What will you spend on fuel in 2008?

How much will you spend on fuel for your boat in 2008?

  • Under $1,000

    Votes: 74 15.6%

  • $1,000 - $5,000

    Votes: 291 61.3%

  • $5,000 - $10,000

    Votes: 83 17.5%

  • $10,000 - $20,000

    Votes: 22 4.6%

  • Over $20,000

    Votes: 5 1.1%
  • Total voters
    475
This thread makes me sick to think about it. Last year I put on roughly 400 hrs between all three boats but doesnt include the jet skis. Now with a bigger boat and more places to go, maybe I should get a higher limit on the credit card or some of those "good" friends :smt013 SB
 
I am saddened to report that 3 trips 30 miles offshore to fish in the past 2 weeks have yielded nohting but a fuel bill over $1,800.

The consolation was the time I had to spend with my Brother, who is down from Michigan. Unfortunately he feels like we were fishing the Dead Sea.

We'll likely run 400 +/- hours this year. The only change we're making is cancelling the idea of a run around the state and across to Bimini in early Summer (we can fly and rent a crewed yacht cheaper!!!). We'll probably still make the Tampa to Key West run we have planned.
 
Man-law says you don't have to count the fuel you use while fishing. Also, if you have a sports event playing on the sat TV, beer, and a couple of friends, you get a fuel credit towards cruising...
 
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Four Suns said:
Man-law says you don't have to count the fuel you use while fishing. Also, if you have a sports event playing on the sat TV, beer, and a couple of friends, you get a fuel credit towards cruising...
Click to expand...

Does that work? Have you gotten a deduction when you tell the fueling attendant that of the total fuel pumped, 300 gallons don't count because of "man-law?"

Best regards,
Frank
 
fc3 said:
Does that work? Have you gotten a deduction when you tell the fueling attendant that of the total fuel pumped, 300 gallons don't count because of "man-law?"
Click to expand...

No no no... I didn't explain well enough. So if you spend 300 gallons of fuel on a Sunday afternoon fishing with the guys and then spend 700 gallons cruising to Manteo, NC with the wife few weeks later, you can say "Damn honey..... It took 1000 gallons of fuel to spend the weekend together but it's worth it... I love you..."

As an extension to this man-law, it also allows you to then explain to the wife how fishing saves money so she doesn't have to pay those high prices at the super market. Kinda that "us men were out risking our lives to put food on the table" thing.
 
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Boy, and I was getting ripped on for getting a jet ski that uses a lot of gas. I feel for you guys with tanks holding hundreds of gallons.

Boating within your means is just like buying a home within your means. If you buy a huge house you can't afford to put furniture in, there is a problem. Just like if you buy a huge boat and can't afford to put gas in it.

The increased costs suck. But, I won't let it stand in the way of having another awesome time out on the water. :)

PS: Even in sport boats where we spend a couple hundred bucks at each fill up, the "nice friends" that offer too little money tend to offend me more than help out. I'd rather they not even offer.
 
There's talk of $200 a barrel for oil...now what will that do to our estimated fuel consumption??

Bottomline is that as we work to get our economy back on track and strengthen the dollar's value...we'll get through this rough patch and get back to enjoying boating..



Copyright 2008, CNBC.COM

OPEC President Chakib Khelil does not rule out oil prices reaching $200 a barrel, even though supply is adequate, because the market is driven by the dollar's slide, Algerian government newspaper El Moudjahid reported on Monday.

"Questioned about a possible rise which would go to $200, the minister did not rule out this eventuality, explaining that this rise is indexed from now on to the fall in the dollar or to the rise in the dollar," El Moudjahid reported.

"In terms of fundamentals, stocks are high, demand is easing, supply is satisfactory. Therefore normally, without geo-political problems and the fall of the dollar, the prices of oil would not be at this level," he was quoted as saying.

Khelil, a former World Bank official, is also Algeria's Minister of Energy and Mines.

He added: "The prices are high due to the fact of the recession in the United Sattes and the economic crisis which has touched several countries, a situation which has an effect on the devaluation of the dollar, and therefore each time the dollar falls one percent, the price of the barrel rises by $4, and of course vice versa," he was quoted as saying in brief remarks to journalists on Sunday.

He added that: "If this (the dollar) strengthens by 10 percent, it is probable that (oil) prices will fall by 40 percent."

If the U.S. economic situation improved from now to the end of the year "that would help the market to stabilize."

"But I don't think that an increase in production would help lower prices, because there is a balance between supply and demand and the stocks of gasoline in the United States have recorded a surplus and are at their highest level for five years."

The independent El Watan newspaper reported Khelil as saying that if the dollar's value on currency markets stayed as it was at present, then oil prices would be expected to remain at between $80 and $110 a barrel.
 
This poll did hurt - but I only have a 100 gallon tank to worry about. I agree with a previous post - available time will be more limiting than the actual gas prices. I didn't buy this thing to save money but to have fun with family and friends.

Of course... maybe a bigger motor on the Boston Whaler so the kids can tube behind that instead of the 270.....hmmmm....
 
There has been a few comments about friends putting up a $20 while you fill up. I have come to find out that 99% of non-boat owners have zero clue what it takes to fuel our boats. They all seem to equate fuel consumption in a boat to fuel consumption in a car. They don't seem to realize that fuel consumption is in GPH, not MPG. These are generally well meaning offerings so I don't get too offended.

The education generally comes when the friend offers to fill the boat and I respond by telling him/her not to worry about it. That I would have gone out and burned the fuel anyway, but why don't you pick up the consumables - beer and food. At this point I either get a "Yeah, that's cool" or a further attempt to help fuel the boat. The further attempt is generally the guy who thinks in the MPG mindset and believes he will get a better deal by fueling the boat. If I wasn't such a nice guy I would take him up on it. Instead, I educate him on fuel consumption. The look of complete and utter shock is quite humerous. There generally is a little more respect for going on the water.

I'll be under five grand. We spend most of our time hitting the barrier islands with an occasional long trip. There won't be much change in our usage this year over last year. Its vacation time every weekend.
 
It doesnt make me feel any better.

If we see 200.00 a barrel, I would imagine seeing civil unrest, including looting fuel.
Maybe even some riots like we saw in the early eighties in miami and nyc.

Why not?
 
I hear you all on "not looking at the consumption".

For me, it takes an average of 45 minutes to get to the fuel dock at full cruise. The trip back home takes 5 minutes at idle speed, since the fuel dock is only a few hundred yards from the house.

- - - - - - - - -

Why would anyone think there will be riots at $200 / barrel?

There is no shortage of people who think that rise in oil prices from $30 to $110+/barrel over a few years is perfectly justifiable considering the price of water at football stadiums and the price of oil in 1967. And there are no shortage of people on the other end of the spectrum that think fuel costs to the consumer need to double in order to further promote conservation. No. . .I don't see riots anytime soon.
 
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I staying close to home because of fuel. I usually put 100 hours a year on my 320. Not this year. I am glad to have the 130 sport whaler.
 
when I took my dad on a boating vacation last year, I had to stop to fill up and he insisted that he buy the fuel. I said "no, it's on me. You can buy dinner". Still he insisted so I said "Ok, here's the hose. Stop when you feel like you are going to faint, I'm going to go get some ice". I came back and he was sitting on the boat, pump read $200. "Dad, that's not going to even get us to where we are going". he looked a little white.
 
The Quad Cities to Lake Pepin roundtrip vacation (Upper Mississippi) that cost me $900 in fuel two years ago will cost me $1300 this year. Still, it's worth it. Otherwise, I expect we'll spend less time cruising and more on the hook.

The government tax refund / loan from my grandchildren check will go to pay oil speculators. That's the sum of it.

Dennis
 
TurtleTone said:
when I took my dad on a boating vacation last year, I had to stop to fill up and he insisted that he buy the fuel. I said "no, it's on me. You can buy dinner". Still he insisted so I said "Ok, here's the hose. Stop when you feel like you are going to faint, I'm going to go get some ice". I came back and he was sitting on the boat, pump read $200. "Dad, that's not going to even get us to where we are going". he looked a little white.
Click to expand...

That's funny. Try hooking up to 2 diesel pumps, setting them on full bore, and then taking a family of 4 to lunch. After lunch and a drink or so, you can go back in time watch the last few gallons going in. The attendant will be smiling. :smt100
 
"There is no shortage of people who think that rise in oil prices from $30 to $110+/barrel over a few years is perfectly justifiable"

You mean Wall street? Or investors profiting on the backs of middleclass America. Financing the retirements of the rich.


"considering the price of water at football stadiums and the price of oil in 1967."

Does this have any intelligent meaning?



And there are no shortage of people on the other end of the spectrum that think fuel costs to the consumer need to double in order to further promote conservation.

I would imagine these are the same sort who thought of lending money to people to buy homes who could not afford to pay the money back when the interest rates soared.

No. . .I don't see riots anytime soon."

Considering gas theft has already begun and truckers are claiming to be losing .20 a mile , I say it is the beginning of a very real problem. Imagine the truckers shutting their trucks off and food, fuel and other essentials being restricted from distribution. All hell will break loose. No milk, no diapers, no gas, there will be unrest.

This can be very real. Unless you live in "Green Acres" of course.

My earlier response was on the thought of the barrel reaching 200 this year, but I think your 1-3 scenario would still have the risks I forsee.
 
We are doing the BIH trip with kilroy, I mean Gary. Our usual annual budget is about $3,000. The BIH trip alone will cost us $4000 - $5000 in fuel, depending on where prices are then. Our friends think we are crazy for spending that much on a boat trip when we could go to Europe or somewhere.
 
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