Boats are very popular in the olden days for transportation and for the people to migrate. That was in the past (long back), but what are boats used for (nowadays)?
Boats nowadays are essentially used for freight transport, travel, recreation, living, businesses, fishing, sports, military uses, etc. Generally, ships (big boats) are mainly used for freight transport, and small boats are used for recreation purposes, fishing, sports, businesses, etc.
Generally, big boats (ships) are used for transportation purposes like crude oil, petroleum products, raw materials, cars, etc., which are transporting more than 70% of the world’s trade (goods and cargos) in waters (seas). Small boats are used for recreation purposes, fishing, duck hunting, sports, business, etc.
Small boats are typically found on inland waterways such as rivers and lakes or in protected coastal areas. However, some boats, such as the whaleboat, fishing vessels, were intended for use in an offshore environment. Big boats (ships) are typically found in open waters such as seas and oceans.
Boats played a crucial role in transportation, migration, etc., in the early days. That being said, we will now see 9 of the popular and common uses of boats (both small and big boats) in a detailed way.
1. Freight transportation (70% of cargo and goods are transported in waters)
The majority of the cargo in the world is being transported and delivered by big ships in waterways. That includes transporting crude oil, petroleum products, chemical industry products, condensed gas, raw materials, equipment, cars, livestock, etc., and many other cargo types.
That is because the fuel used to run the ships is less expensive, and transportation and taxes also take less compared to land transport. The building of infrastructures, like roads and bridges, is not required, and the ships also carry bulky and massive amounts of goods at a time easily.
Freight transport is the physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo. In 2015, 108 trillion tonne-kilometers were transported worldwide (anticipated to grow by 3.4% per year until 2050 (128 Trillion in 2020)): 70% by sea, 18% by road, 9% by rail, 2% by inland waterways, and less than 0.25% by air (source).
Merchant shipping is the world economy’s lifeblood, carrying 90% of international trade with 102,194 commercial ships worldwide. On rivers and canals, barges are often used to carry bulk cargo. Check this Wikipedia on maritime transport to know more about transportation through waterways.
Check this soft school website to know more fun and interesting facts about boats.
2. Most of the boats in the world are being used for recreation purposes
According to SCMO, there are almost 30 million recreational boats in the world; among them, approximately 18 million boats are owned by Americans for recreational use today. Recreation (activity done for enjoyment when one is not working). And generally small boats are used for recreation mostly.
According to markets and markets, the recreational boat market is projected to grow from USD 26.7 billion in 2019 to USD 33.8 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 3.02%. Changes in technology, increase in boat size, increase in high net worth population, rising economy, and growing tourism are some of the major factors for the growth of the recreational boats market.
Among various types of boats, outboard boats (boats with motors attached to it) are most commonly used for recreation purposes like fishing, relaxing, cruising, watersports, etc., in the USA. Outboard boats are usually small watercraft with a motor attached to the outside of the vessel.
Some of the popular and most common boats used for recreation purposes are pontoon boats, bowrider, jet boat, aluminum fishing boats, motor yachts, trawlers, etc., used for recreation activities like fishing (mostly), sports, duck hunting, living, etc.
Most of them are outboard boats, and they are expected to grow due to many advantages like low cost of maintenance, better deck area, better engine accessibility, and varied power of engines that can be fitted to the boats. The demand for outboard boats is more in markets like North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, etc.
3. Around 10% of the boats in the world are used for fishing
According to the International Maritime Organization, the total number of fishing vessels in the world is estimated at around 4.6 million. Most of these are small vessels (around or less than 24 meters). Among them, 64,000 fishing vessels are 24 meters in length and over, operated in marine waters.
According to the latest reports, China tops the list of high fish production countries in the world. Next comes India, Indonesia, Vietnam, the United States of America, and the list goes on with little variations in their ranking positions down the line as time passes.
But fishing is one of the most dangerous professions in the world. It is estimated that thousands of fishers lose their lives every year. That also includes piracy, bad weather, illegal activities, etc.
International Maritime Organization
Fishing is one of the most popular outdoor recreational activities in the United States. More than 49 million Americans participated in freshwater, saltwater, and fly fishing activities in a year, and more than 60 percent of participants were under 45 years old (source). So, fishing is also a popular recreational activity for many boaters.
4. There are many sports-related to boats
There are several sports-related to boating you can play and participate in; some popular water sports-related to boating are listed below.
- Boat racing – Boat racing is a sport where the same type of boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water.
- Cable skiing – Cable skiing is similar to water ski, in which the skier’s rope and handle are pulled by a cable, whereas traditionally, a waterskier is pulled by a motorboat.
- Canoeing – Canoeing is a recreation activity that involves paddling a canoe with a single paddle generally (2 paddles sometimes).
- Fishing – Fishing is a recreational activity, the sport of catching fish.
- Jet Skiing – Jet skiing is a recreational activity where the rider sits or stands on a personal watercraft and rides it.
- Kayaking – Kayaking is a recreation activity that involves paddling a kayak with a single paddle (2 paddles sometimes).
- Parasailing – Parasailing is an extreme sport where a person is towed behind a boat while attached to a parachute.
- Rafting – Rafting is outdoor recreational activities that use an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other water bodies.
- Rowing – Rowing is an extreme sport that involves using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other body of water.
- Sailing – Sailing is the practice of navigating a sail-powered craft (sailboat) on water.
Check this Wikipedia page to know more sports-related to the boat.
Did you know? Spirit of Australia currently holds the world’s record boat speed of 317.6 MPH achieved by ken Warby in the late 1970s.
5. Traveling by sea (on ships or boats) is inexpensive
Traveling in water is one of the cheapest ways of traveling. However, it will cost more if you are looking for more comforts while traveling, and if you aren’t, it may cost less. In cargo or any container ships, it is much cheaper compared to commercial vessels or cruises.
And it can take anywhere between $100 to $150 on average, that does, of course, include three daily meals. To cross an ocean can take weeks or even over a month. So, it takes more time than usual, and it can cost around $1000 to $ 1500 to travel on a ship for 10 days.
If you are traveling on a cruise, benefits can include a wide variety of entertainment options, gorgeous sightseeing opportunities, good food that can be included, and it can be cheaper to view multiple cities and locations. Anyway, but do not expect them to be cheap.
For the low budget traveling through waterways, the second option has a lot of better price range! In this case, you would actually join the crew of a ship. In return for your effort plus an additional fee to share the costs of food and gasoline, you could get a cheap boat trip around the world.
6. In military
Miliary ships are crucial for any country’s defense. There are many various types of boats and small craft which are designed specifically for use by the navy or other branches of the military, or for law enforcement agencies, or for coast guard agencies in the world.
It also includes small and light crafts such as assault boats, which are specifically for military or combat use, light enough to carry several men, or can be big warships that carry much more weight. It can also include boats that are used by the navy as various types of support craft.
The United States Navy has over 490 ships in both active service and the reserve fleet, with approximately 90 more in either the planning and ordering stages or under construction, according to the Naval Vessel Register and published reports.
Wikipedia
A Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is the largest warship in the world. 10 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers are there in the world, each designed for an approximately 50-year service life with just a single mid-life refueling. Check this Wikipedia page to know all the types of military boats at a glance.
7. Boats are part of (key in) many businesses around the world (boating industry)
Starting a business would be a desire for many. The good news is, there are so many opportunities to become an entrepreneur and build innovative merchandise or assistance to do in this line of work. If you’re looking to start your own boat business, there are several profitable options you can choose from in the boating industry.
Boats need a lot of attention and maintenance; otherwise, not doing that maintenance down the line will result in paying more. Ideally, any boat owner would be proactive about the maintenance of a boat, but many people aren’t 100% into it (DIY by themselves), a potential for business.
Boats also require a lot of cleaning like hull cleaning and maintenance, removing barnacles, or any growth, etc. Even at many marinas, there will be divers that go underwater to clean the hull and to remove all the growth from the hull. So, may people aren’t 100% into it (DIY by themselves), a potential for business.
Similarly, there are so many successful businesses related to boating, such as Boats.com, Boat Trader, West Marine, BoatUS, etc. Some of the boat business ideas are listed below.
- Boat rentals in the parks, lakes, etc.
- Boat cleaning services
- Boat repair business
- Boat storage business
- Boating training programs
Check this starter story website to know 20 Profitable Boat Business Ideas along with examples of some successful businesses in those fields. Like that, there are various opportunities for businesses for boats that generate revenue.
8. Boats are also used for vacations (cruising industry)
There is a big and huge industry dedicated to vacation on boats, i.e., the Cruising industry. That’s one thing, but you also can rent a boat and hire a captain for that, and you can spend a weekend out in the sea. The point is boats are also used for vacation purposes.
In the past five years, the demand has increased by 20.5 percent. Statistics show that in 2017 around 26.7 million people chose to go on a cruise, followed by 28.5 million in 2018 and an estimated 32 million in 2020. In 2018, it was estimated that the world cruise industry is worth approximately $150 billion.
KPMG
And it can take anywhere between $100 to $150 on average, that does, of course, include three daily meals. To cross an ocean can take weeks or even over a month. So, it takes more time than usual, and it can cost around $1000 to $ 1500 to travel on a ship for 10 days.
If you are traveling on a cruise, benefits can include a wide variety of entertainment options, gorgeous sightseeing opportunities, good food that can be included, and it can be cheaper to view multiple cities and locations. Anyway, but do not expect them to be cheap.
For the low budget traveling through waterways, the second option has a lot of better price range! In this case, you would actually join the crew of a ship. In return for your effort plus an additional fee to share the costs of food and gasoline, you could get a cheap boat trip around the world.
9. Many people live on boats around the world
There are so many people living on boards and crossing oceans or seas in sailboats, catamarans, etc. Even in many marinas, you can live onboard (in a boat) by paying rent. If the rent for a house is high at your place, you can try living on a boat cheaper compared to living in an apartment (house).
The Census Bureau cites a 1999 survey that estimates 11,000 people live on boats or in recreational vehicles, but a bureau spokesman said the small sample probably doesn’t hold much water. That was in 1999; now definitely it will be more.
Washington Post
Some of the good boats to live on are Trawlers, yachts, sailboats, catamarans, motor cruisers, Barges, etc., and the list goes on. Determining your boat’s style and mooring location truly depends on your budget. There is no shortage of entry-level, cheap boats to suit a liveaboard lifestyle.
And with rising housing costs, affordable boat living has become an increasingly popular alternative to land, especially with younger generations. A boat offers you an alternative way of living that’s more eco-friendly and at a fraction of the cost lesser than living in an apartment.
Bottom line
Boats are very popular in the olden days for transportation and for the people to migrate. Boats nowadays are essentially used for freight transport, travel, recreation, living, businesses, fishing, sports, military uses, etc.
Generally, big boats (ships) are used for transportation purposes like crude oil, petroleum products, raw materials, cars, etc., transporting more than 70% of the world’s trade (goods and cargos) in waters (seas). Small boats are used for recreation purposes, fishing, duck hunting, sports, business, etc.
Small boats are typically found on inland waterways such as rivers and lakes or in protected coastal areas. However, some boats, such as the whaleboat, fishing vessels, were intended for use in an offshore environment. Big boats (ships) are typically found in open waters such as seas and oceans.