What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

[Spivy30]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

Well if it got cheaper we wouldn't have to tell anyone.

 

[The Famous Grouse]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

So far all of the posts don't really apply to boating. I'd like to see cheaper gas in my car...I'd like to see a furnace repairman or plumber or auto mechanic charge lower rates....and then do the job right.


Go to Fastenall and see what SS bolts cost. Then go to a marina and see what boat bolts cost.

So, my wish is that marine anything would be the same price as the automotive or hardware store alternative.

So if you don't think lower fuel costs "apply to boating", I'm thinking you don't actually get out in the boat all that much. Maybe go out in the ol' tin can once a month and drown a few worms on granpa's favorite fishin' pond?

Nothing you posted about "applies to boating" either. What you're talking about isn't the cost of the product, it's the increased cost of carrying specialized inventory in a place where there's limited demand.

Grouse

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

+1000 on the fuel costs.. and not even the fuel for the boat, but for the tow vehicle!

Yep, the fuel costs have the most drain on my pocketbook. Especially, if you travel any distance... I like to go to a lake that's 3hrs 1 way. The 3/4 ton shows no mercy at the pump........

 

[dbkerley]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

I wish slips were more reasonable.

 

[191Seanymphstriper]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

Yes i wish dockage and 2 cycle oil were cheaper! I also wish depth finders with built in gps units were cheaper. I also wish that new outboards were a little less expencive as they are.

I also wish that stainless steel props were cheaper because you cant return them and now im stuck with 2 new ones that diddnt work out good for me. I also wish aluminum props were cheaper and returnable so you can test them and then buy a stainless one when you find the right one.


I also think center console boats are way to over priced. I do believe in paying good high dime for a good quility product but 100K for a 24 ft cc boat is nuts. Yes a 33 or 35 twin engine cabin or flybrige cruser etc yes. But a center console outfit... 100K ???? NO!!! I think there over priced and taking advantage of the middle class fisherman that the boat was designed to serve!


Also pumps on boats. I think all pumps are way over priced. Like bilge pumps or water down pumps... Its nuts....

But If I can pick 1 thing that could be less expencive i would pick DOCKAGE (MOORING) ETC


If dockage were cheaper id own a 40 or 50 ft bertraum flybridge and my little 19ft cc. I can fix almost anything and yes maintance is expencive and fuel etc...
But if i owned a 50 fter with diesls i would probably only take it out 20 times a year locally to a bay were everyone goes and do weekenders etc... And i would prob only do a hand full of offshore fishing trips so I know fuel costs would be affordable if your not really running the boat. Fixing her up is affordable over time. Not everything needs to be done right away


But the dockage is what would kill me, over here in N.Y we pay 85 dollars a foot . Thats $4,250 for summer and $4250 for winter storage Plus $1700 for the little center console that i wouldnt give up but I trailer her home in the winter. So off the bat it would cost me $10,200 a year just to have them in the water! Now the $500 or $1000 a month payment I could do if i really wanted to buy a nice older larger used vessel. Its the dockage plus the payment plus the maintance that I just can not and will not do at this ti,e in my life because of the dockage.


I may buy a cheaper 28 or 32 ft older flybridge bayliner for $5-$20K with a single or twin gas motors and use it as a weekender boat, Drive real slow and flip the dockage and keep the running expenses down. But that realy just isnt what I want!

Geese these days people are giving there boats away because they cant afford the dockage and upkeep......



So I think the biggest and best answer to this forum would be dockage!

 

[reelfishin]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

The most expensive part of boating is parts and maintenance.
the cost of new outboards and worse yet, the cost of older outboard parts is insane. I can half understand the cost associated with a modern fuel injected outboard but when your paying top dollar for old technology and parts that have been around for 40 years, that just don't make any sense. I just priced a new driveshaft for a mid 80's outboard, they want $650 for the thing. I'd be willing to bet that the owner didn't pay that for the whole boat, motor, and trailer.

 

[JimS123]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

So if you don't think lower fuel costs "apply to boating", I'm thinking you don't actually get out in the boat all that much. Maybe go out in the ol' tin can once a month and drown a few worms on granpa's favorite fishin' pond?

Nothing you posted about "applies to boating" either. What you're talking about isn't the cost of the product, it's the increased cost of carrying specialized inventory in a place where there's limited demand.

Grouse

I wasn't implying that fuel costs don't apply to boating....I was saying that fuel costs apply to everything. I took the original post to mean how boating costs can be reduced, not how we can save money in our everyday lives.

Stainless steel fasteners are not specialized for any particular industry. The wholesaler sells a box of bolts for 5 bucks. The local Mom & Pop Hardware store sells them for $7, and the marina sells them for $10. There is no reason why Charlie Tuna should mark it up higher than Mom.

 

[Brewman61]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

For me, I'd love to see the slip lease fees in this area drop. Right now it's about $3K per year, and they're very hard to get on my lake. I have a deal in place for next season that may trim $1K from the cost- hopefully it pans out.
The other expenses don't bother me too much. Boat is paid for, and it's a 2003 so I should be good to go for years. So far I've not incurred any repair costs, just upkeep maintenance of a couple hundred per year.
Insurance is cheap, and fuel is tolerable. Per gallon it's high, but I spend a lot of time at anchor when I'm out.
Not much more expensive than dinner and a movie on a per trip basis!

 

[Spivy30]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

As far as slips go I would do some research I found a floating slip for my 30' sea ray for $1000 in a pretty good area compared to the Marina that was charging $3500

 

[ezmobee]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

I have been convinced for some time there is a real market for low cost windshields. I have seen insurance companies total perfectly good boats because it is too expensive to fix a windshield. I even looked at giving it a go but the equipment needed was out of my reach at the time.

100x's THIS. How many posts have we seen on this forum like "I have a 2004 Four Winns 175 need to find port side curved glass". We have NOTHING to tell these poor people and half of them previously had no idea this was essentially an irreplaceable part. I feel bad for these folks.

 

[18WCmerc]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

more organized way to buy/sell used boating items other than craigslist and things of that nature. I think a shop that offered a lot of used items would do well, has anyone ever heard of play-it-again sports. sports gear store to buy used helmets, wieghts, machines, bats and what not. a Float-it-again store would be great, could offer used life jackets, scuffed up fenders, rope, used props, trim motors, guages...etc

Being a man who can fix my own things i would like to get parts rather than whole systems, kinda like now i just need the guts of a rotary helm, just the annulus gear, not a whole helm or steering kit.

thats my thoughts....

 

[rascal_rascal_99]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

A shop that video tapes all work being done, so the owner can have a copy of the video and be sure that the work got done. (we have a lot of crappy shops around here that very few folks trust).

And cheap gas!

Why not go a step farther and have a live streaming feed that you can watch as they're working on it? Honestly it sucks that there are and have been enough shady mechanics that its something people are concerned about as much as they are, and sometimes rightly so. Maybe I'm lucky that I know I trust the mechanics I use for my boat and also the one I have for my car if I need something done. Both when I've got to pick up my boat/car/truck have given me a box of the removed old/bad parts that were replaced and both of them if I've been around their shop at the time have no problem with me watching whats going on. The quick lube shop I use to have the oil in my car changed I also drive it in and am never more than a couple of feet from the car the entire time its being serviced. I doubt I would go to one that says "hand us the keys, have a seat in the lobby and we'll let you know when its done".

So for the something cheaper...how many votes do we have for gas prices to come down?

It would be nice if fishing lures weren't as high as they can be sometimes.

 

[18WCmerc]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

i worked for a rather large and well known dealership in the greater cincinnati area for a long time...

When the "recession" hit, mechanics started doing some pretty shady things, worst of which was selling preventative maint services and not performing them. I reported all of this to the service manager, i had even taken pictures of it happening with my phone. he said he would take care of it. Little did i know he was equally as greedy and did nothing. I had to take it upon myself to stand up to these theifs, then i get in trouble for giving these guys a hard time.

long story short i had put in my two weeks and now i live a much happier/fruitful life sitting behind a desk writing documentation about how to repair vehicles, to help those honest techs do the job right.

 

[LazyCruiser]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

I'd like to see the Marinas become less expensive.
And I pray that gas prices stay level for a few dozen years!

 

[arks]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

Careful what you wish for guys.
I don't think the cost of slips will come down- unless gasoline prices go waaaay too high and nobody can afford to boat, resulting in a big supply of empty slips. I think it's only a matter of time before some world event increase the fuel prices 2X or more. UGH.

One thing that's frustrated me for years is the price of emergency aeriel flares. I use the type that doesn't need a launch gun.
Mine were expiring so I went to WM for some new ones. Holy Cow $50 for a 4-pack of Orion SkyBlazers! 3 years ago thay were 30 bucks. Seems to me that something this vital that has a legal shelf-life should be more cost-effective to buy.
And while I'm on the subject, the USCG requires a minimum of 3 in-date flares, so WHY do they only sell flares in 4-packs???? Don't tell me it's so 'you'll have an extra' because I already carry an ammo case FULL of out-dated 'extras'!!

And don't even get me started about the price of real parachute flares. After witnessing a demonstration between them and regular aeriel flares, I was convinced it was BY FAR the best flare to carry onboard. They aren't required by law where I boat but are 100x brighter and stay up 10x longer than normal flares. I keep one onboard but at $50 a pop I'll just keep carrying the 'old' one.

BTW, and before anyone asks- yes, the flare demonstration was all legal and approved by the local DNR, CG and EMS. It proved to me that without a doubt, expired flares work with over 90% success if they've been stored dry. They shot off 38 sky flares that night with only ONE dud- and that one had expired in 1989!

 

[Thad]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

Careful what you wish for guys.
I don't think the cost of slips will come down- unless gasoline prices go waaaay too high and nobody can afford to boat, resulting in a big supply of empty slips. I think it's only a matter of time before some world event increase the fuel prices 2X or more. UGH.

One thing that's frustrated me for years is the price of emergency aeriel flares. I use the type that doesn't need a launch gun.
Mine were expiring so I went to WM for some new ones. Holy Cow $50 for a 4-pack of Orion SkyBlazers! 3 years ago thay were 30 bucks. Seems to me that something this vital that has a legal shelf-life should be more cost-effective to buy.
And while I'm on the subject, the USCG requires a minimum of 3 in-date flares, so WHY do they only sell flares in 4-packs???? Don't tell me it's so 'you'll have an extra' because I already carry an ammo case FULL of out-dated 'extras'!!
!

I know, it's crazy what they get for these flares. And they will continue to get it because of the "requirement" to have them aboard your vessle on controlled waters. But yet you can pick up a six pack of roman candles for about 8 bucks.


And no, I am not saying carry roman candles on your boat. Just saying I don't see the big difference in the two other than charge powder and the casing. But because it is a marine requied item...it's worth big $$$.

 

[Dave Barnett]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

Shop labor fees would top my list. Propellers are #2. A prop for my little 9.6 is 75.00 used and 125.00 new. I would also like to see a company that would revive some after market parts for some of the older more obscure motors.

 

[ShadowB]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

+ a bazillion fuel. $175 - $185 a fill up hurts.

 

[JimS123]

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

For me, I'd love to see the slip lease fees in this area drop. Right now it's about $3K per year, and they're very hard to get on my lake. I have a deal in place for next season that may trim $1K from the cost- hopefully it pans out.

That's outrageous. If that were the case I'd never own anything but a trailer boat, for the sheer reason of not paying the crooks charging those fees.

A 30' dock on the Niagara River in NY is 650-900 per year. That gives you deep water access to anywhere in the world. Our "Dockominium" costs about $12,000 to purchase it and you own the dock and water around it for life. The taxes and annual maintenance are about $300.

People charge only what the market will bear.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: What would you like to see become less expensive in boating?

this is a recipe for going out of business: "to be able to pay a mechanic to show them how to do the routine maintenance so that in the future they may be able to do it themselves."