Boating getting too expensive

[airdvr1227]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

We charge 95/hr (I know) . But the guys in service might be hard pressed to convince me that it took 4 hours.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

The funny thing is, even with the 502 Mag, I only use about $40 in gas a trip, which I find reasonable. I trailer, so I am able to fill up at land gas stations.

I think your problem is that you're spending money on the wrong things! $40 is less than 3 hrs of run time on my SBF, you must not be going very far! A timing light is less than $75, takes less than 2 minutes to hook up and use. The vauum port cap could be found in a "variety pack" at oreilly's for less than $5.

 

[Flysfloatsor]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

I think your problem is that you're spending money on the wrong things! $40 is less than 3 hrs of run time on my SBF, you must not be going very far! A timing light is less than $75, takes less than 2 minutes to hook up and use. The vauum port cap could be found in a "variety pack" at oreilly's for less than $5.

I agree. Should have bought a timing light.
My lake is only 3 miles long, so I get out and do a few laps then go swim at the sandbar for a while. Maybe repeat, then go home.
So about $40.

 

[tswiczko]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

And water police. (Im terrfifed to have a single beer on board, and Im not even a huge drinker, I just want a beer on a boat sometimes when taking in some sun)

Profile says Ohio...I grew up in Ohio and had the same issue till I moved out of Ohio..

When I started driving the local leo would pull me over because I didn't signal early enough for a turn...Then pull me over the next day for signaling too early:facepalm:

I'm glad I don't live in Ohio any more. They can give you a speeding ticket if it "LOOKS" like you're speeding and they do not have to have you're actual speed with radar, pacing or clocking you over a distance.

 

[Boats-A-lots]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

I know where your coming from. We have a RV (5th wheel) and live only 69 miles from the beautiful Oregon coast. When we go over there we most always take the boat for fishing and crabbing. So wife pulls the boat with the Hummer H2, I pull the 5th wheel with a 454 Dually GMC. Before we even start having fun we have spent $130.00 to fill the truck, $130 to fill the Hummer, and $80 to fill the boat, $40. plus dollars a night for a campsite, then we have to fill up again to get home. Our trips are fewer, but longer staying, with the price of gas these days.

Some say the cost of staying at an RV park is the same as going more and staying shorter.. My way of thinking is I would rather support a local RV with my dollars, the the greedy gas companies. BUT.. I still wouldn't sell my boat. (unless I had another already bought) Nothing better then kicking back tossing an anchor over the side and let the wind comb your hair.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

While boats are never cheap, they can be made cheaper. I say simplify your rig. Wat too many people have way too much "stuff" on their boats. Someone was on hear the other day complaining about how to hook up the TV on their boat!?!?! What @#$# do you want/need a TV on a boat? Everytime I take the boat out I try to simplify my set up in some way, and everything on my boat has at least 2 jobs, except the pfds and umbrella. You can have tons of fun for very little money, or fuss if you're willing to forgo a few amenities. Modern motors have pretty good fuel consumption, which when paired with a light weight boat can result in great performance and fun. I know lots of folks with big boats, but they never use them b/c of the cost, hassle and effort. Meanwhile, can hook up and go in less than 15 min. and spend less than $20 on gas. Check out these little Gheenoes. They're very popular down here in FL where they're made and can run in 4", or a 2' chop. They can be paddled, poled, or even hol dupt to a 40 hp outboard! You wann talk about fun and fast for cheap. The NMZ (no motor zone) models are only about 120 lbs and can easily be loaded by one person into the back of a pick up. Best of all there are an infinite number of options and configs. They're like the Mini Cooper of boats. Check 'em out below.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqcEkibszt0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8vOjs6nhu4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdanCMDX-EI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6npT8ZgG-Ok&feature=related

 

[Expidia]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

You might think about downsizing to a rig thats cheaper to run and or trailer. I can trailer anywhere I want to from 15 minutes to the Hudson River and launch at a free NY State launch and cruise around the whole day on a 6.5 gallon tank. If I want to trailer 1-3 hours away to say the 132 mile Northern Lake Champlain, we stay overnight at a Super 8 motel for maybe $80 a night on season ($55 off season), yet still only use 6.5 gallons a day for gas for the boat.

Or sell your boat get another hobby. This one starts at $5.24 for 3

 

[JimKW]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

I live near Columbus and can be at Alum Creek in 15 minutes from my house. I figure I spend the two or three days boating on about 1/2a tank of gas (about $50). I very rarely run it hard and have the V6 4.3L engine. When I want to it will go about 50 mph and that's plenty fast enough for me.

I have a guy up here in Sunbury that Winterizes it, changes the oil and inspects it each fall for about $300 and that's all I have spent on it since I bought it. I did have him put a new impellor in the 1st time I had it winterized. If you PM, me I will give you his name and number. Just a good guy who works on boats out of his barn.

 

[OllieC]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

^^^^^
Or something less aerobic

 

[OllieC]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

While boats are never cheap, they can be made cheaper. I say simplify your rig. Wat too many people have way too much "stuff" on their boats. Someone was on hear the other day complaining about how to hook up the TV on their boat!?!?! What @#$# do you want/need a TV on a boat? Everytime I take the boat out I try to simplify my set up in some way, and everything on my boat has at least 2 jobs, except the pfds and umbrella. You can have tons of fun for very little money, or fuss if you're willing to forgo a few amenities. Modern motors have pretty good fuel consumption, which when paired with a light weight boat can result in great performance and fun. I know lots of folks with big boats, but they never use them b/c of the cost, hassle and effort. Meanwhile, can hook up and go in less than 15 min. and spend less than $20 on gas. Check out these little Gheenoes. They're very popular down here in FL where they're made and can run in 4", or a 2' chop. They can be paddled, poled, or even hol dupt to a 40 hp outboard! You wann talk about fun and fast for cheap. The NMZ (no motor zone) models are only about 120 lbs and can easily be loaded by one person into the back of a pick up. Best of all there are an infinite number of options and configs. They're like the Mini Cooper of boats. Check 'em out below.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqcEkibszt0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8vOjs6nhu4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdanCMDX-EI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6npT8ZgG-Ok&feature=related

My wife and I strive too have a boat sizable enough to have a TV on it...... It'll be our Summer Cabin...... Different Boats for Different Folks!





That Gheeno looks cool but i wouldn't get very far on Lake Superior in it.

 

[joewithaboat]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

Ive done a lot of fishing in my youth from a wide bodied canoe.

I wouldn't today just because its too much work LOL. Ive never seen one of those, they are pretty cool!

Canoes are good for fishing in otherwise inaccessible areas......

Craigslist turned up Zero in my area

 

[pevaguy]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

I know where your coming from. We have a RV (5th wheel) and live only 69 miles from the beautiful Oregon coast. When we go over there we most always take the boat for fishing and crabbing. So wife pulls the boat with the Hummer H2, I pull the 5th wheel with a 454 Dually GMC. Before we even start having fun we have spent $130.00 to fill the truck, $130 to fill the Hummer, and $80 to fill the boat, $40. plus dollars a night for a campsite, then we have to fill up again to get home. Our trips are fewer, but longer staying, with the price of gas these days.

If you are paying $5.00 per gallon, it looks like you are getting less than 3 MPG with the Hummer and GMC. The 18 wheeler grossing 80,000 lbs. that is delivering all that gas is getting better mileage than both your vehicles added together.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

I agree. Should have bought a timing light.
My lake is only 3 miles long, so I get out and do a few laps then go swim at the sandbar for a while. Maybe repeat, then go home.
So about $40.

We use our "big" boat on the Great Lakes. When we go to our local 3-mile-long lake near our cabin we take the little one. She was bought in 1986 for $1200 and carries a 9.9 OB.

$20 in gas will last me the whole week's vacation, going out morning noon and evening. Actually, we and the kids have had more fun on that boat over the years than all the rest combined. Including a couple of spark plugs I might have spent $100 in maintenance during the entire 26 years I have owned her.

We see Donzis and such on the lake, but seems to me if you can see one end of the lake from the other 10 HP will do just fine. So, for 5 bucks a trip you can still be a "boater" and have a good family time as well.

 

[JEBar]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

If you start adding dollar amounts to hobbies, regardless of what they are, you'll put yourself quickly into a deep depression, I'm afraid.

I couldn't agree more .... with any hobby, the point where the negatives (which certainly include cost) outweigh the positives, its time to move on to something else .... most of us work for our money and I believe that spending whatever amount is right for us on things we enjoy is perfectly normal .... there is no way I know of to justify the cost related having a boat and fishing equipment as it relates to the value of the fish I catch ..:redface:.. we do it because we enjoy it, not because it is practical .... the memories we have of camping, teaching our kids to ski, and generally being together while in and around the water are priceless to us .... as with everyone I know, our finances aren't unlimited so we have to make decisions as to how to best (for us) to stretch our funds .... so far, the positives of owning/using our boat and camper are sufficient to make us happy to do so

Jim

 

[halfmoa]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

To start, I don't mean this with and anger of judgement.

OP, can you give me a break down of your equipment, distance towing, what you're buying for the trip etc and explain how you're spending 300 bucks per trip on a 3 mile long lake? Do you have to hire a crew?

 

[Flysfloatsor]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

To start, I don't mean this with and anger of judgement.

OP, can you give me a break down of your equipment, distance towing, what you're buying for the trip etc and explain how you're spending 300 bucks per trip on a 3 mile long lake? Do you have to hire a crew?

I'm amortizing repairs/maintenance/fuel/storage over the amount of times I use it. Pretty easy. For example if my mortgage and utilities cost $3000 a month - you could say it costs me about $100 per day to live in my house.

 

[Boats-A-lots]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

If you are paying $5.00 per gallon, it looks like you are getting less than 3 MPG with the Hummer and GMC. The 18 wheeler grossing 80,000 lbs. that is delivering all that gas is getting better mileage than both your vehicles added together.

Were lucky here in Oregon only paying $3.79 gal (right now) but goes up every day. Hummer pulling the boat gets 11, the truck pulling the 15,000 pound 5th wheel gets about 8. And of course while there we have to run around the coast in the Hummer and more gas spent. We figure, one days crabbing (if we catch our limit of 12,) cost wise we are ahead.. BUT.. getting out there the sea spray on your face, up and down, side to side, pulling your our crab traps... Priceless!

 

[Gpayne]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

Well, I have a 17'. Just your basic open bow family fun boat. 4 cyl I/O. I pull it with an 89 F150 5.0 auto. The lake is about 28 miles away, the river is about 40. I can top off the truck and boat, get some drinks and ice, and pay the launch fee for less than $100. Not too bad I think. Gas around here is currently $3.45/gal. for regular. If my brother-in-law is goin fishin with me, he kicks in for the ice, drinks, and the launch fee. ($13.00) We try to go out most weekends, but sometimes things get kinda busy and we can't make it.

 

[KDAVID1]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

I agree. Should have bought a timing light.
My lake is only 3 miles long, so I get out and do a few laps then go swim at the sandbar for a while. Maybe repeat, then go home.
So about $40.

I'd say you just need to get the motor running correctly, do the normal yearly maint (yourself)--and you would be fine.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: Boating getting too expensive

Its actually simple!

You either absolutely LOVE boating or you do not. If you don't absolutely LOVE boating you'll get out at some point.

You don't absolutely LOVE boating. So........

Sea ya...