Dave M

My boat is worth a VERY small percentage of my net worth.

My question is....Does your enjoyment factor go up with the cost of the boat? If I had a more expensive boat I'm not sure the enjoyment would really increase for me.

86scarabIII

If you are spending the time to justify it it probably isn't the right passtime for you. It is a completely unjustifiable obsession that is either worth it to you or it isn't. The payment is the cheapest part of boating. I think thats why you see so many 1-3 year old boats for sale because someone has justified the expense and after they got into it reallized that it was crazy. If you love it its worth it. And by the way you don't need a 200k boat to have fun on the water!

Interceptor

I feel sorry for the guys that have the huge horsepower boats and only get out occasionally due to work and seem to have most of the failures. Not sure I could enjoy that form of boating.

BowenCT

[QUOTE=Dave M;3095922]My boat is worth a VERY small percentage of my net worth./QUOTE]

The question wasn't what percentage did your boat cost compared to your net worth, it was what percentage did your boat cost compared to what you make in a year.

I would hope the cost of someones boat wasn't close to their net worth. That would be a little foolish.

gofastlvr

I'm on my fourth powerboat now and do I need a 42' boat with 1000HP blower motors?... Absofreakinlutly NOT!

Do I love to run poker runs and be out front of most everything that isn't a big cat? sure I do!

I love running fast in water that smaller boats can't. As it stands now I enjoy it enough to keep making the payments and putting fuel in her just about every weekend by the 100's of gallons.

Now if you are a boater that puts the boat in the water and runs a couple miles, rafts up all day, swims around then goes back and puts it on the trailer.. then maybe a more expensive boat isn't for you, but there are many that are just like me that are fortunate enough to run around in the boat of our dreams all the time. If you are trying to decide to buy a boat like that with your head or your wallet you are barking up the wrong tree. You have to love it to do it... and especially pay for it!

Dave M

[QUOTE=BowenCT;3096184]OK, I can buy a fleet of my boats with my yearly income.

Oh, and if you've been watching the news lately, there are tons of people who are slightly over-extended financially.

omerta one

I spent most all my money on boats, booze and broads...the rest I just wasted.

Frequency

I got married before I started boating. Any advice on how to get more of item #3 while staying married?

omerta one

Its the same thing, just don't let her know you think of her in those terms.

debcod2

A couple of phrases that come to mind are:

BOAT= Break Out Another Thousand

The happiest days of owning a boat are the day you buy it, the day you sell it and the day your deadbeat buddies buy their own boat!

Seriously though, boats are not for everyone. If you are worried about what the fuel milage is or what it will cost down to the dime every year to run, insure, etc then I would say this probably isnt the best hobby to get into.

But if you love the sport and being on the water with your family and some of the best friends you will ever have then I say go for it and get what you want as long as you still can live within your means.

We only go around once in this lifetime and I am not waiting til I am 80 to enjoy it!

good luck to all the peeps wanting to buy a boat and remember, 2 footitis is a *****! I am on my fourth boat and pretty much know what the next one will be already.