On Apr 10, 8:24 pm, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:


You can't just consider the boat - you have to consider travel time
and the tow.



True, and I have. the travel 'n tow for me is about an hr and a half
one way (60mi) I can go to a smaller lake 40 mi (1 hr) or I can go
two hrs (90 mi )and hit the Ohio river, Car got approx 15 mpg while
towing,a nd the type of boating I did was with a 4-cyl 3.0 chevy and
we never used over 10 gal of gas at a time on a full day at the lake.

So my expenses for a full day at the lake was less than $100.00 with
fuel being the obvious winner in the expense dept.

Now If I was to take the wife and daughter to 6-Flags, that would be 3
hrs travel one way and about $30.00 a pop to get in, plus what ever
side shows one would want to see, and eating $4.50 hot dogs and $3.00
cups of soda isn't a thrill for me, neither is fighting a crowd of
thousands, or standing in some cattle stall line for an hr or so just
to ride some whilie-gig. Plus getting home a lot later, and feeling a
lot more tired....

On 10 Apr 2007 19:09:52 -0700, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

On Apr 10, 5:07?pm, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 10 Apr 2007 16:36:15 -0700, "Chuck Gould"

wrote:
ower boaters and bass boaters say gas prices would have to reach
$3.26 and $3.17 respectively before they would use their boats less
often. That's 50 cents more per gallon than they said last year.

Horse feathers.

I'm already hearing bass tournement types saying they are cutting back
on the number of tourneys they will be attending this year and will
only be doing local and state tourneys rather than out of state
tourneys.

And my club is starting a share a ride program for fishing this year
becaue of fuel prices.


Everybody will have a different individual perspective. I thought
perhaps the survey results would stir up discussion, and they
have. :-)

I don't have an enormous fuel bill, primarily because I only burn
about 2 gph.
As we begin considering options for our "retirement" boat (purchase is
still several years away) I have been wrestling with the prospect of
perhaps burning a lot more fuel at a future price of a lot more per
gallon.

I keep coming back around to this line of reasoning, (and I don't know
whether it makes any sense to people who are burning a lot of fuel-
because I can't say I've been there, done that):

When you've got maybe $100k- $150k invested in a walkaround fishboat
and outboard, or perhaps $200k -$1mm or more invested in a somewhat
larger cruising boat- would the fact that fuel costs increased from
(for example) $2500 for a summer to (for example) $5000 be sufficient
reason to curtail the use of the boat?

The old adage, "Fuel is the least expensive thing you will ever put
into a boat" may not be as true as it once was, but when all of the
other costs associated with boating are factored in it doesn't seem
like it should be a deal breaker in a lot of cases.

I understand your point and to an extent, agree with it. For those
who own boats of that class, it's probably true to some extent.

For the average schmuck, that just isn't true. It's a little tougher
to drop $150 bucks of gas in the family runabout on a weekend when it
costs you $150 bucks a week in gas to get the parents to work.

Maybe I'm over estimating, or under estimating, the ability of the
average boating consumer, but from what I'm hearing from my club
members and other sources, the average joe just ain't gonna use his
boat all that much.

On Tue, 10 Apr 2007 22:44:00 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On 10 Apr 2007 19:13:36 -0700, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

Perhaps if the contest rules were modified to eliminate that 40 knot
sprint the sport would be more affordable?

40 knots?

Those are the slow ones at the back of the pack.

ROTFL!!!

Got that right.

On 11 Apr 2007 03:18:03 -0700, "Tim" wrote:


You can't just consider the boat - you have to consider travel time
and the tow.

True, and I have. the travel 'n tow for me is about an hr and a half
one way (60mi) I can go to a smaller lake 40 mi (1 hr) or I can go
two hrs (90 mi )and hit the Ohio river, Car got approx 15 mpg while
towing,a nd the type of boating I did was with a 4-cyl 3.0 chevy and
we never used over 10 gal of gas at a time on a full day at the lake.

True, but you are dealing with a bigger, heavier boat with more
horsepower now.

And I would imagine that as a small business owner, you can write off
some of the costs with "petty cash" expenses.

~~ cough cough ~~

Not that you would do that. :)

~~ cough cough ~~

And I would imagine that as a small business owner, you can write off
some of the costs with "petty cash" expenses.

~~ cough cough ~~

Not that you would do that. :)

~~ cough cough ~~



Er ... well....

On Apr 11, 7:11 am, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:


True, but you are dealing with a bigger, heavier boat with more
horsepower now.



Yes, To and I haven't had any experience with baoting with it yet
this year.

it will hog the fuel much more, but then again not being cramped up
and a better riding craft will help make up for the extra fuel, I
trust.

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 10 Apr 2007 19:09:52 -0700, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

On Apr 10, 5:07?pm, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 10 Apr 2007 16:36:15 -0700, "Chuck Gould"

wrote:
ower boaters and bass boaters say gas prices would have to reach
$3.26 and $3.17 respectively before they would use their boats less
often. That's 50 cents more per gallon than they said last year.
Horse feathers.

I'm already hearing bass tournement types saying they are cutting back
on the number of tourneys they will be attending this year and will
only be doing local and state tourneys rather than out of state
tourneys.

And my club is starting a share a ride program for fishing this year
becaue of fuel prices.

Everybody will have a different individual perspective. I thought
perhaps the survey results would stir up discussion, and they
have. :-)

I don't have an enormous fuel bill, primarily because I only burn
about 2 gph.
As we begin considering options for our "retirement" boat (purchase is
still several years away) I have been wrestling with the prospect of
perhaps burning a lot more fuel at a future price of a lot more per
gallon.

I keep coming back around to this line of reasoning, (and I don't know
whether it makes any sense to people who are burning a lot of fuel-
because I can't say I've been there, done that):

When you've got maybe $100k- $150k invested in a walkaround fishboat
and outboard, or perhaps $200k -$1mm or more invested in a somewhat
larger cruising boat- would the fact that fuel costs increased from
(for example) $2500 for a summer to (for example) $5000 be sufficient
reason to curtail the use of the boat?

The old adage, "Fuel is the least expensive thing you will ever put
into a boat" may not be as true as it once was, but when all of the
other costs associated with boating are factored in it doesn't seem
like it should be a deal breaker in a lot of cases.

I understand your point and to an extent, agree with it. For those
who own boats of that class, it's probably true to some extent.

For the average schmuck, that just isn't true. It's a little tougher
to drop $150 bucks of gas in the family runabout on a weekend when it
costs you $150 bucks a week in gas to get the parents to work.

Maybe I'm over estimating, or under estimating, the ability of the
average boating consumer, but from what I'm hearing from my club
members and other sources, the average joe just ain't gonna use his
boat all that much.


Fortunately, I have three buddies who like to go fishing almost every
week, and are more than willing to kick in $20 each for gasoline. At 10
gallons an hour at cruising speed, that helps defray the fuel costs
considerably. Anyone who claims high fuel prices aren't going to put a
crimp in boating is smoking dope.

On Apr 11, 7:05 am, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 10 Apr 2007 19:09:52 -0700, "Chuck Gould"





wrote:
On Apr 10, 5:07?pm, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 10 Apr 2007 16:36:15 -0700, "Chuck Gould"

wrote:
ower boaters and bass boaters say gas prices would have to reach
$3.26 and $3.17 respectively before they would use their boats less
often. That's 50 cents more per gallon than they said last year.

Horse feathers.

I'm already hearing bass tournement types saying they are cutting back
on the number of tourneys they will be attending this year and will
only be doing local and state tourneys rather than out of state
tourneys.

And my club is starting a share a ride program for fishing this year
becaue of fuel prices.

Everybody will have a different individual perspective. I thought
perhaps the survey results would stir up discussion, and they
have. :-)

I don't have an enormous fuel bill, primarily because I only burn
about 2 gph.
As we begin considering options for our "retirement" boat (purchase is
still several years away) I have been wrestling with the prospect of
perhaps burning a lot more fuel at a future price of a lot more per
gallon.

I keep coming back around to this line of reasoning, (and I don't know
whether it makes any sense to people who are burning a lot of fuel-
because I can't say I've been there, done that):

When you've got maybe $100k- $150k invested in a walkaround fishboat
and outboard, or perhaps $200k -$1mm or more invested in a somewhat
larger cruising boat- would the fact that fuel costs increased from
(for example) $2500 for a summer to (for example) $5000 be sufficient
reason to curtail the use of the boat?

The old adage, "Fuel is the least expensive thing you will ever put
into a boat" may not be as true as it once was, but when all of the
other costs associated with boating are factored in it doesn't seem
like it should be a deal breaker in a lot of cases.

I understand your point and to an extent, agree with it. For those
who own boats of that class, it's probably true to some extent.

For the average schmuck, that just isn't true. It's a little tougher
to drop $150 bucks of gas in the family runabout on a weekend when it
costs you $150 bucks a week in gas to get the parents to work.

Maybe I'm over estimating, or under estimating, the ability of the
average boating consumer, but from what I'm hearing from my club
members and other sources, the average joe just ain't gonna use his
boat all that much.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yes, I know some people that have to commute some distances to work
and their fuel bill is enormous compared to ours. The wife works 7
mi. away from our home, and I work a 4 mi. distance.

Granted We're not avid boaters, but we went out at least 10 times
last year, which for our scheduling, was a goodly amount, and we'll
probably do the same this year.

If it looks like the big boat is going to take too much of a gulp out
of the wallet, well, there's always the little one to fall back on.

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On 10 Apr 2007 19:09:52 -0700, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

On Apr 10, 5:07?pm, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 10 Apr 2007 16:36:15 -0700, "Chuck Gould"

wrote:
ower boaters and bass boaters say gas prices would have to reach
$3.26 and $3.17 respectively before they would use their boats less
often. That's 50 cents more per gallon than they said last year.

Horse feathers.

I'm already hearing bass tournement types saying they are cutting back
on the number of tourneys they will be attending this year and will
only be doing local and state tourneys rather than out of state
tourneys.

And my club is starting a share a ride program for fishing this year
becaue of fuel prices.


Everybody will have a different individual perspective. I thought
perhaps the survey results would stir up discussion, and they
have. :-)

I don't have an enormous fuel bill, primarily because I only burn
about 2 gph.
As we begin considering options for our "retirement" boat (purchase is
still several years away) I have been wrestling with the prospect of
perhaps burning a lot more fuel at a future price of a lot more per
gallon.

I keep coming back around to this line of reasoning, (and I don't know
whether it makes any sense to people who are burning a lot of fuel-
because I can't say I've been there, done that):

When you've got maybe $100k- $150k invested in a walkaround fishboat
and outboard, or perhaps $200k -$1mm or more invested in a somewhat
larger cruising boat- would the fact that fuel costs increased from
(for example) $2500 for a summer to (for example) $5000 be sufficient
reason to curtail the use of the boat?

The old adage, "Fuel is the least expensive thing you will ever put
into a boat" may not be as true as it once was, but when all of the
other costs associated with boating are factored in it doesn't seem
like it should be a deal breaker in a lot of cases.

I understand your point and to an extent, agree with it. For those
who own boats of that class, it's probably true to some extent.

For the average schmuck, that just isn't true. It's a little tougher
to drop $150 bucks of gas in the family runabout on a weekend when it
costs you $150 bucks a week in gas to get the parents to work.

Maybe I'm over estimating, or under estimating, the ability of the
average boating consumer, but from what I'm hearing from my club
members and other sources, the average joe just ain't gonna use his
boat all that much.

Unless they have to tow a long ways, I doubt if the weekend trips are much
less for most people. They may use the boat a lot less at the lake while
burning gas, but lots here camp at the lake, and so they will do less skiing
and more anchored up drinking and swimming. But most of the people in the
San Francisco metro area, are not that far from lots of lakes.

On 10 Apr 2007 19:13:36 -0700, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

On Apr 10, 5:07?pm, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 10 Apr 2007 16:36:15 -0700, "Chuck Gould"

wrote:
ower boaters and bass boaters say gas prices would have to reach
$3.26 and $3.17 respectively before they would use their boats less
often. That's 50 cents more per gallon than they said last year.

Horse feathers.

I'm already hearing bass tournement types saying they are cutting back
on the number of tourneys they will be attending this year and will
only be doing local and state tourneys rather than out of state
tourneys.

And my club is starting a share a ride program for fishing this year
becaue of fuel prices.


Don't some of the bass competitions include some portion of the event
that is dependent upon speed? Something like everybody begins at a
single staring point and then races to get to the hot spots faster
than the competition? This might not be the case, but it's my
impression.

Perhaps if the contest rules were modified to eliminate that 40 knot
sprint the sport would be more affordable? (Just thinking out loud)

Plus, they have to be back at a certain time for the weigh in. They cut the
time back as short as possible to get that 'last' fish.
--
*****Have a Spectacular Day!*****

John H