarterly increase building on last quarter's exceptional 40.3% surge. The inflatable boat specialist has now climbed 1.0 percentage point since Q4 2024, reflecting sustained interest in rigid inflatable boats.

Bertram posted the top 10's strongest performance, surging from 3% to 3.4%—a 13.3% quarterly increase extending momentum from last quarter's 25.2% gain. The legendary name has climbed 0.9 percentage points since Q4 2024, though, as noted in previous reports, while the brand itself is no longer marketed in Australia, "Bertram" commonly describes flybridge cruiser styles generically, keeping the name prominent in search behaviour.

Beneteau rounded out the top 10 with 3%, gaining 7.1% from 2.8% in Q2 and climbing 0.6 percentage points year-on-year. The French sail and powerboat manufacturer's steady growth reflects consistent interest across both sailing and motor yacht segments.

Engine Makers and Performance Builders

Suzuki Marine increased to 4.1% from 3.7% in Q4 2024, demonstrating steady upward trajectory despite quarterly softening. Industry observers note repower figures remain strong, with boat owners choosing to upgrade existing engines rather than commit to higher-priced new vessels. The popularity of "old school" style rebuilds has kept engine suppliers motivated through the market correction.

Honda Marine ticked up slightly from 2.6% to 2.7%, gaining 0.1 points each quarter over the past 12 months to position 13th in rankings. The success likely reflects interest in Honda's 2024 release of a new 350HP outboard built on an entirely new V8 platform, plus the recent release of all-new V6 models in 175HP, 200HP, 225HP, and 250HP configurations.

Volvo Penta advanced to 2.9% from 2.8%, whilst Stabicraft declined to 2.8% from 3%, a 6.6% quarterly decrease.

Notable Movements Beyond the Top 20

Bayliner posted exceptional gains, surging from 1.5% to 1.8%—a 20% quarterly increase representing the category's second-strongest performance. The result returns the American builder to levels held in Q4 2024 and Q1 2025 after last quarter's 16.6% decline.

Evolution Boats doubled its search share from 0.1% to 0.2%, a 100% relative increase that, whilst modest in absolute terms, signals growing interest. Retain Media noted the naming similarity with Evolution Marine—a completely separate Melbourne-based entity—may influence these figures.

Fairline rose from 0.4% to 0.5%, a 25% quarterly increase reflecting steady momentum for the British luxury yacht manufacturer in the Australian market. Sea Jay matched this performance, climbing from 0.4% to 0.5% to demonstrate continued appeal for the Queensland-based aluminium boat builder's fishing and recreational vessels.

Melbourne Docklands Show Drives Optimism

The Melbourne Docklands Boat Show held October 16-19 drew an unofficial 39,000 attendees to the free event, with over 7,000 registered patrons. Dealers reported excellent sales success and high volumes of follow-up enquiries, creating a positive outlook for Victoria's 2025/26 water sports season.

Boating Industry Association of Victoria President Scott O'Hare credited the show's timing at the beginning of the boating season and the on-water venue for the strong results. "Sales and enquiries have been terrific on all boats, services and accessories, forecasting a bright 2025/26 water sports season in Victoria," O'Hare said.

Market Finding Its Summer Rhythm

The Q3 results reveal a marine market settling into more predictable patterns after the volatility of earlier quarters. Yamaha's continued leadership and Sea Doo's modest recovery suggest stabilisation in the personal watercraft segment, whilst strong performance from Highfield Boats demonstrates last quarter's surges reflected sustained consumer interest rather than temporary spikes.

Corrections experienced by Bar Crusher and Malibu Boats (down from 1.8% to 1.7%), alongside recoveries from Bayliner and others, point to quarterly fluctuations increasingly driven by seasonal factors and inventory dynamics rather than fundamental shifts in brand preference.

Whether these trends continue through the peak summer period will become clear when Retain Media releases its Q4 2025 Brand Consideration Report early next year. The summer months typically drive the year's highest search volumes, making the final quarter crucial for understanding where brand momentum sits heading into 2026.

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