Has the economy taken the wind out of your sails?

[johnnysmarineservice]

POLL: How has the economy affected how often you use your boat? Has the economy taken the wind out of your sails? Go to http://polls.linkedin.com/p/81079/fkdqm to participate in my poll.

Would love to hear how boaters have coped with less disposable income and how they hopefully overcame it to continue with their recreational pursuits. Go to http://polls.linkedin.com/p/81079/fkdqm to chime in on my poll and then feel free to post a comment or you can just answer here.

 

[john lamon]

I've been boating my whole life and love it, I can't imagine not having a boat, after paying my mortgage and making sure my kids have everything they need just about all of my exposable income is spent on boating or stuff for the boat. I finally bought myself a decent vehicle but ever since I was 16 I've been driving old clunker junk cars and trucks just so I could have a nice boat. funny because we can only use a boat here in Sask for 4 or 5 months of the year.

I've been fortunate enough to not have any real effects so far from the economy but if times got real tuff for me I think I would try and somehow keep at least one boat, might not be able to use it very much but it would be there if I wanted to go for a ride.

To me boating is not just a recreational sport, it's a way of life.

 

[old johnson]

I moved to Fl where you can boat 11 1/2 months a year but money is tight and frequency of use has gone down and ethonol has not helped in the upkeep and problems. Now we have rec gas here at 90 octane no ethonol but 4.00 a gallon. Rick

 

[Chris]

All of our boating activities revolve around the cottage, so we haven't really changed what we do much.

Perhaps if anything, we tend to use our small boat more as it uses less gas.

But other than that, we get so little time at the cottage that it's hard to resist the urge to drop a few bucks into the boat.

-Chris

 

[Wet-Willy]

Since I only started using(for that matter aquired) mine late last season,and haven't had her out this year,I have to say there's been no change.

 

[204 Escape]

Const. work has fell off for me, BUT, I have been out twice this year. Would've went out today, BUT, the weather was terrible.

I have a possibility of work that will last a year +/- soon. In the mean time, I have about 2-3 weeks of work left.

Hope to go NEXT WEEKEND !!!!!!!

 

[Johnbouy]

Believe it or not,it's been so hot here we haven't been out alot.But this week it's supposed to cool off with thunder showers.So,I'm taking her out no matter what!lol..Season is year-round here really,but I like it cooler for everything except swimming.Gas is cheaper than last year so we should be happy!

 

[TEAMBAJA]

Even after losing my job it hasnt affected me. But, to be fair, Im not exactly rolling in a Cigarette or Outerlimits either!

Besides my little boats, dad has a couple Wellcraft 23 Novas that he doesnt use. He pays for a dock every year, and is lucky to go out once. I used one of them last week, but had alot of cleaning to do!

 

[Chris]

Even after losing my job it hasnt affected me. But, to be fair, Im not exactly rolling in a Cigarette or Outerlimits either!

Besides my little boats, dad has a couple Wellcraft 23 Novas that he doesnt use. He pays for a dock every year, and is lucky to go out once. I used one of them last week, but had alot of cleaning to do!

I'm glad to hear you're hanging in.

I think, or at least hope things are starting to turn around now. So hopefully better times are just around the corner.

I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing about your next ride when things improve!

-Chris

 

[TEAMBAJA]

I'm glad to hear you're hanging in.

I think, or at least hope things are starting to turn around now. So hopefully better times are just around the corner.

I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing about your next ride when things improve!

-Chris

Hopefully I'll have some stories soon. Might be water testing a few New Checkmates shortly.

Cant believe Im still on top in the arcade here!

 

[meboatermike]

Boating usage in 2010

The boat at the lake got used about as much as normal probably averaged 5 gal or so a week for the season occasionally more if the kids were around for skiing, boarding or tubing. The ocean boat did not go in until late due mostly to procrastination on my part and taking the whole family (including 3 grown kids) on a 10 day 2 car trip to Canada Atlantic Provinces. But once in I used it a fair amount in the month and a half it was in the water -- you got to realize though that this boat only uses maybe 18 gal in that time -- some sailboats can pass it if the wind is strong.

 

[Chris]

The poll results are pretty interesting.

You guys are definitely addicts!

-Chris

 

[Will Switzer]

Well last year I did use my boat every weekend but this season might be different . With it already costing me 160.00 dollars to fill my truck and at 75.00 bucks for the boat its just gunna be hard . Specially when the lake house is 200 miles away . The 160.00 for fuel is just to drive up to the lake not counting the gas to drive the to work every day . Now they are saying expect 5.00 a gallon for memorial day weekend ... Its just crazy . Here we all wait for summer to use our boats and go to our lake homes on the weekend and its just getting impossible .

 

[john lamon]

Hey Will, I'm already paying $5.32 a gallon for premium, I don't want to know what it will be by memorial day, already got rid of my f-150 because it was killing me to drive, good thing my cabin is only 100 miles from home.

I'm still gonna use the boat a lot this year but might be at a idle a little more, at $110.00 to fill plus $9.00 a litre for oil it's gonna hurt.

 

[Will Switzer]

Hey Will, I'm already paying $5.32 a gallon for premium, I don't want to know what it will be by memorial day, already got rid of my f-150 because it was killing me to drive, good thing my cabin is only 100 miles from home.

I'm still gonna use the boat a lot this year but might be at a idle a little more, at $110.00 to fill plus $9.00 a litre for oil it's gonna hurt.

Its such B/S . There is no need for this crap . My F-150 is a 2010 and is still not Fuel efficent . Im just so tired of this . They said on the news tonight supply and demand that is B/S because no one can afford the to fill up there cars . It will be interesting to see how many house on the lake will be for sale this summer . The last time this happened just about every house was up for sale .

 

[BosnBill]

To me boating is not just a recreational sport, it's a way of life./QUOTE]

I agree with John on this one. The idea of being boatless would leave a mighty large void in our family's lives. My wife and I are cruises and "campers" (on the boat) and do see it as mostly "recreation", as most of the sporting activities like tubing, water skiing have been passed on to my son who has an 185 SeaRay Sport. No, it is a way of life and I'll sacrifice what I have to keep our passion afloat.

 

[BosnBill]

To me boating is not just a recreational sport, it's a way of life.

I agree with John on this one. The idea of being boatless would leave a mighty large void in our family's lives. My wife and I are cruises and "campers" (on the boat) and do see it as mostly "recreation", as most of the sporting activities like tubing, water skiing have been passed on to my son who has an 185 SeaRay Sport. No, it is a way of life and I'll sacrifice what I have to keep our passion afloat.

 

[Chris]

We swapped our Sierra 1500 Crew for a Crew Cab Colorado and the gas savings has been substanial so far.

I'm getting about 650-700K per tank on the highway and my average fill is 55-60 Litres per fill.

With the Sierra, we were getting about 600K on 90-100 litres of gas.

The full size sure was nice and handy though.

-Chris

 

[john lamon]

Good to hear your saving some money at the pump, I miss my full size truck too, we now have a 09 AWD vibe that we got new and a 07 montana mini van, I have been missing my truck a lot and tired of borrowing a truck when I need to do something so I went and bought a new 5x12 H&H utility trailer, it only weights 900 lbs and the vibe pulls it just fine, being that I haul these trailers for a living with my semi I got it for cost and it was a great deal, I can put way more in it than I could in my truck and wish I would have got one sooner, we take it to the lake almost every weekend, I used to have to take the van and ram it full of stuff and then fight with it at the boat launch getting stuck, now I leave the loser cruiser at home and the can fit all my stuff in the trailer and when we get to the lake unhook it and hook up the boat and no problems at the launch with the AWD in the car, I got 100 miles each way and even with these prices it only costs about $40.00 a weekend in the vibe.

The boat is another story, I filled 4 25L jerry cans last weekend and it was $150.00, as you know 100L of gas doesn't last long, oh well, it's too fun to think about it, just pay and have fun.