Boatsetter Releases The Great Outdoor Shift: Why "Set Sail" Is the New "Touch Grass" for 2026

A new trend report reveals how people are ditching screen time for real-world effort in 2026.

MIAMI, Jan. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The attention economy promised connection and delivered exhaustion. After a decade of optimizing, broadcasting, and consuming through screens, people have hit their limit—and they're doing something about it.

According to The Great Outdoor Shift, a new trend report from Boatsetter, people are actively trading screen time for outdoor and water-based experiences. Not as an occasional detox. As a reset in how they spend their time, attention, and energy in 2026.

The report, based on a nationwide consumer survey and supported by leading health and behavior research, finds that digital fatigue has moved from abstract complaint to measurable behavioral change. People aren't just talking about unplugging. They're reallocating their weekends, their spending, and their definition of a good day.

The Data: What Happens When People Log Off
The scale of the shift is significant:

• 92% of respondents have already reduced or want to reduce their screen time
• 76% say their 2026 mindset is to invest in experiences that get them outdoors and off their devices
• 74% say time outdoors or on the water does more for their mental health than meditation apps or digital wellness tools
• 56% would choose unlimited access to outdoor and water activities over unlimited access to gyms, studios, and wellness apps
• "Being on the water with friends" ranked as the #1 experience people want more of in 2026—ahead of hiking, national parks, running clubs, and other outdoor activities

This Runs Counter to the Convenience Trajectory of Everything Else
Streaming, delivery, AI assistants—the trend line points toward less friction, less effort, less skill required. And yet people are gravitating toward activities that require something from them. Learning to sail. Fishing. Getting up on a wakeboard.

The report finds that 47% of respondents say learning a new skill is driving their interest in outdoor activities, and 81% have joined or want to join local groups or clubs to pursue them. The format that run clubs proved—give people a regular, low-stakes reason to show up—is spreading to sailing, fishing, and outdoor skills.

"For a long time, unplugging sounded indulgent or impractical—something you did if you had the privilege to step away," said Sara Wilson, founder of digital strategy consultancy SW Projects. "What's changed is that digital overload is no longer abstract. People don't just feel distracted; they feel cognitively saturated and physically dysregulated. Devices did more than just take over our attention. They replaced many of the structures that used to anchor us in time, place, and shared experience."

Real Connection Is Moving Offline
The shift isn't just about where people spend time. It's about how they want to connect.
More than one-third (35%) of respondents say they want to meet new people through outdoor groups and shared activities rather than dating apps. Algorithmic matchmaking is losing ground to showing up in the same place, doing the same thing, and letting connection happen on its own.

"The core motivation of people in a lot of places right now is to be in community with others," said Siddiq Cornish, founder of Pacific Town Club. "I think a lot of messaging, at least since I've been an adult, is that the places to do that are at a bar or restaurant with your friends. We now know that there are so many other kinds of places you can be in community with others in a way that's sustainable and ultimately fulfilling."

Boatsetter's own booking data reflects this generational shift: Gen Z now represents 28% of bookings, making it the platform's fastest-growing segment after passing Gen X in 2025. Captains report a noticeable difference—less phone use, more focus on atmosphere and the people they're with.

Why Water Works Here
Across the data, water-based experiences consistently surface as where the Great Outdoor Shift becomes most visible. The report argues this isn't coincidental.

Sailing requires reading conditions. Fishing requires patience and adaptation. Even getting to a remote spot like Dry Tortugas turns into a shared challenge that bonds the group. The built-in difficulty is a feature—it creates the friction that makes the experience feel earned.

"Research shows that moments of awe, encountering something vast that transcends our current understanding, calm our nervous systems and fundamentally expand our worldview." said Michael Farb, CEO of Boatsetter. "Nature delivers this in ways screens simply cannot. When you're watching your kids snorkel off the boat or sailing, your phone disappears. You're present in a way that's become almost countercultural."

The Bottom Line
As adults, we rarely play. We optimize our time, our bodies, and even our trips. There's little space for mistakes, learning, or joy. But out on the water, people remember who they are.

The Great Outdoor Shift isn't a wellness trend. It's a correction. A rejection of passivity and a return to experiences that require presence, effort, and each other.

View the full report at https://www.boatsetter.com/boating-resources/great-outdoor-shift. 

Methodology
This report is based on a national online survey of 834 U.S. adults conducted by Boatsetter in 2025. The survey explored attitudes toward screen time, outdoor activities, wellness, social connection, and water-based experiences. Responses were analyzed and synthesized into key trends shaping how people plan to spend time outdoors in 2026.

About Boatsetter
Boatsetter makes booking the boat the easy part. We partner with Owners to connect thousands of vetted boats and local Captains with Guests worldwide. From pontoons to yachts, sailboats and fishing trips, Guests can choose a boat day for any occasion, pretty much anywhere, while Owners earn real income to help their business thrive. To learn more, visit www.boatsetter.com.

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SOURCE Boatsetter