ASPBandAZGFD2021BoatandWatercraftStudy–FinalReport–December2021 2
Amongallregisteredboatownersandwatercraftusers,thesignificantmajority(90%)reportedusing
motorizedvessels;30%usednon‐motorized.Respondentswerepermittedtoselectboth,ifapplicable,
thusaccountingforthetotalpercentagesexceeding100%.In2021,aprimarygoaloftheBWSsurvey
wastosecure
responsesfromArizonaregisteredboatowners.Allmotorizedboatsandpersonal
watercraftmustberegisteredwiththeArizonaGame&FishDepartment,thusaccountingforthe90%
responserateamongmotorizedboatandwatercraftusers.
Amongindividualswhousedamotorizedboatorw atercraft,97%reportedthattheyowned
orco‐
ownedit,3%rentedorleasedit,and3%usedorborrowedsomeoneelse’s.Amongthoseusinganon‐
motorizedboatorwatercraft,86%ownedorco‐ownedit,10%rentedorleasedit,and11%usedor
borrowedsomeoneelse’s.Respondentswereaskedtochooseallthatapply,
thusaccountingforthe
totalpercentagesexceeding100%.
TheoverallmeanofboatusedaysamongArizonaregisteredboatownersandwatercraftuserswas
17.5days.
Themeannumberofboatingtripswas17.0,whichwascomparabletothe2016data.
Somechangeswereseenfromthe
2016figuresforthenumberofboatusedaysbycounty,with
MaricopaCountyshowingasignificantincreasein2021.MohaveCountycontinuedtohavethehighest
percentage(34%)ofboatusedaysinthe2021survey,followedbyMaricopa(29%)andLaPaz
Counties(12%).Inthe2016BWS,the
toptwocountieswereMohave(42%)andLaPaz(27%),followed
byMaricopa(16%).
ThetopfivemostfrequentlyvisitedlakesandriverswereLakeHavasu(MohaveCountyandLaPaz
County),LakePleasant(MaricopaCounty),RooseveltLake(GilaCounty),andSaguaroandBartlett
Lakes(bothinMaricopaCounty),
representingseveralchangesfromthe2016BWS.WhileLakeHavasu
wasalsothemostvisitedin2016,threeoftheprevioustopfivelocations–ParkerStrip,LakeMohave,
andLakePowell–droppedoutofthetopfivein2021.LakeMeadvisitationals o droppedconsiderably,
fromits7thplace
rankingin2016to20thplacein2021,likelyduetoitslowestwaterlevelsincethe
HooverDamwascompletedandthereservoirfilledinthe1930s.
ThetopfivecountieswhererespondentsreportedusingboatsorwatercraftwereMaricopa(51%),
Mohave(47%),Coconino(26%),Gila(20%),and
LaPaz(12%).
Thefivewaterwayswhererespondentsreportedthelargestmeannumberofpeopleinthegroup
wereGrandCanyon(8.70peopleingroup),LakePowellandLakeMead(7.16each),ClearCreek
Reservoir(5.87),andGlenCanyonDamtoLeesFerry(5.68 ).
Slightlymorethanone‐third
(35%)ofallrespondentsreportedthatthepandemichadaffectedtheir
boatorwatercraftuseduringthepast12months,while65%reportedthatthepandemichadnoeffect
ontheirboatorwatercraftuse.
Amongthoserespondentswhoreportedthatthepandemicdidaffecttheirboatorwatercraft
use,
78%saidthatithaddecreasedtheiruse,while22%saidthatithadincreasedtheiruse.
Generalpleasureboatingandfishingwerethetoptwoactivitiesengagedinbyallregisteredboat
ownersandwatercraftusers,unchangedfrom2016.
Anexaminationofpopularityofactivitiesbyrespondent
genderrevealedsomedifferences.
Canoeing/kayaking,tubing,stand‐uppaddleboarding,andjetskiingshowedastatisticallysignificant
greaterfrequencyamongwomenthanmen,whilefishingwastheonlyactivitywithastatistically
significantgreaterfrequencyamongmenthanwomen.