Of course, many factors impact the price of new boats. But whatever the cause, the trend toward higher numbers has not slowed. New boat sales grew from $9.6 billion to $11.5 billion between 2005 and 2006, according to an Association report released in May of 2006. The report says the increase was caused in part by rising production costs that included petrochemicals.Reporting: Patrick Reaves
Sources: BP, NMMAThe price of crude oil and the price of boats with inboard engines both increased between 1995 and 2005.

"The cost of the product rises when raw materials go up," said Raymond Currey, head of sales for Burr Yacht Sales, which sells high-end Fleming yachts.

Currey said that rising boat prices are an anticipated part of selling boats.

"While we'd like to see prices go down," he said, "nothing costs the same as it did in 1995."

He also said that a demand for new and better equipment such as stabilizers and thrusters have also contributed to price increases. "People put and expect more equipment on their boats," he said.

Buyers looking at new boats don't need statistics to see the trend. Some well-known boats, such as the Fleming 55, have seen sharp increases over the past several years.

"As the price of oil goes up, so does everything else," said Kathi Reid, spokesperson for Grand Yachts, a Canadian retailer that carries the Fleming 55. She confirmed that the model has seen steep increases over the last few years, in part because of the price of oil.

Boat builders say that smaller companies making smaller boats are the most likely to be hurt by rising oil prices, as are some marine suppliers

"It'd be nice if they evened off for a period instead of jumping up every few weeks," said John Arbuckle, owner of Buck Woodcraft, a marine supplier in the Florida Keys that also makes doors, tables dinghy chocks and other products from a composite material called Starboard.

Reporting: Patrick Reaves
Sources: BP, NMMAThe price of crude oil and the price of boats with outboard engines both increased between 1995 and 2005.Because of its size, Buck Woodcraft has to absorb the increased cost of materials, which then gets passed on to the consumer in order to keep the company profitable. Arbuckle said oil prices affect the cost of his materials more than any other factor. "Everything is plastic or a form of plastic," he said. "That's all petrochemical."

While larger companies have the capacity watch oil prices and adjust their materials to improve margins, Arbuckle said he does not have the resources to make those adjustments. "If I were a large-scale boat manufacturer, I'd be watching the market like crazy," he said.

Manufacturers of larger boats, who sell to wealthier clients, are sometimes less impacted by fluctuations in oil prices, even though the price increases associated with their boats may yield larger figures.

For example, Katie Ross, a spokeswoman for Burger Boat Company, which specializes in custom-built yachts longer than 80 feet, said that higher oil prices do affect the cost of shipping and construction but the company does not change its business formula much because its wealthy clientele are less sensitive to price changes. The impact of oil prices on building materials or fuel may mean less to owners of higher-end boats.

"When it comes time to fuel up, these people have pretty deep pockets," Ross said about the company's clientele. "They're aware of those consequences."