GPS has made boat owners overconfident
Inflatable boat sales have skyrocketed since the 1990s for a number of reasons apart from their owners’ winnings on the stock market. According to Alexandros Zeis, the general secretary of the Association of Greek Inflatable Boat Manufacturers (SEKAPLAS), the widespread use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) has given people with little or no knowledge of navigation a sense of security. Simplified taxation procedures for owners of boats up to 10 meters without paid crews have freed up the market even more. SEKAPLAS has recorded a rise in inflatable craft sales (of 3-10 meters) from 1,557 craft sold in 2001 to 2,254 in 2005, a 45 percent increase. «In recent years, we have been selling 50-100 craft of all kinds each year, ranging from the cheapest to the most expensive,» said a SEKAPLAS representative.
