Besides the economy something else will affect how many boats are sold in the future. That is falling demand. And I predict in Amercia, the demand for cruisers will drop for the same reason fewer people backpack or camp overnight (peaked in Washington in 1970s), fewer people hunt or trap, fewer people change their own oil, fewer people handload cartridges or regularly target shoot, fewer read novels, fewer paint their own houses, fewer make their own clothes, fewer tie their own flies, fewer can create and time a multi-course meal from scratch, fewer know how or are interested in refinishing fine wooden furniture.
The things which interested me and I took pride in accomplishing while growing up (see most of above items) mean much less to most of the young people who are replacing us. They are used to being entertained (usually electronically), have short attention spans and are not good at delaying gratification. They don't have the belly to stick out a complex problem solving task like sorting out what is causing a problem with a fuel system in a boat. And eviscerating a fish or animal is, well, "eewwwwyy".
Crusing boats are expensive, require maintainence, dedication and love. Cruising itself requires a commitment of time, energy and resources. I just don't see as many young people being attracted to it when there are so many things offering quicker gratification competing for their time and money. Like blackberries, wide screen TiVo, cell phones & jet skis. Wham bam let's get another body piercing and put it on U-Tube.
Because of their lack of knowledge in how to maintain things and do it themselves, they're going to end up paying someone else to do it (cars, meals, painting etc.) which will of course leave them even less disposable income, and even less for boating.
C.W.
JT