Deans posts keep me from becoming a disillusioned, life sucks, democrat. The economy and gas prices are hurting me, but I could put more effort into changing that if I chose to.
Life's too short to look on the bad side all the time.

Speaking of the bad side, my membership dues are due. I can't get to the good stuff!

He says you are a drunken womanizer. ;)

I don't even worry about gas prices, that's just part of the boat owning package. Just fill and pass the cash :)

I imagine that there is alot more pain in the boating industry before it gets any better as the article states "the boating industry is the last to come back"...

I work hard all year to enjoy the boating season and the price of gas is just part of the game. If I were in an industry that was fuel dependent, I would be singing a different tune...

In a sick and twisted way, the benefits of high fuel prices equate to fewer people on the water (less crowded) and I consider that a good thing as non-experiened boaters (dangerous) tend to stay away...of course, services on the water tend to dry up as well so it is double edged...

When I got into boating (with passion) the very first thing I did was make friends with the guy that owns the marina. Lucky for me he is a great guy and has helped me out in a jam on many ocassions and lets me know before his gas price tics up so I can load up.:D

[QUOTE=PT-109;2511940]Positive is love of boating:The marine stuff is new technogically and better fuel wise so new boats will still sell when market comes back $3.50 a gallon or $4.50 a gallon who cares:circle::violent-smiley-045::

You said it all right there BIG Daddy , Positive is love of boating :cool-smiley-011: Break out the cash & Fill her up and have fun:D
ROCK ON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!

Something that needs to be considered is the volume of boats that are owned in the rust belt region.
Michigan is #2 in the nation with 944,800 registered boats
Ohio has 414,900 registered boat.
Illinois, New York also have high numbers.
These also are states that have high unemployment, some are deep in the realestate foreclosure mess and it has to have a significant impact on boat and boat related product sales.
ed

I wish that I could say that fuel prices will not effect the way that I drive/boat. It has. I just saw an artical today that in Boston people are riding the T (mass transit) much more then in the past. Up 10% in fact or over a million riders a year over normal. I think that people are with out a doubt finally changing their habits. Unfortunately I do not think this will effect the price of gas any. Others over bought/barrowed and now everyone is going to feel the crunch. What do we get rid of when stuff like that happens..... things like boats.

A lot of canadians are buying boats in Mich and taking them back home because of the weak dollar and depressed Michigan market. Add low rates and it's a trifecta.
Buying power, low prices, low rates.

Audiofn,

You're absolutely right. Fuel consumption rates are down across the board (we finally seem to have hit the price point in the gasoline "demand" cycle where we are taking "less") and fuel prices have continued to rise. Oil company profits are at record highs. That is neither a liberal nor conservative statement.

Nor was the AP article, at least as I read it. The marine industry, from entry level to megayacht, is hurting. Bad. Ask around.

I'm not saying it's doomed (it's certainly been bad before, though some builders are saying it's the worst they've seen since the "fuel shortage" of the 1970s). The article didn't say it was doomed, either, just "struggling." That's, too, is a fact.

But don't believe me. Call your favorite boat builder, even one who says he's doing well (which means he has lots of overseas business) Call your marina.

Look, it's one thing to say you're sick of bad news. Who isn't? But to be informed, especially about something we all love, is to know the good and the bad and deal with it. You can still be an optimist. Just an informed one.

That's not liberal or conversative (and by the way, the Associated Press could hardly be called liberal ... that's just talk radio silliness). It's just the way things are.

Local trailer co. around me is now working with a skeleton crew. All but a hand few have been laid off.

Boating community is least of all the concerns for this country now. Most look at boats as just expensive toys.