[Capt. Tom]

.Interestingly to me is that what I see in boat sales is that the bigger ones are selling better. The exact opposite of what you have suggested and what I would expect. I fill mine up for $60-75, they fill those tubs up for $1,000+++. I would suggest that the problem or question is different than you suggest.

Remember I specifically am talking about the working class boater, being affected. and that is why I made it the title of the thread.

People who are buying big boats for a million dollars or more, are not my idea of working class people,they are in another category. I have two friends who have unlimited money; higher fuel prices would not bother them - it would get more people off the roads and and off the water. More room for them. They are in a different class and lifestyle. - tom

[daviddennis]

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