If you are new to this game like I am, let me give you some real world numbers.

Boat price - doesn't matter that much in the long run
Insurance - $12,000
New lift - $30,000
Minor upgrades (throttles with trim, widen seats, touch up paint) $7,000
Engines freshened - $23,000
Fuel $4.50-$9/ gallon. Not hard to burn 400 gallons a weekend.

So this was a bit of an eye opener to me. I have owned an airplane and I think this might end up costing more to own.

Would I do it all over again? - ABSOLUTELY!!

[QUOTE=Orthobam;3809464]If you are new to this game like I am, let me give you some real world numbers.

Boat price - doesn't matter that much in the long run
Insurance - $12,000
New lift - $30,000
Minor upgrades (throttles with trim, widen seats, touch up paint) $7,000
Engines freshened - $23,000
Fuel $4.50-$9/ gallon. Not hard to burn 400 gallons a weekend.

So this was a bit of an eye opener to me. I have owned an airplane and I think this might end up costing more to own.



Yes, Insurance, fuel and the rebuilt engines.... what a crazy hobby we choose. Yes I am new to the game, but I done a lot of research and agree with you fully.

[QUOTE=dayton1;3809515]
+1, and +2 Insurance is the killer, that is one reason you don't see many cats around as pleasure boats, especially the larger ones.

Good numbers there to go by. I would add that you really need to look at the engine package on any boat that you look at. If you go with something like a 1100-1300 Sterling, those fuel averages might work but 400 gals is still a very long weekend. If you go with one of the Merc packages, you are going to run close to the same speeds and probably never burn that much fuel and it is alot cheaper to buy pump gas.
I have ran 1075's for the last few yrs and you will average almost 1gal/mile. Even when I used the boat alot i never ran out one tank of 270 gal in one weekend. Usually more like three weekends. I could do the whole Key West run on one tank including playing around in KW, just not the return trip.
I know this may sound trivial, but fuel can easily be your biggest expense, and if you can cut that in half it really helps make the sport more fun.

yep. I agree with you. Both boats Im looking at have 1075 mercs. I have that much narrowed down, I just need to decide in the long boat 44 or the 36. Can a 44 foot boat be pleasure? It looks like you have a 44 footer, what is your opinion on length if it will be used for both Lake and bay/offshore.

OK the 400 gallons was a guess. I haven't got to run my boat a full weekend yet. I did ride in a 46 Skater with 1500 Sterlings and he went through 150 gallons in a day running hard. Now my 1150s on 93 not running crazy might be a whole different story. Fuel expense is still no joke!

Now wait, you talking about a 43 super cat or a 44 roadster? Two different boats. The 44 will be newer, updated and I do believe handle Better than the 43. I do t know if Terry is watching this thread but he (or anyone else at NT) can get into the specific differences on the boats. But I assure you, they're different in other ways than just 1'.

Yes it is, an expensive one at that. I'm not saying you can't run through that much, especially with the big sterlings. But it is still ALOT of boating. And when you multiply it by the price difference 91oct vs 116oct. the Money can get really big.
46 Skater with 1300's, 400gal x $12gal=$4800/weekend.
xyz boat with 1075's, 200gal X $4/gal=$800/weekend.
These are just round numbers, but you see the point. If you use the boat every other weekend the fuel becames the biggest expense.

I am talking of 4300, the name is cat' astrophe.

That boat was on my list when I was looking. PM me and I'll tell ya what I know.