BillR

Hey guys, help me out! *Why have a boat?*

It seems lately no-one wants to boat together any more! *Here it is *- basically 1/2 way through the summer and no one can make plans to get together and boat! These are folks that kids are out on their own, folks that have plenty of time and disposable income and folks that talk each winter about how they can't wait till boating season.*

This weekend in our neck of the woods is a big festival on the James River. Everyone talks about it for a year as a don't miss event. That event was this past Saturday, and virtually everyone in our area was planning on going.*
There were a bunch of great folks from Richmond........ And it was great to see them! But out of 15-25 boats planning on going from our local area, maybe 5 boats / groups made it! No reason as to why - most just didn't show. I understand things come up - ESP work, but to just not show???
There are 2 major poker runs in the area (one that I help put on) - the majority of local boaters don't attend!

I tried to get a group on my boat at my expense to go to lunch Sunday (granted at last minute) and no one would/could go. Heard - just gonna stay home; going to do dogs on the grill; got to clean the bilge; got to do some work, gonna go to pool, waiting to hear from XXX and see what he is doing; the kids want to stay home and so on.

Thus I am wondering - no one seems to want to boat anymore. Why have a boat, why put up with the expense and head aches?

Again, here it s 1/2 way thru summer; and the majority of local boaters / friends have yet to get together.*The rare time when a bunch can gather - it is a top notch time and everyone talks about the fun for days.*

What Is up? Fuel too much? Getting too old? Loss of interest? Too obsessed with maintenance (that was my problem till I bought a cheapo boat) or???????
Help me out - I do not understand.

t500hps

Kinda dealing with same thing Bill. Kids would rather ride the jetski or just jump/swim from our dock.....to the point I'm looking for another jetski to ride with my oldest (Yamaha 1200). I've also started taking driving lessons in a racecar and starting to debate diverting boating funds to that instead.......whether they want to go or not doesn't matter when your driving by yourself.

BTW: We were less than 5 miles from where you were sat...but with 3 boys staying away seemed like the better idea!!!

Pete280

maybe you just need to find new friends, I went to a friends pool today, gotta say with a little one a pool is a lot easier then a boat.

mikebrls

don't worry about them , go out and have fun on your own or with the family , once you raft up some where you will meet new people that are out having fun ,
that's the one thing i can say about boating most people are friendly .
it's always hard to make plan's , just go at your own pace and have fun

mike

TWIN-SPINS

what area are you talking about,,ie where do you do your boating???seems normal in southeast mich.

PokerRun388

Hey Bill, I think all the reasons you listed for NOT wanting to go boating are very true. I know myself and my family use many if not all those excuses many times throughout the summer... Boating's super fun, but it's alot of work too.

I know most of the time, my families boat is so clean, top to bottom, that I don't wanna have to clean it up again, so I make an excuse not to launch. LOL..

I think we have used our boat 5 times in the last 3 years. Basically just sits in an RV garage all year. Some of that was do to a family medical issue, but so far this year, basically just been too lazy to take it out. Boat hasn't been in the water one time. Sounds amazing, considering how much I love boats....

ImaPoser

For the last two years it's been work.
Last summer, it was work 100's of hours of OT to get job done. I told the boss I won't do that again this year during boating season. Instead, he decided to send my ass out of town for a month.

Unfortunately, now doesn't seem like the time to go toe to toe with the boss. We've already laid off 50% of our guys this year. I'll suck it up and hope to be back on the water before summer is over.

But as others have said, it just doesn't seem like the top priority for the family like it was a few years ago to be out on the lake. I'd sell the dang thing if I could get even close to a fair sale on it. Not gonna happen on a nearly new high dollar pontoon though.

Padraig

Why do you need other people to boat with?????

Expensive Date

Thats kinda were I'm at oldest is in college other 3 kids are almost 15,not really the wifes thing.I am fine with going out alone its fun to run with other guys but it seems to happen less and less.
What ticks me off is all winter customers and friends beg me to take them out but call and they always have an excuse.

RaggedEdge

You don't.

I think the point here is in the past it was pretty common for a group of like minded, in this case perf minded, boaters to get together and spend a day on the water. Little high speed fun, not WOT all day, but enough to get the juices going. Lately this seems to be missing. Could be the price of fuel, could be the times, but this deal is shrinking and becoming a little out of reach for many. I love this chit, and spend a lot of hours just dick chittin' around on the water. A little blast still makes me smile. I will admit it is not like it was just a few short years ago. It is more fun when you have a group.