Future of Recreational Boating?

[ultrarunner]

I come from a long line of recreational boaters and many of my best childhood memories are boating related...

I own a classic outboard runabout that has been in several boating publications that can no longer be operated at any of my old stomping grounds because it is 2 stroke technology... though it doesn't prevent having to pay registration or personal property tax...

With the next generation always asking to take the boat out... I decided it was time to buy a new boat.

What I was not expecting is how expensive it has become just to get out on the water... and I don't mean the cost of the boat.

Yesterday...

I payed $35 in and out to launch... previously... for at least 40 years... it was "Free" with the cost of the ramp included in my annual property tax.

I also payed $30 for a invasive species inspection... that will have to be repeated each time I launch unless it is at the same lake.

In addition, I payed $30 trailer storage fee for the afternoon because the city now has a no boat trailer parking ordinance which means paying the marina to store it or drive all the way back home with the empty trailer and back... twice.

A mooring buoy that used to be $5 is now $40 per night...

Registration fees and taxes are up.

Fuel yesterday cost $3.29 a gallon at the pumps or $4.75 at the marina...

I was told by the Harbor Master I was in luck because I'm only being charged the minimum fees because my boat is under 18' and my trailer is single axle...

On the way home, I was flagged for a mandatory State inspection and told a new state law requires boats be trailered with the drain plug removed... first I've heard of it.

I have my vessel inspected each year by the Coast Gard Auxiliary and it was never mentioned.

The only thing that was actually less expensive is my Boat Insurance... a few bucks less this year.

My question is: When did spending a day boating become so complicated and expensive or am I just behind the times?

 

[grahamh]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

Man, I don't know where you are, but that's brutal.

I get free launching at the yard where I keep my boat, but otherwise it would only be $5. The ramp isn't the greatest, but neither is my truck or boat, so I'm not picky.

That said, the nicer marina chargers $20, which seems ridiculous to me. It is a nice ramp, though. There are no public launches where I live now,(sf bay area) but before I moved here there were several, you just had to pay a yearly fee to get a sticker on your trailer.

That sucks with all the inspections, I never heard of having to remove the plug when towing.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

WOW, where do you boat?

 

[justchange]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

Sounds like your officials got overly greedy.


What a rip-off.


The ramps here are free and owned by the city. The launches are ALL concrete and well maintained. There's 4 [I think] at Lake Kampeska alone. I'll explore Lake Pelican next summer. I was not to sure about it after I read the average depth was 5.5 feet.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

Sounds like Kalee-fornia, gas is $2.39 here. Pretty soon we wont boating for 6months.

$50 for residents, $70 for non residents to launch on Chicago's ritzy north shore.
$7 for a resident under 20' here and emissions ? shcmissions........
I wish they all could be Kalee forn ia girls.

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

I come from a long line of recreational boaters and many of my best childhood memories are boating related...

I own a classic outboard runabout that has been in several boating publications that can no longer be operated at any of my old stomping grounds because it is 2 stroke technology... though it doesn't prevent having to pay registration or personal property tax...

With the next generation always asking to take the boat out... I decided it was time to buy a new boat.

What I was not expecting is how expensive it has become just to get out on the water... and I don't mean the cost of the boat.

Yesterday...

I payed $35 in and out to launch... previously... for at least 40 years... it was "Free" with the cost of the ramp included in my annual property tax.

I also payed $30 for a invasive species inspection... that will have to be repeated each time I launch unless it is at the same lake.

In addition, I payed $30 trailer storage fee for the afternoon because the city now has a no boat trailer parking ordinance which means paying the marina to store it or drive all the way back home with the empty trailer and back... twice.

A mooring buoy that used to be $5 is now $40 per night...

Registration fees and taxes are up.

Fuel yesterday cost $3.29 a gallon at the pumps or $4.75 at the marina...

I was told by the Harbor Master I was in luck because I'm only being charged the minimum fees because my boat is under 18' and my trailer is single axle...

On the way home, I was flagged for a mandatory State inspection and told a new state law requires boats be trailered with the drain plug removed... first I've heard of it.

I have my vessel inspected each year by the Coast Gard Auxiliary and it was never mentioned.

The only thing that was actually less expensive is my Boat Insurance... a few bucks less this year.

My question is: When did spending a day boating become so complicated and expensive or am I just behind the times?

MOVE!

 

[ziggy]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

MOVE!

i agree. man, that's ridiculous. it'd take all the fun out of boating to the max even.

i went out overnight on sat. night. i was the only one at the ramp. had the whole place to myself. no cost what so ever short of fuel for the boat and van to get me there. even have docks to park at, though i'm guessing their about to be pulled for the season.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

I do not have too much to add to what the others said. Clearly the folks making the laws are not boating folks. Those fees and rules are outrageous. They will likely kill off the entire sport.

Maybe there is another lake not too far away, but out of the county or other authority that will be more reasonable.

In NJ we have free ramps, gas at $2.13/gallon today, a reasonable registration fee and the requirement to have a safety license ($50 plus 5 hours of study). This gives us access to bays and the ocean. NJ has only 1 and a half lakes that allow motors, however. I do not think we have Zebra mussels either.

 

[Mr. Florida]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

Wow! Guess we have it lucky in this part of Florida. Most ramps are free, the private ones are $5. I did pay $20 for a lift at a marina in Steinhatchee, once. Gas, we just pull into the cheapest station, some are in the $2.30's.

 

[BTMCB]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

And I thought SoCal was on the expensive side. Actually, we are a bit more expensive here for gas (never uderstood why) but the launches / parking are relatively inexpensive. Local marina (pacific ocean) costs 4.00 / day to launch and park for 24 hours. Launch is nice, 6 lanes and well maintained. Parking is spread out and easy in and out. Wash rack is .75 per 3 minutes ( to rinse of salt and and flush engine with salt away). Usually flush for 10 minutes, the last 20 seconds with salt away. Local fresh water lakes are 20 - 25.00 to launch and park for the day. Again, the ramps are pretty well spaced out and easy access. No charge for the mussel inspection. Don't buy fuel at the marina / lakes, fuel on the way up and the way back. There are some "valet" type launches at some so cal marinas that are about 75.00 in and out but I don't need a valet - that's what the wife / admiral / first mate is for!

 

[rbh]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

Sounds like if they dont raise your personnall taxes, they will get it out of you anyway they can
rob

 

[KC4YIN]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

Yes!! Move if you can.
So like was asked before. Where are you that does such idiotic things? "Towing with the drain plug out. That's just DA**!
Here in N.C. there are plenty of boat ramps maintained by the Wildlife Resources Commission that are free and usually well maintained thanks to our tax payers.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

Since you never stated where you live and are boating..

I dug up your comments and read that you are in Tahoe...


Whats that going to do for the classic boat shows they have up there???

Sounds like a big heaping pile...For the first time in 7 years, I can truly say I am thankful for being in SWFL.

Geeesh

 

[rokrau]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

Yesterday...

I payed $35 in and out to launch... previously... for at least 40 years... it was "Free" with the cost of the ramp included in my annual property tax.

I also payed $30 for a invasive species inspection... that will have to be repeated each time I launch unless it is at the same lake.

I went to a Santa Clara county lake (Cali Bay Area) yesterday. Park entrance fees: 6$, Launch fee: 6$, Quaga mussel inspection fee: 7$. Total=$19. If you get a yearly pass for the parks it will become a lot cheaper if you go often. QM inspection fee you pay once for all county lakes (2).

Only problem here is: The lake is over-crowded and tiny. Idiots all over the place. Being with little kids it was outright dangerous.

My question is: When did spending a day boating become so complicated and expensive or am I just behind the times?

Welcome to the 21st century. Look at how the US population has grown over the last 40 years. Land (and lakes) are shared by more people. Environmental concerns (justified in my opinion) play a larger role. There it is...


Roland

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

Yes!! Move if you can.
So like was asked before. Where are you that does such idiotic things? "Towing with the drain plug out. That's just DA**!

that is probably one of the BEST ideas so far... Costs the boater absolutely nothing, and does quite a bit to help prevent aquatic nuisance species from spreading. I'm in a state that has next to nothing for invasive species and think a law saying plugs out while towing is a very good idea!

 

[ultrarunner]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

Sorry for not being clear about location...

Lake Tahoe CA... although the Nevada side of the Lake is similar...

Restrictions apply to the entire watershed area which includes lots of area lakes... like Fallen Leaf, Echo Lake... etc.

There really has been a concerted effort to control access to the Lake and the Regional Planning Agency has been brutal at times...

Spent a lot of time on the Lake until the 2-stroke ban went into affect in 1999... this was the first time in 10 years I've been out on the Lake... the trusty old Fiberflite 2-stroke has been in storage since 1999...

Sorry about the rant... I know things change... I just wasn't expecting it to change so much in the last few years when I had more than 40 years with no change...

I know it's just not Tahoe... things have changed a lot at the Bay Area Lakes too! The Mussel Inspection Fee at Tahoe does seem to run 4 x what other areas in the State Charge... and I was lucky because my boat is small...

http://www.trpa.org/default.aspx?tabid=351

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

That, and many other California madness reasons, are why so many native Californians seems to be moving back across the prairie to the south. I know we have welcomed a lot of y'all to Middle Tennessee, both coming with Nissan North America, and coming on their own.

I agree. Move. California is just a place to visit now (and I say that having been born there and with many withered Orange County roots).

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

Here in N.C. there are plenty of boat ramps maintained by the Wildlife Resources Commission that are free and usually well maintained thanks to our tax payers.

Quoted for truth.

Come east young man! Nice wide FREE ramps, no inspections (except an occasional safety inspection, no charge), no fee for parking, and if its not memorial or labor day, plenty of it! Sometimes you just don't know what you've got 'til its gone.

 

[nitsuj]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

Wow. You guys in California have it rough. If I had to pay that for every launch, I have to give up the hobby! In PA most ramps are installed and maintained by the Fish and Game Commission. Our taxes paid to install them and we pay to maintain them. So launching is free. Unless you want to use a private launch, but I don't know why you would, we have public launches all over the place. Parking fees and trailer storage fees? Insane. Our public ramps include parking areas plenty large enough for lots of trucks and trailers.

If I was serious about boating, the costs you mentioned would be enough to make me move to a different state.

 

[sikz3]

Re: Future of Recreational Boating?

That is why I refuse to go to Tahoe. I prefer Topaz Lake. A lot smaller, but no hassles. I also took a drive over to Boca Reservoir and we liked it so looks like we will drag the boat up there next season and it is FREE! (not too far from Tahoe either)