Gas Prices vs Boat Prices

[mwalker4]

It's situational dependent, but in Central Ohio where almost everybody trailers their boat, higher gas prices is one more reason to sell or not to get a boat. Kids get out of school now in mid May there are very few days where people want to tube and swim in May and early June in Ohio. Then they go back to school in Mid August and start school sports in late July. I love it, because late August and early September is great boating, but the good boating season for the average casual boating family is pretty short.

Covid comes along and people wanted boats. Well this short summer, everything is getting back to normal. They bring it out of winter storage and it either fits diagonally in the small 20x20 garage or they store it offsite in a storage field. In late summer the kids start school activities and they will realize they really didn't use the boat that much and it cost them a lot to use, now they have get it winterized and store it for another 8-9 months. In normal years I've seen the process happen many times, now add in higher gas and the marginal user who began in Covid and I'm guessing we could see a people put them up for sail either fall or try to get a better price in spring.

 

[84rzv500r]

I went and got 60gal yesterday for the MR-1 Repower project... was the better part of $250...

 

[BigN8]

I was going to pull the trigger on a Searay Sundancer this season. After watching classified ads for used 330-400 series and seeing what the economy is doing, I think now I will hold off one more year and wait and see. I think we are going to see a swell of used boats hit the market. My only real concern now will be finance rates a year from now. I may have to get creative with using cash as a down payment then using equity in the house or low interest loans from 401k to finance the Searay. Or, if next year the financial situation just doesn't pass the smell test, then we will hold off again. Patience is a virtue.........

 

[MidnightRider]

I don't see us boating any less this year - may have to pick which kid gets to go to college, but won't be boating any less than usual.

 

[flyingnugget]

My son and went to the gun range this weekend. Drove by a gas station and it was $3.79. Came back through a few hours later and it was $3.99. I was like, wait what?? WTF

We've been holding steady at $3.99 at most places for few days, but I have a feeling its gone up today.

We are in SW GA.

 

[flyingnugget]

@haknslash

we are renting near hear. Near the dam and goat island

 

[deubank1776]

Gas prices are around $4/gal while I am hearing California already has some $5 gas. I run only premium in my truck and boat and if they are both empty, at $6/gal it will cost me over $360 to fill them.

I am no economist or expert but I wonder if $5 or $6 gas will crash the current boat market. Some of us will hold our boats but alot of people got into campers and boats during COVID. Pulling a camper at 6-8 miles to the gallon or a boat at 12-15...it starts to get expensive pretty fast.

Just my humble opinion, I think it breaks the market, especially if we get to $6.

Basic economics courses treat gas as a necessity. So no matter the price you will alway buy it no matter what. If the Cost of gas is outweighed by the benefit spent on the water. You'll buy gas no matter the cost.

 

[deubank1776]

Also fun fact we have made a complete economic recovery since the dip in 2020.

 

[kgower]

Well, towing the boat from Michigan to Destin and then being on the water running around for 4-5 days, is going to hurt on the gas for sure

Yup. Going to be in Siesta Key 2nd week in April. Guessing marina gas will be around $8.00/gal by then.

 

[haknslash]

@haknslash

we are renting near hear. Near the dam and goat island

View attachment 173061

Ex-Goat Island now. They removed them this year because people can’t apply common sense and abide by the owners wishes

 

[Floridaman79]

We will probably adjust to be boating more locally and cut down on the longer towing trips. Tweaks to the plan rather than fundamental changes.

 

[2kwik4u]

@deubank1776 Hit the nail on the head IMO. For work/school/etc it's a necessity, I don't live in a public transit friendly community, so I drive or I don't get paid/groceries/etc. I'll buy at whatever price for the commute.

For the boat it's a little different, however not much, and I would expect most of us here are this way. It's a luxury item, but there is a rather high ceiling of gas prices where we have to choose between going hungry or driving the boat. So, as luxury items are concerned, the chances of a 33% increase (from $3 to $4 per gallon) in only a portion of the operating costs (purchase, and storage are likely still the lions share of expense for most of us) having any really meaningful impact on usage is, well, really low.

I do think people that only bought boats due to wanting to get outside during COVID will relinquish those back into used inventory. If they've found they ARE "boat people" then they'll keep it regardless of the cost. If they are NOT boat people, this might likely be the tipping point to sell it away ar @mwalker4 described.

In our case; the little 190 is exceptionally cheap to own, maintain, transport, store, and operate. It's a $30/weekend difference in cost for fuel in the boat, and maybe another $35-$40 in fuel for the tow vehicle for the weekend. We impulse buy eating out with a family of four for more than that (anyone had 2 pizza's, wings, cheesebread, and a 2-liter delivered lately?) amount of money. The impact to family budget of fuel pricing at our level is not significant enough to make us change plans at the point. FAR FAR too much benefit for that small of a cost impact.

 

[Julian]

I doubt it will change my habits much. Like someone said earlier, I might not go for long high speed cruises as much.....but even then....the thrill of the day will likely prevail.

 

[flyingnugget]

Ex-Goat Island now. They removed them this year because people can’t apply common sense and abide by the owners wishes

Seriously? what a shame. Let me guess, Dogs, common curtousey, kindness? I swear a few F'it up for everyone. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[haknslash]

Seriously? what a shame. Let me guess, Dogs, common curtousey, kindness? I swear a few F'it up for everyone. Thanks for the heads up.

Yea people kept allowing their dogs get on the island and the goats would freak out, run into the water and nearly drown. Some people were taking the goats off the island and riding around with them on their pontoons. A few fights even broke out last year over it between boat owners. Like some Jerry Springer bullshit so the owners didn’t want to get in the middle any longer. Sucks it’s always a few bad apples that ruin it for everyone else. My daughter liked going to visit the goats.

 

[Dixemon]

On average the fsh 210 gets approx 2.8- 3 mpg @ 6500-7000 rpm. That is about our cruise speed at around 28-35mph. My truck gets around 10-11 mpg while towing. At the average price of gas hovering around 4$ where I live, with the distance we like to cover when we trailer to ramp + distance we cover in boat would be around 30 miles truck and 40 miles boat. So in today's fuel prices that equates to (3gal) 12$ truck , (14gal)57$ boat fuel. 65$ ish for the day. First of last year before Brandon took it over we were averaging around 2$ ish gal. So I was able to make boating trips for roughly half of what I'm paying now, est 32.5$. So unless my math is screwed up, it's not a dealbreaker for me right now to just enjoy getting the family out the house.
Although I would note that all the other items associated with boating ie. Food, drinks ect.. have all gone up drastically, so there's that to consider.
As far as the boat price part of the question, I would tend to think that rising interest rates would be a major factor in boat ownership right now. Hopeing that the idiots up stairs can figure out how to bring gas prices down within a reasonable time frame.

 

[deubank1776]

Ohio just hit 4.09 regular... IDK what it is for 93.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Well I am not so lucky. The family likes to either put in, in Anchor bay and run 20 + miles down to the detroit bridge and detroit river or pulling tubes for 4-6 hours per outing loaded up with their HS friends. I can burn a full tank every outing and then some depending on what I am pulling and how many in boat. Told them, that is not happening this year. A lot more swimming and lounging and fishing.

 

[deubank1776]

Well I am not so lucky. The family likes to either put in, in Anchor bay and run 20 + miles down to the detroit bridge and detroit river or pulling tubes for 4-6 hours per outing loaded up with their HS friends. I can burn a full tank every outing and then some depending on what I am pulling and how many in boat. Told them, that is not happening this year. A lot more swimming and lounging and fishing.

@HangOutdoors Do you think you'll make a trip down to Put-in-Bay for Bash on the Bay? Aug 24-26?

 

[HangOutdoors]

@HangOutdoors Do you think you'll make a trip down to Put-in-Bay for Bash on the Bay? Aug 24-26?

Not sure, havent thought about. Will mention it to the admiral