[vetvetdoug]

I have a 22 foot long Sea Ray. Took it out of the slip two years ago and it is sitting in my driveway covered and hasn't seen any water except for rain. Gas at the marina is over $5/gallon. Insurance and licenses for the boat has also gone up exponentially. I don't see any relief upcoming either.

[ImProudToBeAnAmerican]

I have a 22 foot long Sea Ray. Took it out of the slip two years ago and it is sitting in my driveway covered and hasn't seen any water except for rain. Gas at the marina is over $5/gallon. Insurance and licenses for the boat has also gone up exponentially. I don't see any relief upcoming either.

Yes - as the market dipped down insurance flipped up.

Slip fees bounced way up, and are slowly coming down in some places. A full marina (with a waiting list) is a momentary monopoly - not good for boaters.

If you are not using your boat at least once a month - sell it! You can get your boat fix via charter or excursion boats.

When things get brighter, you can always buy another boat.

(Selling boats is hard, buying them is easy.)

[Capt. Tom]

Gas at the marina is over $5/gallon.

At 3 different times I have brought my friend's 45' Cabo, twin 800 hp Manns up from Florida or the Bahamas to Boston.

One trip I remember we fueled up in the Bahamsas, $2,000+,and refueled in St Augustine, Southport, Carolina again at Atlantic city NJ, and finally in Boston.

The fuel was averaging about 2.60/gal. It cost $8,700 for that trip. At today's prices a trip like that would be around $17,000.

When I got home from that trip I took my pickup truck to the gas station and filled it up . It came to $26. What a culture shock. - Tom