We have been talking about starting a run up here again

After looking at the variation in salaries in the areas and knowing what real estate/housing asking prices are in several of the cities, I feel strongly that they are not adjusted for living costs.

Let's just say it's all about money. I'm 24 yrs old and I have 2 boats. And only one is water worthy. Let's just say I'm self employed and at my age I'm still living pay check to pay check when it comes to boating.

I spent over 5k in fuel last yr at 135 hrs of run time on my boat. It adds up quick.

Also I just pulled motors to rebuilt on my PQ and there 3k a peace to rebuild.

My big block for my 24ft was almost 12k. 3 yrs ago to rebuild.
So can u emagin being single and working for company only making $15 an hr won't be enough to go boating all that much.

I would also disagree with #2, I have a few older friends, and quite frankly, they are almost more fun to hang out with than some people in their 20-30s.

A. They have miney and don't mooch
B. They can party all night long, and then some
C. They have cool boats. I only have one friend with a boat, and he fishes all the time, not much partying at the islands.

My bad J, forgot you had a boat. When are you moving back? Maybe by 2018 I'll have a boat that floats!

Hah, no biggie.. I agree with ya on the comment above.

As for moving back. We are seriously thinking about it. I am looking to make some traction come spring/summer. We got #2 on the way so kinda have to wait a little. Going to use the winter time to update the resume and make some contacts.

As for the original question of the thread, I would say....
1.Money
2. Practicality
3. Entry level boat

I just got to jump onto this one. I owned a boat since I was 17, and always had one since. The older I get the faster I go.. and the faster my boats got, and the younger I feel. As far as friends.. lol How many of your (or mine) friends in the 20's 30's would let you borrow their car? let alone friends I see half a doz times a year, willing to give me their lock codes for their yard/shop full of boats and just say bring your boat, store it work on it any time? or just drop pretty much everything to help you fix something or offer their boat for a weekend? I would allow many to take mine. I trust these 50+ year ole' buds more than my 20's -30's long gone friends. (except my best friend we know each other since collage) How many friends in 20-30 would offer your outdrive for an event if his is shot? Friends only get better with age.
For the younger gen and boating, performance that is, yes $ is one, but the "generation gap" and the video games are close second. You not "only young once" you as young as you feel as long as you live, and offshore boating surely keeps me young. ( and broke lmao )

Work hard, play hard! thats how ya do it!!

just wanted to say about the marine business overall. One is the engines are becoming so technology advance that your do it yourselfer is going to be lost nor has the proper tools to fix them. It is expensive buy in these days to buy marine related tools for every engine app or even the popular ones. The end user is going to NEED the advance marine tech to fix and work on his app. If the end user can not get his app properly fixed and or in a timely manner his perception is the product he bought is junk and pretty much non usable plus will never buy that product (boat / engine again). The Marine OEM's are starting to look deeply into how do we fix this and how do we prevent this.

Next is the marine OEM's engine manu's and the OEM dealers are having problems with the current pool of techs to replace the aging techs of today. the aging techs are stepping down plus its getting harder to have access to work on these darn boats because of the way they are laid out. Aging techs can not bend like they use to. Another reason to retire.

The younger generation is not interested in learning this field nor becoming an advance tech. They, OEM's in the past have not look at this deeply until now. There is going to be a real shortage of very good marine techs coming up here soon. You can not take the aging tech that is retiring and replace him with another aging tech. Will not work so the OEM's are struggling with how to find and or get trained the younger generation to professionally work on boats correctly and keep focused in that field for years down the road. It is going to be a huge problem. They younger crowd is not interested plus somewhat lack the mechanical skills of the past generations.

More info on this down the road soon.
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As a younger worker looking to be a mechanic I would think learning the "hybrid car" trade would be way way more viable than fixing boats as far as future career viability....