Items to consider are insurance, dockage or moorage, fuel, minor maintenance and winter storage. Generally speaking, the cost of all of these items increases with the size of a boat. For example, a 17-foot powerboat with 150- to 175-horsepower stern drive engine that is trailered will probably cost under $1,000 a year to operate.
Hull and liability insurance will run about $300 to $500 annually; lower figures reflect West Coast and Great Lakes area premiums ranging to higher costs in the Northeast and Southeast. Maintenance and upkeep will cost about $100 for a new boat, with any major repairs likely covered by warranty through at least the first year of ownership. You don't have to pay for dockage if the boat is trailered, so the major cost remaining is fuel.
One of the misconceptions about power boating is that fuel bills are high. They can be, but the reality is that people don't actually operate their engine for as many hours per year as it seems. In fact, most power boaters use their engine an average of only 30 to 40 hours per year. Much of the boating enjoyment is at anchor, fishing, at the marina or cruising at idle.
A 17- to 19-foot stern drive boat with 30 hours of actual engine running time will require about $500 in fuel. Of course, family make-up and usage and water conditions will determine how much fuel is actually used. Families with teenage water skiers will obviously use more fuel, while devoted anglers will use less. In any event, using our example, the cost to operate and maintain this average boat divided by the number of days in a season's use, is reasonable.
