Does Rising Gas Prices Matter?

[magicalbill]

Y'know I just thought of something else...

This might drive the used Grady prices down a bunch..I can't help but think that potential buyers would hesitate on purchasing a big twin rig such as a Sailfish, Marlin, etc. with the gas the way it is.

 

[gradyfish22]

Surprisingly used boats are selling yet, just a bit below where they should. Those who can afford to move up now and never before are, and many are downgrading as well to smaller rigs, to some a 30ft boat is small depending on what they own now. It is the new boat sales that are hurting the most. Wish I could use one of those $2.99 gas cards from the car dealers at the marina Don't worry we asked and tried to make it happen with no luck, my Dad is looking at new cars so we asked where we could but they told us somehow it would void the card....not sure how they will know, we are looking more into it. Might be worth it to buy a car that offers the $2.99 guarentee and use it for the boat if you can pull it off....if I find a way around the system I'll let you all know...boy what I'd give for $2.99 gas right now!!!

 

[jekyl]

whilst i understand your concern at the fuel prices......here in Australia we are currently paying $1.50 a litre. There are 3.8 litres in a US gallon....4.5 in an imperial gallon.As our exchange is currently .96c then 1 US gallon is costing us $5.70 and they are predicting $2 by the end of the year so close to $8 US for a gallon......ouch
Interestingly diesel is always 20c more per gallon but has recently jumped to more than 40c dearer. So whilst friends who have single diesels are enjoying great economy they are paying hugely at marinas for deisel.
As i trailer my 265 I am able to take advantage of specials and loyalty discounts at the gas stations......however I am certainly revising how I use my boat and looking at which crew are invited to help with fuel costs.
As i previously averaged 250 hours a year I could cut that in half and still have some great days boating and fishing.
I wonder what our plans will be in 12 months?

 

[magicalbill]

gradyfish..
Always enjoy your posts by the way...Lots of informative stuff..
When you said "What I wouldn't give for $2.99 gas" it made me realize we're all getting brainwashed, slowly..
Please everyone cross their fingers that we won't wish for $4.00/gallon fuel and think THAT'S cheap..

Jekyl;
Obviously, we don't have near the problems you have.
I suppose everything is relative, just like when you feel sorry for yourself, and then run across someone homeless, or really bad sick, or incapicitated. Then your problems don't seem so bad..

Capt. Chris..
Just read on lakecumberland.com about Grider Hill Dock advertising $300.00 in free gas if you rent one of their houseboats...They (and maybe others) are obviously worried about business this summer.

 

[jekyl]

i can remember only 12 months ago refusing to pay $1.25 Aus for a litre ie. $4.75 US a gal.
I am sure I will be looking back at $1.50 Aus in 12 months time and thinking how good that was!
In the scheme of things if I do 150 hours this year i figure at $1.50 a litre i will spend just over $1,000 more than last year, and obviously $2000 if i do my usual 250 hours.
Not really that bad for the amount of enjoyment and pleasure it brings. My biggest problem is the guilt i feel about using that diminishing resource and the v8 cruiser i drive just so I can tow my boat. Now that's not so easy to justify!

 

[gw204]

Please everyone cross their fingers that we won't wish for $4.00/gallon fuel and think THAT'S cheap..

It WILL happen.

More boat and engine manufacturers need to be looking at alternative power just like the auto folks are doing. I'm not particularly fond of Scout boats, but at least they're exploring hybrid technology.

http://www.scoutboats.com/press5.html

I believe they had a larger hybrid at the Baltimore Boat Show as well.

My greatest fear is what happens to all the gasoline and diesel powered boats once we run out of oil???? You think they're worth little now....

 

[Grog]

Please everyone cross their fingers that we won't wish for $4.00/gallon fuel and think THAT'S cheap..

It WILL happen.

More boat and engine manufacturers need to be looking at alternative power just like the auto folks are doing. I'm not particularly fond of Scout boats, but at least they're exploring hybrid technology.

http://www.scoutboats.com/press5.html

I believe they had a larger hybrid at the Baltimore Boat Show as well.

My greatest fear is what happens to all the gasoline and diesel powered boats once we run out of oil???? You think they're worth little now....

There is bio-diesel and it hopefully it'll pan out.

Propane or methane will work in outboards.

We are NOWHERE near running out, some of it just harder to get. We just sat too long without really looking into alternative means. In 50 years I will not care what my boat's worth.

 

[leek]

Fuel and other expenses

By the time I moor the boats, insure them and maintain them the fuel is an expense but not nearly the largest expense. I probably spend $30,000 a year on the boats and maybe $2-3000 of it is fuel.
I'll keep on using them, maybe in a slightly different way but I will keep using them.

 

[shadygradycapn]

Hey leek, are you hiring?

 

[leek]

hiring

Yes, we have been but I don't know for how much longer. Seattle economy has been robust and we build for "a large software developer" in Redmond and elsewhere.

 

[B-Faithful]

I spoke to my father last night and he said that he plans on less tuna trips this year and more near shore fishing. His tuna trips will be with at least 4 guys total onboard... and he is one who runs a boat that gets over 2nmpg offshore (27 Judge with twin 130 Hondas)

 

[Gary M]

Our boating and fishing are truly precious times for us. We'd rather eat out less, go to a few less movies, have shorter vacations, etc and still enjoy our 2-3-4 trips each summer over to the Bahamas. Look at where you spend all of your discretionary income and maybe there are places where you can cut back there so that you can still enjoy being out on the water.

One way that I constantly save .25-.60 a gallon on my fill ups (of 200-250 gallons!) is by having it delivered to the house where we have the boat. The company that I use down in South Florida has a 100 gallon minimum, but a simple phone call is all the "work" that I do to fill up my Marlin! A CC # on file takes care of the payment. For me to run down to the local fuel dock to fill up (at a higher price!) will burn 5-6 gallons, so it costs me $20-25 to go get filled up before the big trips!

Do some research in your local areas for fuel companies that deliver right to the boat. For you smaller boat guys, see if they will fill up two boats at the same location to get you above the minimum amount. Have your buddy or neighbor swing by your house for the twin fill ups.

Go through your boat and take off all that "stuff" that you carry around and probably don't need on every trip. Weight burns fuel to carry around. I'm guilty of that as I leave a spare anchor with 300' of rode as well as a heavy 50' shore power cord aboard when I really only need that aboard on Bahamas trips.

For local trips, so you really need full tanks? I'm no longer filling back up with 225-250 gallons after my last Bahamas trip of each summer because I only need 100-150 aboard to do local trips, cruises, etc. This also keeps me putting fresh gas in the tanks over the Fall, Winter and Spring......

Slow down my boating because of $4.25 a gallon gas? If I did that this summer, I'd probably regret it next summer when $4.25 might seem like a real bargain!

Fish On!

 

[magicalbill]

Gary M rocks...

This is all good info..My only though on full vs. empty tanks is that I was told to keep my tank full as much as possible to ward off water buildup due to Ethanol.
I think if everybody though about it enough, there are all kinds of ways to soften the "fuel blow."
Personally, I enjoy sitting at the dock, listening to my VHF, and just hangin' out aboard. I'm not against anchoring for an afternoon, either.

 

[Gary M]

My only thought on full vs. empty tanks is that I was told to keep my tank full as much as possible to ward off water buildup due to Ethanol.

I think if everybody though about it enough, there are all kinds of ways to soften the "fuel blow."

Personally, I enjoy sitting at the dock, listening to my VHF, and just hangin' out aboard. I'm not against anchoring for an afternoon, either.

On my local Forum, we've had that full tank arguement endless times. I'm of the opinion that that IF I get any water buildup in the tanks, that my fuel/water filters will take care of it. Also, by occassionally adding fresh fuel, this can also help ward off water and keep the gas from getting old. There are additives to help with water evaporation as well.

Yeah, we can't control OPEC, but we can do things to make boating a bit easier on the wallet.

We are lucky enough to have a small place on the water in Lauderdale. We too, enjoy just hanging out on the boat (it's tied up at our dock) and after an afternoon of doing odd jobs, giving her a bath, etc, I get off feeling like I've been ON my boat and enjoying it!

 

[cheremmi]

You need to get a smaller boat, like the one I am selling 185 Tournament for instance. HA HA (see boats for sale)