Who will Buy the Boats?

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Actually, this is incorrect. If the seller thinks it's worth $100 and the buyer only offers $50, the seller won't sell. Eventually someone may give ground (more likely both) but there is no guarantee it will be the seller who gives ground. If it's really worth it, the buyer will eventually pay the price.

The problem with boats is these are not rational buyers and sellers. These are people who have bought into a dream and that often leads to stupid financial choices that otherwise financial smart people would never take.

I think that's just what I said; sometimes they agree on a price and sometimes they don't. Sometimes the seller discovers his asking price is getting no buyers and lowers his price, and sometimes the buyer decides he wants it bad enough to bid higher.

And "not rational buyers...." is not limited to the boat market. Think real estate in the 2003 to 2008 period, think the stock market in that same period as well as in the late 1990's and the tech bubble in the 1980's. Remember "Irrational Exuberance"?

The best advice I ever got on the market is from a guy I never met.

"Buy low, sell high". - Bernard Baruch

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by rbyham

While boat ownership will never be cheap I think a major if not the major factor that limits those wishing to jump in is slip rental. Many can make the initial investment and more can handle the maintenance bill via diy, but that monthly nut piled on top unless you are liveaboard is a tough one to get over. Not sure what the solution is but once you go wet slip you can never go back to trailering.

Slip rental is why I ended up with a 38', Where I am at you rent a 50' slip, they don't care if you put a row boat in it, price is the same.
A boat small enough to trailer is too small for us to stay in, if you have to pay slip rent anyway, may as well get something big enough to be comfortable in.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

My guess is the calculation is incorrect or he had one heck of a lead foot.

I get better than 8mpg with my 4door, long bed 4x4 F250 with the V-10...


Of course that's pulling a 28' 5th wheel (9-10mpg typically with 15mpg just driving around town)

I would've thought that too but as I was ready to turn the truck in I pumped 5gals in thinking that it was more than enough for 80miles of driving. The gas gauge needle was way short of my goal - where it was when I picked it up. I kept putting 1 gal at a time (just so I don't give U-haul any presents) and stopped when the needle matched my goal. It was 8.5 gal. That comes out to 9.4mpg. Either that or U-haul got a major scam going with their gas gauges.

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

Either that or U-haul got a major scam going with their gas gauges.

Wouldn't surprise me. Ten years ago I rented a BIG truck from uhaul. I filled it up to overflowing 5 blocks from their yard, then turned it in. While I'm in the office checking out a guy comes in and tells me I didnt fill the tank. I show him my gas receipt. He shows me the gas guage indicating below full.

Fortunately the truck had saddle tanks. I opened one, stuck my finger in, and showed him it was full. I just said "your guage is broke" and went back to the office.

[Rhapsody-NS27]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Still, I would have thought that the average person when faced with a >$100 per fill up, would have decided to drive something that got a little better mileage, but they haven't.

Costs are still a little high. I have a Silverado 2500 with diesel engine that I bought so I could get a boat I can tow. When I got it in 2012, it cost around $145 to fill up from empty. Now, it's around $110-115. Thankfully, I still have a VW car that's better on mileage while I keep using the truck just for the boat. Thankfully, it has good mileage on the highway.

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I don't care what the politicians say, it cost a lot more to live today than ten years ago, but I do not believe incomes are keeping up.

I can agree with this. That would likely be why people are protesting trying to get a higher minimum wage. Personally, I think that's too much of a jump and some people may not even deserve what they're getting as it is. (I could probably go on, but not going to here)
Regarding the thread itself, I wouldn't mind getting additional boats to work on, refurbish or even to use for renting out. But then there's all the other costs involved like yard storage, insurance, upkeep, registrations, etc., that will eat into ones boat fund. While people may dream of getting a boat, all the other costs might cause people to rethink the idea. (those doing it as just a hobby)