What gas price makes you change your boating habits?

[Bruce]

@Farny, no need to slip into politics. Can we debate the facts and look at what the options are to arrive at more palatable fuel prices?

I was not aware that a new pause in federal leasing had occurred due to a recent court order from a Louisiana federal judge. Hopefully those issues can be resolved quickly.

Biden pauses new oil and gas leases amid legal battle over cost of climate change

The leasing pause comes after a Louisiana federal judge blocked officials from using higher cost estimates of climate change.

www.cnbc.com

Between those pauses record numbers of leases were issued.

US drilling approvals increase despite Biden climate pledge

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Approvals for companies to drill for oil and gas on U.S. public lands are on pace this year to reach their highest level since George W.

apnews.com

Chevron, Exxon are among top spenders at Biden offshore auction

U.S. oil majors Exxon Mobil Corp and Chevron Corp were among the top buyers at a federal auction of oil leases in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday that generated more than $190 million - the highest since 2019.

www.reuters.com

As for Keystone, the Keysone pipeline is pumping away as it has been for decades. Construction of the Keystone XL extension was stopped by court order in 2018 after only a few miles had been constructed in the US. That court order went all the way to confirmation in the United Stated Supreme Court in 2020. Biden cancelled the permit on the extension in 2021. Had the extension been constructed it would have carried bitumen and kerogen from Canadian tar sands to the Gulf of Mexico for processing or exportation. Three million barrels a day of bitumen and kerogen are transported from those tar sands by truck, train, ship and pipeline each day.

This is an interesting article on Canadian ingenuity in transporting that bitumen and kerogen. https://www.popsci.com/hockey-puck-tar-sands-canada/

There are many factors at play however ultimately it comes to down to greater profits from doling out limited resources rather than rushing it to market.

Revolking unused and underproducing leases might be a way to increase production.

If we want to stabilize prices in the US we might consider a multiple year process of reducing then eliminating imports and exports of petroleum products although it likely is in our best interest to use other country's oil first.

 

[msavold]

Curious about this, as with fuel prices rising, what's your break point where you go out on the water less?

Going back to the original question, our boat is on a lift in the back yard. It's more expensive to use the marina gas stations (in the order of $0.50 to $0.75 a gallon...) but a hell of a lot more convenient (and I can be lazy!). I think this year we're going to switch to using the various 5 gallon cans we have around and transfer tot he boat. IMO, that'll negate a large part of the increased price for the boat... (We'll still be spending the same though.)

 

[Jbgunner]

No. I plan on using it as normal. Time is more limited than the increase in the cost.

 

[DonJohnsMusic]

I think for me we're already there. Anything with regular gas at $3+, not on the lake of course, and it'll change my boating habits. It isn't due to the affordability, as it's really only maybe an extra hundred or so here or there with our normal boating. It's more the perception of the cost than the reality of the cost. Also with the price of gas going nuts the cost of everything around us will also go up. We largely buy the same groceries and have for years. We used to spend about $150 a week. Roughly those same groceries are now in the $250 range. Little more a little less depending. Those extra hundreds start to add up and could start to REALLY impact our budget if we're not smart. Fortunately for me I take $25 every week I can remember and stick it in a gas fund for the boat. I have about $550 right now and still about a month or 2 left to put money in there before boating starts up. Normally by the end of the summer there's still money in there, or at worst I have to supplement that money with $20 here or there. This summer that would probably be gone by middle of the summer, or exhausted within the first 1.5 months.

Great idea!

 

[AmesJainchill]

Wow, I don't know what is wrong in Michigan, we were $2.50ish now today I saw $4.92 It is bizarre the numbers are going up and down around here in swings everyday.

Yeah, just filled up the truck for 5.19/gal (Prem). Going to be interesting to see the ValvTect E0 marina prices! And it ain't goin' down anytime soon. That being said, it's definitely not going to change my boating habits. Still going out at least as many times as last year.

 

[jocolo21]

No changes for me

 

[zipper]

Anyone saying they aren’t going to adjust accordingly are likely full of you know what lol. Maybe the 1% folks who don’t give a shit about money but for everyday joes, yes you feel it and if I were a betting man you’ll be thinking of it when you fill up every single time.

In short, yes we will be adjusting our boating activities. We will anchor more and cruise less. I suspect I’ll be surfing likely about the same amount. If prices continue to soar I’ll jump ship and pick up a better hobby despite how much I love boating and the lake.

It will not change our boating frequency from last year one bit. I/we do give a shit. The only thing that will change is which car we take to the marina. Most likely the Subaru or the EV she is looking at, instead of the truck. My fuel is mostly free.

 

[zipper]

I may convert our 14' Oday Javelin to a land sailor...LOL Hope it does not heal over.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1087876127988201&id=485987784843708

 

[jocolo21]

My current situation....

 

[zipper]

My current situation....

View attachment 173548

Liter?

 

[jocolo21]

Liter?

actually less than a litter each bottle of Moet is .80liters or 25oz. these 2 will drink 15 bottles in a weekend, lol

 

[swatski]

actually less than a litter each bottle of Moet is .80liters or 25oz. these 2 will drink 15 bottles in a weekend, lol

View attachment 173552

That looks so good! (I'm so envious)

As for me, well... with most our guests I had to make a switch to prosecco from costco already some time ago, lol

--

 

[Crob83]

actually less than a litter each bottle of Moet is .80liters or 25oz. these 2 will drink 15 bottles in a weekend, lol

View attachment 173552

Milf City

 

[zipper]

If I can’t afford diesel on the sailboat, I may add a peddle powered propellor. Lol

https://www.facebook.com/100003625384817/posts/2459498270847662

 

[HangOutdoors]

If I can’t afford diesel on the sailboat, I may add a peddle powered propellor. Lol

https://www.facebook.com/100003625384817/posts/2459498270847662

That is awesome. I need one on my boat, I get probably lose weight doing that....... Would be an awesome mod.

 

[SDAnderson51]

Really?

Ok, than. Please educate us.

So, exactly at what point (please use approximate $ per barrel numbers in commodity markets, or $ per gallon number at a gas pump) does extracting oil from bitumen sand (keystone pipeline), or fracking, make economic sense (= a company engaged in the process can actually turn a profit).

Please do not hide behind thinly veiled political talking points and/or stupid sound bites. We are all adults here. Just give us straight numbers. I would like to learn.

Thank you.

It depends on who you are talking about. The major oil companies are making money at around $40 a barrel, whether they make enough to risk the exposure of new wells is the question. The wildcaters can bring it in as low as $35 a barrel, they do things cheaper and have a lot less overhead. Once again the question is whether it is worth it to take the risk of drilling. You also have to add the cost of environmental regulations into the mix which may put the wildcaters out of the picture. They simply cannot aford the environmental costs. Trying to make up for the rest of the world producing and burning fuel inefficiently is expensive.

 

[SDAnderson51]

Gas prices are not going to change my boating habits. However they just did change my drinking habits. Instead of the Calumet 15yr impulse buy I stuck with my current go to at 1/3 the price. Half day on the water in gas right there. I do wonder if my already paid for private boat charter in Cabo is going to try and charge me extra next month though.

Anyway you slice it, gas prices for a boat is a 1st world problem and we should not be complaining given the atrocities occurring in Ukraine as I write this. May freedom from aggression and oppression prevail.

If the price of fuel in the USA was really affected by the war as much as the current administration would like say it is I wouldn't have a problem, however the price started to climb way before the war, it make a good excuse for the actual reason which is the inept energy practices of the Biden administration. Sorry I got political but you can't talk about the price of gas and not inject politics.

 

[Farny]

It depends on who you are talking about. The major oil companies are making money at around $40 a barrel, whether they make enough to risk the exposure of new wells is the question. The wildcaters can bring it in as low as $35 a barrel, they do things cheaper and have a lot less overhead. Once again the question is whether it is worth it to take the risk of drilling. You also have to add the cost of environmental regulations into the mix which may put the wildcaters out of the picture. They simply cannot aford the environmental costs. Trying to make up for the rest of the world producing and burning fuel inefficiently is expensive.

To add to your comment - economics depends on the play, offshore, onshore, Permian, eagleford, Bakken, etc.

 

[swatski]

If the price of fuel in the USA was really affected by the war as much as the current administration would like say it is I wouldn't have a problem, however the price started to climb way before the war, it make a good excuse for the actual reason which is the inept energy practices of the Biden administration. Sorry I got political but you can't talk about the price of gas and not inject politics.

I would agree with the inept energy policies, but that is not Keystone pipeline.

Piping natural gas produced in Pennsylvania would make A LOT of sense.

Piping crude extracted from tar sands in Canada make little economic sense.

The fact is, dredging oil from what is know as "boreal forest" and piping it through the United States has been, basically, a lose-lose proposition from the get-go. This isn’t your typical oil. Tar sands extraction is not the same as conventional crude - let's ignore giant amounts of toxic waste - it takes more energy to get this stuff out than what's "stored" in extracted product...
It is nuts.

--

 

[Ronnie]

Can’t we all just get along?

In addition to the reasons mentioned I think good old fashioned greed has a lot to do with the current and seemingly ever increasing price of gas. Case in point, the day after the war in Ukraine started the prices for gas jumped even though the gas in the stations’ tanks was purchased days or weeks earlier at a pre war prices.

regardless of who is “right” we are all losers in this since we are still going to buy at least some gas even as the price increases and most of us have no direct control over the price of gas.