You'll know that power boats are too expensive for the working class when more "Average Joe's" go boating courtesy of their local boat club than those who own and slip 'em.
Posted on 04/09/2006 5:58:02 PM PDT by Capt. Tom
Another working man's boating disaster is on the way.
The economy is good; but the high prices of marina fuel, marina slips, boat insurance, maintenance, is going to kill boating for a lot of working people starting this coming season.
I see a repeat of the early 1990s, when I moved from the Boston area to Boston's south shore. I went to a local marina and asked to get on a waiting list for a boat slip, I knew it would take years to get in. I was laughed at, the marina operator told me he had a waiting list for slips equal to all the boats in the marina and I was wasting my time-two years later in a bad economy, they had several empty slips for the entire season.
I see this happening again. When the people in the marinas bail out for economic reasons, as I expect will start this season, many people on the waiting lists will find out they can't afford the slips,and the fuel prices either.
Non-boat owners can't relate to filling up a boat fuel tank and spending between $100 and in the case of big twin diesels in a sportfisherman a thousand dollars a fillup.
I brought a 45 Cabo, twin 800 hp diesels up from the Bahamas last spring with the owner onboard. He put $8,700 of diesel into the tanks. Now most working men don't have boats that big, and with that much horsepower,or that kind of money for fuel. I am talking about working class boaters who don't have a lot of money left over each week to pay those really high fuel bills that started last season.
Boats use a lot of fuel (1-3 mpg). If you have $3.00/gallon to deal with ashore, the boat owner has $3.30 - $3.80 to deal with in the marina.
It's not just the fuel, the rising slip fees are another factor. In my area now, they are from $100/foot to $175/foot for a boat in a slip for the season. Usually May thru Mid October.
Last season was the economic handwriting on the wall, but most boaters toughed it out. The reality of economics will take its toll this season.
I see ancedotes indicating the boating problem right now. The boat I use on charter has been in the water since the end of March; at a year round, ice free marina, that usually has 30 or so boats there this time of year. I counted 13 today. We will move out of this marina to our regular marina in mid May when it opens for the season.
I just don't see fuel prices going down. China and India need more fuel. The mideast is shaky. Hugo Chavez (Venezuela) is a lose cannon. - tom
I am curious to learn more about your part of the country. I find it difficult to grasp the notion of paying $200 per foot for a slip. Is it a covered slip? Does it come with sideboys? I keep my 56-footer in the water all year around for $7 per foot in the California Delta. As for use, my family and I use it 100 days per year on average. Boats like mine can be chartered for $700 per day, and based on that imputed rent, we have earned-out the cost of the boat.
Seems to me the working class boater is the fellow with the 20' bowrider, who keeps it on a trailer.
Since most people only use their boats a few weekends a season, the cost of actually running the boat out on the water is a fairly low percentage of the total cost of ownership.
The person who's really being squeezed is the fellow with something like a Bertram 33 sportfisherman or similar - cheap enough to buy into but has horrible gas consumption.
How long does that $8,700 refuel last for your friend with the 44? If it gets 1/2mpg like the ad said, that would mean 4,000 miles and I doubt that he goes 4,000 miles in a single use.
Or does he have a less fuel efficient variant than that?
D
Wow, that looks like a seriously serious working boat. Surprised they don't offer one with a steel hull. Very nice. Not as sporty as the Cabo, but a very nice work of art indeed! Almost looks like a tugboat. Not that I'll ever be able to afford either one of them, but definitely worthy of being bookmarked in my growing list of dream boats. Thanks!
I think that's per season (six-odd months), not per month.
So if I had a 20' boat and paid $150 per foot I would pay $3,000 a season or about $50 a month - not so bad.
(The lower rates are generally for smaller boats - large boat slips are more expensive per foot too).
D
Double check your math. 3000/6 = ????
Double check your math. 3000/6 = ????
No doubt the weight and high horsepower of today's boats are big factors. Americans like speed, and that means horsepower and bigger fuel consumption. - Tom
You'll know that power boats are too expensive for the working class when more "Average Joe's" go boating courtesy of their local boat club than those who own and slip 'em.
Wow, go back for that? Must be some serious forms of seasickness that I'm totally unaware of. Last time I went out on a "puker" boat was with some gun club guys who very kindly invited me along. There were about 25 or 30 of us, including wives. The captain said he was taking us to a special spot about 30 miles offshore. But we weren't even a mile off Bodega Bay before people began demanding to be taken back. Captain was a crusty old guy and flat out refused. Probably half-a-dozen people were completely incompacitated the entire day. Six to eight foot seas, 30 miles out, fish all day, 30 miles back. I don't think the captain would've gone back for a heart attack, lol. Got to hand it to him, though, the fishing was unbelievable.
I hear these are self-propelled and petroleum friendly. Plus they work on snow or on water. (:^D)
It's gonna hurt to go offshore 30-40mi on a routine trip. The 60-100 mi. hunts are gonna be few and far unless there are solid reports and a good rip. This will put added pressure on the shoreline/inshore fishery as people with boats will fish but will do it closer to the marina. I like to duck hunt also; a friend of mine years ago asked me how much did that Wood Duck cost. I thought and said you know, a bunch! He said" It's cheaper to go buy a chicken at Albertson's". That's been a stock comment forever.
"Happening everywhere. The unfortunate outcome, and one that city leadership is ignoring, is that once public access becomes next to impossible, whether due to lack of dining at waterfront restaurants that no longer exist, walking public piers that no longer exist, enjoying waterfront scenic views while road-tripping that no longer exist, or whatever - tourism will dollars will drop and the primary source of revenue will fall."
You are correct but I think the majority of blame lies on the back of the fedgov. Flood insurance has encouraged coastal development. Along Florida's panhandle this will cause death and destruction of property at a tremendous cost .
vob
Went to the DC boatshow earlier this year, and have to tell you...it was packed. The loan packages on boats are so reasonable in terms of monthly payments, that any boat enthusiast could afford one. Didn't see many people worrying about the fuel costs either.
I would encourage people to check out joining a boat club...no slip fees, no maintenance costs, no repair bills...and you can take out a huge assortment of boats, depending on your membership...potentially every day of the week. Your only cost is fuel, and the membeship fees.
Don't forget these are private charters, and not headboat charters. Big gun business people would be onboard with him. You don't want to make people suffer who can hurt you financially.
One day the owner of a major league baseball team kept the seasick head of a TV company out with us all day. He was able to do that because the baseball owner also owned the TV company.
When we got in, the seasick TV guy just got off the boat without saying a word to anyone and left. That won't be forgotten.
In a working man charter many people get seasick but the others vote to stay out. If their bosses are onboard and don't get sick the employees are in for a long day. - tom
Rule of "F's": If it flys, floats, or F&*#ks, lease it.
I recently sold my MPX stock b/c I don't see "working class" boat sales picking up in the near future....although interesting to note that MPX stated that they are going to be producing more big boats, as they have been selling better...so I think that your analysis is astute.
It came in handy when my daughter's husband left...he could go live on the boat.
In my humble opinion, the real working class boaters that you should be concerned about...
What happens to these guys when the developers buy up all the waterfront properties? When fuel prices soar? These guys are part of the landscape that makes that property so valuable yet when there is a buck to be made, they will be the first to suffer the consequences.
Respectfully
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