Cape Coral, Florida, United States - Recent (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Boats in workshop
2. Sign for Action Craft boat model
3. Various of boats; wheel; fuel cap
4. Various of Chad Kovarik, Owner of Action Craft Boats, in workshop, boat parts
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Kovarik, Owner of Action Craft Boats (starting with shot 4):
"The tariffs on the aluminum and steel actually has an impact on us. It causes some of our prices to go up and our customer base doesn't necessarily want to pay that extra for those prices. But I don't think we have a choice."
6. Various of Kovarik in workshop
7. Various of boat
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Kovarik, Owner of Action Craft Boats (starting with shot 7) (ending with shot 9):
"We have over 500 nuts and bolts and screws in each boat. You can't even buy them in the United States. They've got to come from China. So it's important for us not to have tariffs on this kind of stuff."
9. Various of boats
10. Various of workers in workshop
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Sean Snaith, Economist, University of Central Florida (partially overlaid with shot 12):
"Some companies will just have to eat the higher cost and of course that will come out of the bottom line. Those companies that are using imported products that are subject to tariffs will have to reevaluate whether they're going to continue to use the same suppliers."
++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
12. Various of interior boat workshop
++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
13. Various of berthed boats
14. Boat in workshop
15. Various of Kovarik in discussion with staff members in workshop
16. Various of boat under construction; seat; propeller shaft
17. Boat, workers at entrance of workshop

U.S. boat manufacturers are worried how they will stay afloat as the increasingly higher prices for raw materials and parts as a result of tariffs implemented by the Trump administration continue to impact the industry.

According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, tariffs are a "disaster" for America's recreational boating industry, which it values at 39 billion U.S. dollars.

Chad Kovarik is the owner of Action Craft, a company that makes recreational boats in Florida. He said all the hardware and engines of the boats were made of stainless steel from China, while the rod holders are made in aluminum.

"The tariffs on the aluminum and steel actually has an impact on us. It causes some of our prices to go up and our customer base doesn't necessarily want to pay that extra for those prices. But I don't think we have a choice," said the merchant.

Kovarik said since the Trump administration introduced tariffs earlier this year, he's seen prices on some of the parts he buys increase by up to 12 percent.

"We have over 500 nuts and bolts and screws in each boat. You can't even buy them in the United States. They've gotta come from China. So it's important for us not to have tariffs on this kind of stuff," he said.

The U.S. has imposed tariffs on billions of dollars on other Chinese imports, including boat motors, engine parts and navigational equipment, which experts believe will force manufacturers to reconsider where they source materials.

"Some companies will just have to eat the higher cost and of course that will come out of the bottom line. Those companies that are using imported products that are subject to tariffs will have to reevaluate whether they're going to continue to use the same suppliers," said Sean Snaith, the director for the Institute for Economic Competitiveness at the University of Central Florida.

In response to the U.S. measures, Canada, Mexico and the European Union have slapped retaliatory tariffs on imports of U.S.-made boats, with these moves adding yet more pressure to boat producers like Kovarik.