"Don White" wrote in message
...
RCE wrote:
"RG" wrote in message
m...


That's a bit dramatic. It might create a buyer's market for boats, but
not much more. For the average boater, fuel costs are a relativley
small part of the overall cost of boating.

In today's world, I absolutely agree. The more recent discussions in
this thread have been focused on much more extreme scenarios that could
possibly play out in the future.


Do you really belive that boat owners will default on their loans just
because fuel costs have increased?

Yes, if we are talking per gallon fuel costs deep into double digits,
possibly triple digits, and even possibly unavailable at any price. That
is the framework in which my comment was made, and which the discussion
over the last 24 hours has been focused in this thread. You may think
such a scenario unthinkable, but many believe it is not.



Everyone's situation is different, of course, depending on what kind of
boat they have and how and what they use it for.

But here's an eye opener for me. In the fall of 2002, I took my boat
from MA to Florida, something that many people here on the east coast do
yearly. That trip's fuel cost was about 4,300 bucks, if I recall
correctly (log book not handy). In many places south of Virginia diesel
was selling for about a dollar/gal at that time.
Right now the same trip would be closer to 14K in fuel costs. I like
boating, but I don't like it that much. So, for now anyway, the boat
stays put. Fortunately I am loan free on it, so it doesn't hurt so much,
but I also think that it's already too late to sell if so inclined and
expect to get fair market value.

Makes a great summer cottage on the Cape, though.

RCE
I'd fly south and charter a boat or borrow a friend's.

The fun and adventure was the voyage, not the destination. Besides, I will
not fly commercial unless it's an absolute emergency and have no other
options.

RCE