Boats for the middle class.....
 

On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 17:28:14 -0500, Gene Kearns
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:27:26 -0500, HK penned the following well
considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

"With a little bit of budgeting, it would seem reasonable that most
families could justify spending 6-month's income on a used boat or
perhaps a year's income on a new one."


Only if they are insane.

In 2006, the median annual household income according to the US Census
Bureau was determined to be $48,201.00.

Maybe a 245 Bayliner Cruiser for 50K?

Maybe 3 families could go together and buy a 28' Mako.... 106K on sale
at Bass Pro....


Nah.........

Yes, but what was the mean?
--
John H

Boats for the middle class.....
 

On Nov 27, 11:43 am, Wayne.B wrote:
On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:27:26 -0500, HK wrote:

Only if they are insane.

What's a good pilot house Parker with twin OBs selling for these days?

retail or salvage?

Boats for the middle class.....
 

On Nov 27, 2:28�pm, Gene Kearns
wrote:
On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:27:26 -0500, HK penned the following well
considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

"With a little bit of budgeting, it would seem reasonable that most
families could justify spending 6-month's income on a used boat or
perhaps a year's income on a new one."

Only if they are insane.

In 2006, the median annual household income according to the US Census
Bureau was determined to be $48,201.00.

Maybe a 245 Bayliner Cruiser for 50K?

Maybe 3 families could go together and buy a 28' Mako.... 106K on sale
at Bass Pro....

Nah.........

--

Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Oak Island, NC.

Homepagehttp://pamandgene.idleplay.net/� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguidehttp://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats� � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

I suspect that if we further qualified beyond just "median household
income for Americans" to "median household income for Americans likely
to purchase a boat of any kind" the number would go up.

That 40-some thousand figure includes tens of millions of retirees,
and some of them rather nicely on assets rather than income. "Income"
might be limited to $3000 a month in social security payments, but if
that can be supplemented with another few thousand from savings, muni
bonds, a "reverse mortgage" etc they are living a lot better than a
family where two wage earners are grossing $9 an hour each.

The low figure also includes students working part time, as well as
all the burger-flippers, hotel maids, and other workers who are
literally "subsisting" rather than earning a living wage.

Boats for the middle class.....
 

Chuck Gould wrote:
On Nov 27, 2:28�pm, Gene Kearns
wrote:
On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:27:26 -0500, HK penned the following well
considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

"With a little bit of budgeting, it would seem reasonable that most
families could justify spending 6-month's income on a used boat or
perhaps a year's income on a new one."
Only if they are insane.
In 2006, the median annual household income according to the US Census
Bureau was determined to be $48,201.00.

Maybe a 245 Bayliner Cruiser for 50K?

Maybe 3 families could go together and buy a 28' Mako.... 106K on sale
at Bass Pro....

Nah.........

--

Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Oak Island, NC.

Homepagehttp://pamandgene.idleplay.net/� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguidehttp://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats� � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

I suspect that if we further qualified beyond just "median household
income for Americans" to "median household income for Americans likely
to purchase a boat of any kind" the number would go up.

That 40-some thousand figure includes tens of millions of retirees,
and some of them rather nicely on assets rather than income. "Income"
might be limited to $3000 a month in social security payments, but if
that can be supplemented with another few thousand from savings, muni
bonds, a "reverse mortgage" etc they are living a lot better than a
family where two wage earners are grossing $9 an hour each.

The low figure also includes students working part time, as well as
all the burger-flippers, hotel maids, and other workers who are
literally "subsisting" rather than earning a living wage.


With fuel at the boat dock heading towards $4.00 a gallon, I don't see a
great future for boats in the mid to upper "fuel burn" ranges.

Boats for the middle class.....
 

On Nov 27, 4:57Â*pm, HK wrote:
Chuck Gould wrote:
On Nov 27, 2:28�pm, Gene Kearns
wrote:
On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:27:26 -0500, HK penned the following well
considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

"With a little bit of budgeting, it would seem reasonable that most
families could justify spending 6-month's income on a used boat or
perhaps a year's income on a new one."
Only if they are insane.
In 2006, the median annual household income according to the US Census
Bureau was determined to be $48,201.00.

Maybe a 245 Bayliner Cruiser for 50K?

Maybe 3 families could go together and buy a 28' Mako.... 106K on sale
at Bass Pro....

Nah.........

--

Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Oak Island, NC.

Homepagehttp://pamandgene.idleplay.net/�� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguidehttp://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats�� � � � � � � � � � � � � �

I suspect that if we further qualified beyond just "median household
income for Americans" to "median household income for Americans likely
to purchase a boat of any kind" the number would go up.

That 40-some thousand figure includes tens of millions of retirees,
and some of them rather nicely on assets rather than income. "Income"
might be limited to $3000 a month in social security payments, but if
that can be supplemented with another few thousand from savings, muni
bonds, a "reverse mortgage" etc they are living a lot better than a
family where two wage earners are grossing $9 an hour each.

The low figure also includes students working part time, as well as
all the burger-flippers, hotel maids, and other workers who are
literally "subsisting" rather than earning a living wage.

With fuel at the boat dock heading towards $4.00 a gallon, I don't see a
great future for boats in the mid to upper "fuel burn" ranges.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I'd say the twin big-block gas boat is probably done, or nearly so.
Agreed. At these big dollars for fuel, the old bromide "You'll never
save enough in fuel to offset the cost of a diesel engine" is now even
less true than it used to be.

The cost of fuel is more likely to deter new people from taking up the
sport than keep existing boaters off the water. Folks who don't have a
boat now probably imagine that fuel is a relatively major expediture
in the overall scheme of owning a powerboat. Those of us who already
boat know that fuel can be a significant number, but in the grand
scheme of things it is often far from the largest boating related
expense.

Boats for the middle class.....
 

Chuck Gould wrote:
On Nov 27, 4:57 pm, HK wrote:
Chuck Gould wrote:
On Nov 27, 2:28�pm, Gene Kearns
wrote:
On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:27:26 -0500, HK penned the following well
considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:
"With a little bit of budgeting, it would seem reasonable that most
families could justify spending 6-month's income on a used boat or
perhaps a year's income on a new one."
Only if they are insane.
In 2006, the median annual household income according to the US Census
Bureau was determined to be $48,201.00.
Maybe a 245 Bayliner Cruiser for 50K?
Maybe 3 families could go together and buy a 28' Mako.... 106K on sale
at Bass Pro....
Nah.........
--
Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Oak Island, NC.
Homepagehttp://pamandgene.idleplay.net/�� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguidehttp://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats�� � � � � � � � � � � � � �
I suspect that if we further qualified beyond just "median household
income for Americans" to "median household income for Americans likely
to purchase a boat of any kind" the number would go up.
That 40-some thousand figure includes tens of millions of retirees,
and some of them rather nicely on assets rather than income. "Income"
might be limited to $3000 a month in social security payments, but if
that can be supplemented with another few thousand from savings, muni
bonds, a "reverse mortgage" etc they are living a lot better than a
family where two wage earners are grossing $9 an hour each.
The low figure also includes students working part time, as well as
all the burger-flippers, hotel maids, and other workers who are
literally "subsisting" rather than earning a living wage.
With fuel at the boat dock heading towards $4.00 a gallon, I don't see a
great future for boats in the mid to upper "fuel burn" ranges.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I'd say the twin big-block gas boat is probably done, or nearly so.
Agreed. At these big dollars for fuel, the old bromide "You'll never
save enough in fuel to offset the cost of a diesel engine" is now even
less true than it used to be.

The cost of fuel is more likely to deter new people from taking up the
sport than keep existing boaters off the water. Folks who don't have a
boat now probably imagine that fuel is a relatively major expediture
in the overall scheme of owning a powerboat. Those of us who already
boat know that fuel can be a significant number, but in the grand
scheme of things it is often far from the largest boating related
expense.



Speaking of cost, the guy who shrinkwrapped Yo Ho for me did the job for
a little more than half what the dealer charges. He did a fine job. Cost
me $165 instead of $300.

Boats for the middle class.....
 

"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
...
On Nov 27, 4:57 pm, HK wrote:
Chuck Gould wrote:
On Nov 27, 2:28?pm, Gene Kearns
wrote:
On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:27:26 -0500, HK penned the following well
considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

"With a little bit of budgeting, it would seem reasonable that most
families could justify spending 6-month's income on a used boat or
perhaps a year's income on a new one."
Only if they are insane.
In 2006, the median annual household income according to the US Census
Bureau was determined to be $48,201.00.

Maybe a 245 Bayliner Cruiser for 50K?

Maybe 3 families could go together and buy a 28' Mako.... 106K on sale
at Bass Pro....

Nah.........

--

Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Oak Island, NC.

Homepagehttp://pamandgene.idleplay.net/?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ?

Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's
Bayguidehttp://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
?

I suspect that if we further qualified beyond just "median household
income for Americans" to "median household income for Americans likely
to purchase a boat of any kind" the number would go up.

That 40-some thousand figure includes tens of millions of retirees,
and some of them rather nicely on assets rather than income. "Income"
might be limited to $3000 a month in social security payments, but if
that can be supplemented with another few thousand from savings, muni
bonds, a "reverse mortgage" etc they are living a lot better than a
family where two wage earners are grossing $9 an hour each.

The low figure also includes students working part time, as well as
all the burger-flippers, hotel maids, and other workers who are
literally "subsisting" rather than earning a living wage.

With fuel at the boat dock heading towards $4.00 a gallon, I don't see a
great future for boats in the mid to upper "fuel burn" ranges.- Hide
quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I'd say the twin big-block gas boat is probably done, or nearly so.
Agreed. At these big dollars for fuel, the old bromide "You'll never
save enough in fuel to offset the cost of a diesel engine" is now even
less true than it used to be.

The cost of fuel is more likely to deter new people from taking up the
sport than keep existing boaters off the water. Folks who don't have a
boat now probably imagine that fuel is a relatively major expediture
in the overall scheme of owning a powerboat. Those of us who already
boat know that fuel can be a significant number, but in the grand
scheme of things it is often far from the largest boating related
expense.

For a lot of boats it is a major part of the expense. Those $35k-50K
tourny skiboats are going to burn a couple of hundred bucks of gas a
weekend, and maybe a day. These boats are owned by a lot of the 20
somethings that may be able to afford the bucks for gas. But when you are
spending $3-500 a weekend for fuel, that is coming close to the payments on
the boat. And of the skiers hit it 10 weekends a year, that $3-5000 will be
at least 50% of the boating costs, plus add in the beer and food, as well as
tow costs. Only the upper level blue and white collar workers are going to
be able to afford this type boating. The 20% or so of the boaters in the
country, the fuel costs of getting the fishing hole with the 12-16' fishing
boat is going to be 10-20x the fuel costs for a day of fishing. And with a
median income of $42k, that means there are a vast majority of the people
that can not afford the ski and offshore boats. There at percentage wise,
not that many people making $300k a year, and how many of those want to
boat? They may be more likely to buy an RV or fly to a destination resort.

Boats for the middle class.....
 

Boats for the middle class.....
 

HK wrote:



Speaking of cost, the guy who shrinkwrapped Yo Ho for me did the job for
a little more than half what the dealer charges. He did a fine job. Cost
me $165 instead of $300.

Of course, he didn't have any overhead. In the past you always promoted
the concept of paying the extra money to the dealer. What happened?

Boats for the middle class.....
 

Reginald P. Smithers III wrote:
HK wrote:



Speaking of cost, the guy who shrinkwrapped Yo Ho for me did the job
for a little more than half what the dealer charges. He did a fine
job. Cost me $165 instead of $300.

Of course, he didn't have any overhead. In the past you always promoted
the concept of paying the extra money to the dealer. What happened?





Of course he has overhead, crap-for-brains.

I don't mind paying the dealer for the mechanical expertise and parts
inventory he must carry, but activities such as "detailing" and
shrinkwrapping don't require either, and I see no reason to pay dealer
prices for them.

If you had a boat, you'd understand. But, of course, you don't.