Economy blamed as state's boat fleet drifts from top

The Grand Rapids Press has this article on the decline of pleasure boating in Michigan:

Swamped by job cuts and an exodus to warmer climates, Michigan no longer is the top state for registered boats. Boat registrations in Michigan have fallen 6 percent since 2001, from about 1 million boats to 944,800.

Florida has taken that spot, leaping over California and Michigan, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

Despite the drop in boating in Michigan, the Midwest leads the way in boat registrations, according to the NMMA. The Great Lakes states of Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin account for 27.4 percent of all boat registrations.