Higher Fuel Prices

[Fishtales]

I did not wish this becoming a political argument on this site. I just wanted to point out that the federal government made $4 billion on leases on wind farms off of NJ. I wanted to make the point that this money could be reinvested in clean renewable energy without spreading the cost to the taxpayer. I have a 21 year old daughter and hopefully some grandchildren in the future and I would like to leave a better planet to them, that is all. Let’s get back to boats and fishing and stop with any insults.

I agree and fair enough. Happy boating to those that will be able to afford it.

 

[seasick]

I think that there will be an increase in cases of buyer's remorse this season, and not just because of the price of gas. A lot of people who never had a boat, bought boats in the last two years. Once all the costs sink in, some will not be able to , or willing afford the hobby. That is already happening in the RV market. Boat pricing was expected to remain historically high for another year or so but with the current gas pricing and almost hyper-inflation, I think that time will be shorter. Heck, boating is almost as expensive as taking your family to a major league baseball game

 

[Mustang65fbk]

I think that there will be an increase in cases of buyer's remorse this season, and not just because of the price of gas. A lot of people who never had a boat, bought boats in the last two years. Once all the costs sink in, some will not be able to , or willing afford the hobby. That is already happening in the RV market. Boat pricing was expected to remain historically high for another year or so but with the current gas pricing and almost hyper-inflation, I think that time will be shorter. Heck, boating is almost as expensive as taking your family to a major league baseball game

I think that a lot of people will buy something that's either just in or out of their reach, but will do so before doing the research on it to see what all it's going to take to maintain it. Either that, and/or their buddy, family member, coworker or someone else has the same boat, car, truck, motorcycle, RV or whatever it is so it for some reason gives them even more of a reason to buy it. The problem is, that most of the time these same people are the ones that are oftentimes living paycheck to paycheck or are basically living outside of their means already. Then, something like this spike in gasoline prices comes along and they can't afford the costs of owning a boat or even simply filling up the fuel tank. It's the same with all aspects of life with regards to people buying houses, boats, cars, trucks, motorcycles, RV's or anything else that they can't, or can barely, afford. I tend to be very frugal or cheap when buying a higher dollar priced item like a house, boat, car or whatever the item is. I'll shop around, see roughly what the going rates are for what I want to purchase and then be patient until the time is right, and then do just that. Sure, I could have definitely afforded to buy a used 228 Seafarer out here in the PNW or the west coast for $55k+ but then A. I'd be spending over double on a boat compared to what I could have, and actually paid for one, and B. I look at higher dollar items like boats as an investment, so buying one at basically its highest value isn't going to help me if I needed to for some reason sell it as I'd lose money on the boat. Also, if the market were to tank and I bought it at the peak of the market for top dollar, then I'd lose my shorts over it, which is again not something I'd like to do.

Some things I don't really care if I make money on them or not and don't really consider them as an investment, like my daily driver bone stock 2006 Honda Civic. Just yesterday I hit 243k miles on the odometer with still the original engine and transmission in it. The most involved thing I've had to replace on the car was the starter, knock on wood, which cost a total of about $150 for both the starter and the labor to do it. I bought the car for $13k back in 2010 with about 60k miles on it and this September it will be 12 years since I've owned it. The car now has basically no value to it, as to be expected of a 16 year old Honda with that amount of miles on it, but I didn't go into buying the car thinking I'd make money off of it. The fact that I've owned the car for almost 12 years now and with next to no issues besides routine oil changes and brake rotors/pads and so forth, I think it was a great investment with regards to longevity. And it doesn't really make any sense to try and sell or trade it for something newer that's more expensive because the tabs out here are insanely priced, even though there was a bill that passed years ago for $30 car tabs. People out here with $40k-50k+ cars/trucks are spending $400-500+ per year just on car tabs, of which mine were about $65. With regards to an MLB game, we've got the Mariners out here, which are basically a joke and the laughing stock of the MLB franchise. So you can do a family night for like $100, which includes 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs and 4 drinks. That being said, the Seahawks tickets are insanely priced, as are the tickets for our new NHL team the Kraken. Seahawks tickets usually are a couple hundred bucks a ticket, and those are the 200 - 300 level seats, as well as $50-60 for parking, $10 for a beer and $10 for a hot dog. For the $300 or more that I'd spend going to a Seahawks game, I could invite family and friends over to my house, throw a bitchin' party with steak and lobster as well as all of the adult beverages that one wanted and watch the game on my 65" tv. Plus, I wouldn't have to worry about driving anywhere and could get an Uber ride for someone if they'd had too much to drink. Going to a Seahawks game is fun a couple times just for the experience but not for the price you pay, the noise, the amount of people and depending on where you sit... you'll most likely be watching most of the game on the jumbo-tron anyway.

 

[seasick]

To an extent, folks have an idea of what it costs to go to a game and there is no long term commitment. . Some boat buyers often don't see past the purchase price and often underestimate what the associated costs of ownership are. I was the same years back when I got into boating but I was able to afford the expenses as they popped up. Today there are informative web sites and videos detailing the typical expenses of boat ownership. Do new boaters do their research? I think a lot didn't during the pandemic. Time will tell I suppose

 

[Mustang65fbk]

I think that the educated person that has experience with boating in the past, or even just someone with a good deal of common sense realizes that a boat will need some amount of routine maintenance done to it on an annual basis. On top of that, hopefully they'll realize that a boat runs on water, most often of which is salt water, and that if you break down you can't just pull off to the side of the road and wait for a tow truck to take it back to your house for you, or to a shop. I think the longevity of a boat most oftentimes depends on the year of the boat, how well it was maintained before you purchased it, how many hours on the motor as well as how many you put on it in a season. My previous boat was a 2003 Arima 21' Sea Ranger that had a Honda 130hp 4 stroke motor on it with around 600 hours on the motor. With that boat I did next to nothing on with regards to maintenance except changing out the spark plugs every season as well as the fuel filter or fuel/water separator and adding a fuel stabilizer over the winter. The motor was solid, idled very well, was quiet and did quite well with regards to fuel economy. The boat only had a 48 gallon tank on it, of which I bought the boat in July 2017 and sold it in September of 2020, so gas was always less than $3 a gallon, even at most marinas.

I loved the next to no maintenance that I needed to do for that boat besides the basics, washing it up, waxing the hull maybe once a season and just general things. I also didn't put a ton of hours on the boat, although I'd go out most weekends and take it fishing. But it was basically a turn key boat most of the time in that I could row out to it on the buoy, turn the key and go without very much cost put forth in doing so. The boat was great with regards to not needing much maintenance at all but it rode like crap, and was a very rough/jarring ride, as well as it sat low in the water so you'd get waves splashing over the windshield. I wanted something different so I upgraded to my current Grady, and I always recommend people getting a surveyor to inspect a boat before buying one. Because if you don't, you could buy a boat for top dollar and then sink a ton of money into it right after buying and you're already going to be upside down on the cost of ownership to value ratio. Everything adds up at the end of the day, like insurance, tabs, fuel, tackle, electronics, safety gear and so forth. It helps if you own some of the things beforehand

 

[Beyond A Wake]

Sail boats are getting into favor again..........
It is sad how politicians are so ignorant as they are, and just enriching themselves in the process.
h

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

The problem with energy markets is you have scientist ,engineers and business folks making decisions based on what's best for their business only to have politicians who are largely lawyers and many have never worked outside of politics ,thus they don't know Jack crap about energy . They are idealouges stuck in theory and policy and let's face it ,there are no poor politicians in Congress . So what do they care if gas is $5 or $6 bucks a gallon,? Energy development should be free market based and yes we need some regulations for safety and environmental reasons . However , politicians picking winners and losers in the energy sector doesn't end well for the consumer or the tax payer .

I have long wanted a bigger boat. Still do and don't know if high gas will deter me . I do know my 228 getting 3.1 to ,3.2 miles per gallon looks pretty good right now . .

 

[hooked on Grady]

Fuel prices are such an emotional thing. I'll adjust by fishing closer to port, bringing an additional person, and spending more time and energy on research and pre-trip fact-finding before running offshore.

In the total expenditure of owning a boat, the annual fuel cost is sadly less than storage and slippage.

On the plus side, it won't be as crowded on the water.

power of positive thinking! it is what it is, still gonna fish somehow.

 

[greauxpete]

I work in the oil industry as a professional engineer.

The 9,000 leases talking point made by CNN and others includes leases from all of the previous administrations (leases last 10 years). Oil companies bought up leases due to comments made by Biden during his campaign. So they could ride out a potential 8 year term if needed.

Just because an oil company has a lease doesnt mean they will actually produce oil from the lease. Its a risky business.

Additionally, it can take years to develop a well plan, evaluate the formation, access to the properties, line up drilling rigs, etc.

People making these statements either lack knowledge on the subject or are making the statement to deceive the general public.

Why not produce oil domestically and control our own destiny? I guess that would make too much sense.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Why not produce oil domestically and control our own destiny? I guess that would make too much sense.

^^^^ Exactly!

 

[seasick]

^^^^ Exactly!

Supposed you were a small business making fishing lures and you find out that folks in a foreign country would willingly pay more for your product. Would you export?
Honestly, that is what free markets are all about.
Now can we get back to boating issues and leave the political. money grabber, conspiracy theories to other social media forums. I am sick of the direction this forum is going

 

[Doc Stressor]

The US is already a net petroleum exporter. We have been producing more than we consume since 2020. It's the global market that determines prices. Increasing production in the US would only have a small effect on what we pay at the pump. The market is very complex. Most refineries can only process certain grades of oil that only come from different sources. Transportation costs are also an issue. You have a cartel ((OPEC+) that tries to artificially maintain a target price per barrel by balancing supply and demand. If you listen to politicians about the price of gas, you will be ill-informed by their oversimplification. The fact is that outside of the cartel, governments can do very little to control the price of a gallon of gas.

I agree with seasick. This forum is no place for a discussion about why we are going to be paying more for fuel. The topic should be how we are going to adapt to increased fuel costs. As for myself, I'm going to do less buddy boating on long offshore trips and instead pack more buddies on my own boat. I think that's what a lot of folks in my area are planning.

 

[mleads310]

Let's all hope to have a productive and enjoyable boating season this year. Regardless of the price of gas, it should make each time out there more of a blessing.

Side notes I'm curious on what the new regs are going to be with fluke and seabass. Heard a few different options are in the works for the NYC area.

 

[Punchline Cap]

My boat doesn’t go in until the first week of May and it has a full tank of 110 gallons. Hopefully that should last until well into June and maybe by then the prices will have come down. Trying to stay on the glass half full way of thinking.

 

[Punchline Cap]

Let's all hope to have a productive and enjoyable boating season this year. Regardless of the price of gas, it should make each time out there more of a blessing.

Side notes I'm curious on what the new regs are going to be with fluke and seabass. Heard a few different options are in the works for the NYC area.

I subscribe to this YouTube channel “Jigging Jerks” and he just had a video about the NY regulations.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Supposed you were a small business making fishing lures and you find out that folks in a foreign country would willingly pay more for your product. Would you export?
Honestly, that is what free markets are all about.
Now can we get back to boating issues and leave the political. money grabber, conspiracy theories to other social media forums. I am sick of the direction this forum is going

Are we seriously trying to compare a small business that makes fishing lures to that of the multi trillion dollar world wide oil industry that hundreds of millions of Americans depend on for their everyday lives? There are almost 300 million privately owned vehicles in the US, of which only about only 2% of those are electric, which equates to around 6 million. So, about 90% of households in the US are relying on fair gas prices just to be able to thrive and support themselves and their family. The same definitely can’t be said for fishing lures.

 

[ROBERTH]

Punchline, my tank holds 202 gallons and is full. It will burn just over 100 gallons my first trip out plus the 3 hour drive each way towing. That is another 40 gallons plus the 2 stroke oil for 2 gallons. One fishing trip at $5.00 per gallon will hit me for $700 in fuel, add the oil and total will be about $775. Ouch!

 

[greauxpete]

Same here, my typical snapper trip is 50 miles (one way)... ironically to the offshore oil platforms..lol

I'm looking at hopefully 100 gallons..

 

[Punchline Cap]

Punchline, my tank holds 202 gallons and is full. It will burn just over 100 gallons my first trip out plus the 3 hour drive each way towing. That is another 40 gallons plus the 2 stroke oil for 2 gallons. One fishing trip at $5.00 per gallon will hit me for $700 in fuel, add the oil and total will be about $775. Ouch!

I’m really lucky, I’m a half mile to the inlet and a three mile run to the Townsend Inlet Reef. The bay fishing I do is all within 2 or 3 miles from my marina. The party sandbar is maybe 1000 yards from the marina also. I do feel for you guys though.

 

[Fishtales]

Gas bill doesn't mean much to me. I pay enough for the dockage, maintenance, shrinkwrap and storage. I view fuel usage as a measurement of boat usage and amortizing the other costs on usage.
Just want spring to come at this point. My tag line is making more sense everyday....