Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

[Mark42]

Bigger boats mean bigger motors, bigger tow vehicles, more gas for the boat, more gas for the tow vehicle. My two boats are 40hp and 85hp and at this time I am very glad I didn't buy a bigger boat than I did. Last year my wife and I were looking at 24' cabin cruisers with 350 v8. We would have had to buy a bigger truck to tow, and instead of getting 7 and 4 mpg from our current boats, we would be getting less than 2.

So I am very happy to spend the money to maintain the two older boats we have (1965 and 1985) and keep the operating costs at a minimum.

Anyone else feel this way or change your plans to upgrade to bigger/better boats?

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

Good question, good point...the short answer from this household is nope, no upgrades, no changes from the current.
Like yourself Mark, I'm glad I didn't get into a gas eater over the last couple of years given the quickly rising costs of fuel. This is more a matter of good luck than good management.
Interestingly the amount of boats in the mid 20' range for sale (not really day boats, not really speed boats, not really cruisers) is going up by the minute. As well, the amount of (300+hp) wakeboard boats hitting the used market seems to be at an all time high right now as well. I guess the $1/minute cost fuel costs is getting felt there too.
Its going to be an interesting summer to see changes (if any?) in people boating patterns. Hmmm, interesting stuff.
BP

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

I know a few folks with big boats. They're sure not looking to buy a new one. Most have other expensive toys, as well. Most of them don't really own any of them, and the payments are becoming a burden to them, leaving little money for fuel and maintenance.

There was a story in this morning's paper about boat repossessions being on the rise, and that's in Minnesota, the midwest's boating capital. It's not just the fuel...it's everything. One guy I know who lives in a $2 Million house on a lake, is selling his cruiser and buying a used pontoon. Or...he's trying to sell his cruiser.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

the Chris Craft is paid for, still being used, but no upgrades in the near future. i will always keep doing my restorations.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

I know a few folks with big boats. They're sure not looking to buy a new one. Most have other expensive toys, as well. Most of them don't really own any of them, and the payments are becoming a burden to them, leaving little money for fuel and maintenance.

Yeah, look for a big market in single-owner repoed boats soon, especially as people sell toys to pay mortgages.

Too bad so many of the boats won't be worth having anyway for most of us. I can't imagine any use for a wakeboard boat myself...

 

[jayrodoh]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

I decided to park my Jeep this summer and use the boat more. My DD is a beat up 2WD S10 with 4 cyl so it gets decent mileage. The wag only gets about 12. I'll get the Jeep out if we need to tow, but otherwise it'll remain in the garage.

As far as spending money on the boat, no plans to quit there. 2 of 3 cars and the boat are paid for, so no plans to ditch any of them.

 

[Haywood123]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

we put off getting a new boat for another year, in order to buy me a little more efficient commuter. I have a 125 Force right now and could probably get to about a 250 merc before I would start noticing less gas efficiency .

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

I have my 25 footer 350V8 for sale, 90 gallon tank (but I get more like 6MPG, not 2). Zero bites, and feel like I'm giving it away as it is.
But if I just ride my rat scooter down to the marina and sit in it, it cost nothing. Love the slip thing!
My 125hp 20 footer burns just as much gas, and my 135hp 15' TOP just eats gas WOT, but not downsizing just yet back to the rowboat and 3hp "Weedless", but there are thoughts popping up.
Thing is, I have a pension, strict budget for gas, and when its used up, well, maybe the RB and 3hp will come out of storage. And might get a little more time in on the motorcycles this year instead. Life throws ya a lemon, make lemonade..(water free, sugar still cheap, rest of boat or bike parts in stores will be passed up by me. Parts and "fluff" getting a little too expensive)

 

[sidechoke67]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

Gas prices affected my recent boat purchase, but more indirectly by limiting my tow vehicle purchase. I'm pretty frugal, but I am happy owning a tow vehicle that is just big enough to pull a boat that is just big enough..

 

[dingbat]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

I upsized 2 years ago and the only regret I have at this time is that I didn't wait until now to do it. There are lots of boats on the market at dirt cheap prices right now.

I typically burn 20-25 gallons of fuel a day on the water. With gas at $3.00 a gallon it cost me $60-$75 a day. At $4.00 a gallon that number jumps to $80 - $100 a day.

I'm not ready to thrown in the towel and sell the boat for the additional $25 an outing.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

Well, I was talking about boats bigger than wakeboats, but they're right in there, too.

The other phenomenon I've noticed here is the vast increase in the number of slips and moorings for sale or available for renting this season. Every marina I've been to has available slips. Last year at the same time, people were advertising like crazy trying to find a slip or mooring.

That seems a sign to me that some folks are just leaving their boats in the storage yards, all nicely shrink-wrapped, instead of launching them first thing in the spring.

By the end of the season, I expect to see some "going out of business" sales at a few boat dealers, too.

OTOH, prices for smaller-scale used recreational boats seem to have gone up from last year. From the 12' fishing boat to the smaller ski rigs, people are asking more.

I talked to a guy when I did my first launch of the spring to do engine testing, etc. He's a retired fishing tournament pro. He was there with his brand new used 14' Lund aluminum boat. He said that he sold his Ranger and bought the little guy. He'll be fishing the lakes around the metro, rather than heading out for the big waters. Very interesting guy...very interesting story.

 

[Jack Daniels]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

Im very happy with my little 16 ft bayliner, THE boss and i have talked about upgrading but i think we are going to wait a few years before serious discussions begin. I can tow the boat with anything, she only weighs 1300 lbs and for 6 gal of gas we can do what we want all day. So for now, im am lucky that we decided to go cheap on our entry level boat because we can enjoy it and not feel the pain of increased gas prices.

Oh a quick political tidbit for you, everyone fed up with gas prices call your congressmen to approve drilling in Anwar, we are sitting on the second largest reserve of crude in the world and the environmental wackos wont let us get to it. We drill in anwar, i bet you a million bucks gas prices will drop in half.

 

[country_bumpkin]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

Nah! I just upgraded from a 22' 1800# displacement to 27' 8000# rig.

Oh, and the kicker went from a 4hp yamaha, to a 5hp mercury.

 

[DRIFTER_016]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

I have plans to upgrade the motor on my Fisher SV-18GT to a 115 4 stroke from it's current 90 2 stroke, but it will have to wait a while as I have bought a new snowmobile (Yamaha RS Venture GT) and new tow vehicle (Honda Pilot) that need to be paid for.

 

[JC1933]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

Nice boat there Country-Bumkin.

And must be quite reasonable on gas.

Have a nice evening.....

 

[tommays]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

This is my second J24 BOTH are 1981 models i have been planing on getting the current one for a while and it became a no this spring

We are now sailing twice a week and the big expense is driving 8 miles to Northport were it is in the water


SLIP prices are going UP here as the cheep one was 5000 dollars in Northport and 3300 in Greenport needless to say it is on a mooring for 400 dollars and we like it better as there is more privacy on the boat

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

NOPE, went from no boat to a 27 foot with twin I/O's and bought an F250...

 

[Marcq]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

Nah! I just upgraded from a 22' 1800# displacement to 27' 8000# rig.

Oh, and the kicker went from a 4hp yamaha, to a 5hp mercury.

Nice sail boat. I got the feeling that those are going to gain in popularity in a near future

Marc..

 

[lime4x4]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

always looking.We went from a 19 footer to a 27 footer last year.no regrets.Worse case if it gets way to expensive the boat sits. When the boat sits it doesn't cost us a dime

 

[nightstalker]

Re: Anyone cut back on bigger boat purchases due to operating cost?

I gave up the ghost last year when fuel hit $3.00 a gal. Sold my 23 footer (luckely) with a carburated 225 on the back for a 14' jon Boat with a 9.9. I just couldn't afford the increased cost of fuel for my truck and boat plus the cost of heating oil doubling also.
Nightstalker