Average monthly costs of owning a boat

I'm thinking about buying a cheap, but in running condition boat, hopefully around $2000 probaly in the 18' - 22' range. Primary uses would be just cruising, fishing, going to Catalina, etc... I would be launching in the Orange Country, CA Region.

I've never owned a boat before, but I wanted to get an estimate of how much it would cost on a month after buying the boat. Including insurrance, registration, docking or dry docking, typical maitenance (if in decent condition), gas, etc... I know all of these costs have lots of different factors in them, but I just wanted to get an estimate, or see what other people pay for their situations.

Thanks!

Brian

Re: Average monthly costs of owning a boat

I don't see you getting a boat in the 18'-22' range for that price, atleast one that aint gonna need 5k worth of work. Your probably talking 1990 or older, probably gonna need all the wood replaced unless already done or very well take care of.

As far as a monthly cost goes? .. Umm Nothing really. I spend about $300 a month in gas...20 in insurance...+ maintenance..which can be a lot. My 5k 1995 17.5 boat cost me 8.5k to get running.

Re: Average monthly costs of owning a boat

If you find a boat that size for that price; more than likely something wrong with it that will greatly raise you "monthly" cost. Since you do not own a boat now, your "start up" cost will be higher because you will need all of the required gear such as registration, life jackets, flares, whistle, etc. Then you will need some of the recommended gear like a radio.

If your boat was brand new, and you had all the above, then your monthly cost would be for things like; storage (unless you can keep it at home), gas (depends on motor and how much you drive it, food, beverages, tow vehicle gas. Then you have seasonal costs such as oil changes, regularly scheduled parts replacements,etc. Since it sounds like you will be in salt water, those costs will occur more frequently.

Re: Average monthly costs of owning a boat

do get into boating. but do have deep pockets. it isn't cheap for the most part...

i've not broke down the figures but have had my boat for 2 winters. this is the second summer. so far, round abouts the costs have been...
4300 for the boat
500-600 for manifold and riser. no labor to install
800 round abouts for drive work last winter... no labor to install
400 for a new gps w/my lake maps
150 for new vhf, no labor to install
80 for new center window panel
70 for glue for the new window panel

who knows how many bits and pieces i've bought... engine oil, gear lub, various greases. minor bits and pieces for boat hardware, life jackets that wear out, lines, bouys, anchors, etc.....

ins. if i remember right is around 175ish a year

typical price for the day at the lake includeing fuel, beverages, and whatever else ya bring. 75-100. my lake is 1/2 hour away, 20 miles to the beach.....

and i'm a poor boater... all this stretches my wallet hard...... i couldn't afford much more... maybe can't aford what i got even the way it's going lately...

agree w/others on 2k for a boat... it will need some work for that price most likely.... most important thing i think to look for is a good boat... no wood rot in transom, floors or stingers... the mechanicals can be worked out easier imho. if ya have the rots. all the mechanicals are gonna have to be removed to go repair the boat part..... good luck on your decision...

Re: Average monthly costs of owning a boat

You can probably find an ok boat for $2k -- but it would be a 12' tinny with an outboard of 10 hp or less for fishing. Great for small fishing lakes or rivers, but (IMHO) hazardous for big water -- I would not take that offshore or on a bay or bigger river. Consider the recommended minimum size for Great Lakes is 20' -- minimum.

All that said, you might find a great value from someone who hasn't used their boat in a while and either just wants it gone or doesn't know its value. In any case, you need a good and close inspection.

If you're thinking of trips to Catalina, you're going to need to updgrade your budget significantly. Search for that here -- I remember another member posted photos and their story of a trip to Catalina with a small boat accompanying another bigger boat.

Re: Average monthly costs of owning a boat

$2K boats are around, you just need to beat the bushes. Craigslist is an excellent source.

As for monthly cost, it would be insurance and fuel for both tow vehicle and boat.
Now as for repair, upgrade and maintenance cost, well that's a different story .

Re: Average monthly costs of owning a boat

$20 a month for insurance?
Who's that with demolish50?
I can't get a quote close to that,
then again I'm in Jersey, The Garden State
I still don't see any flowers

Re: Average monthly costs of owning a boat

I'm with progresssive, I get a few discounts because I have 4 other policies with them. But ya, its an 8k, 750 deductable policy. I live down here near Memphis, TN.

Re: Average monthly costs of owning a boat

Thanks,
I'll give them a try

Re: Average monthly costs of owning a boat

first doubtful to find a usable boat, ready for water for $2,000 of any size. as far as monthly cost, are you going to trailer it, and keep it at home, or do you have to rent a storage spot? age and condition of the boat enters into monthly maintenance. frequency, and type of use, enters into the fuel bill.

Re: Average monthly costs of owning a boat

I'm also jumping on the $2k bandwagon- it will need significant work for that, and it sounds like you're looking at $2k becasue you're on a budget. I also had a sage piece of advice about boats (at least larger ones) a long time ago. If you have to budget $ to figure out if you can afford a boat, don't buy it. You'll always end up spending more $. If you can't spend the $ on it, it will sit in drydock too much to make it worthwhile...

Re: Average monthly costs of owning a boat

Good call demolish50
Progressive came in at $24 a month
As for a $2000 Boat
I got an e-Bay "steal" on a 20' 1986 Bayliner cuddy
$499 boat motor and trailer
The boat, hull and transom are sound,
interior's in great shape, trailer's in great shape
Don't get me started on the Force 125
Long story short,
$6800 and a new optima 115 later
I have a great running boat
I could have gone with a used or rebuilt motor and got away with spending about $2500
But having a new motor with a warranty is priceless

Re: Average monthly costs of owning a boat

You can get into boats cheap. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. 8 years ago I bought an old modified for fishing and pleasure boating 16 ft Startcraft Aluminum bowrider (Bow seating replaced with a flat deck and pedestal seat put in the back) with 70 hp Johnson outboard and trailer for $1000. Floors and transom had already been replaced, but the guy put that cheap plastic indoor outdoor carpet from the lumber yard in. Did nothing to it for the first 3 years and then replaced the carpet. No rotted floors, just $100 worth of carpet. Motor has never had any problems and all cylinder compressions still above 120. Hull has never had any problems. Only items replaced were some seats at less than $50 each. So, basically I have about $1200 in that boat, maybe $300 more in rod holders, cheap fishfinder, etc. and still have it. It ain't pretty, but it is sound and runs great. Insurance (liability only) is only about $100/year. So I've got about 1500 in the boat, 800 for insurance equals 2300 total over 8 years for a grand total not including gas and oil of $287.50/year, or $24/month, or 78-cents per day, and that includes the price of the boat!!!! Who says you can't get into boating cheap And once I sell the boat, that will drop significantly. As far as operating costs, I burn about 8 gallons of premix if we go out for a whole day of tubing, and generally use less than 6 gallons per outing.

Re: Average monthly costs of owning a boat

Around here you can spend $150-$200 a month to keep your boat on the water at a coveered marina, half to 2/3 of that if its uncovered in the water. A storage shed in the $50-$80 a month range around the lake at at a marina in the $100 range for dry storage. Were on rural lake thurmond which is about 45 mins from agusta Ga, not a big town by california standards and on a lake for that. It sounds like you want to store your $2k boat somewhere on the coast possibly in the water. This will cost as much as the boat does if you find a $2k boat and thats at dry storage probly in the water probly twice that much. I grew up on the coast, salt eats boats i would never leave an 18-20 ft boat in the saltwater id trailer it. You can find a 2K $ boat, do reasearch and find problems read in the restoration forum to see common rot areas and where to look, on potentiol boats. For that price range it will help if you can work on stuff and have tools to fix the motor and do maintence on it the trailer, including routine welding, etc. (parts rust out quick on the coast, if not aluminum or galvanized trailer). Just add up your items if the boat does not come with them like PFDs and fire extinguisher, whistle. flares, paddle, seat cushons, depth finder (optional) vhf (optional) and youll see an estimated startup cost assuming a running boat. once a boat is fourd tell us the motor and we can give you an estimite of the fuel usage per trip or hour etc, but then agian are you sitting anchored fishing crusing or going wide open this will all effect your monthly cost, as well as where you keep it, in your yard for free, or in some marina yard for $110 month.


For you gas usage question i live about 12 miles from my favorite ramp, my tow rig is a 1980 k10 it gets 10 mpg so it takes 2 gallons to go there and back at $4/gal thats $8 per trip just to put the boat in the water. If you buy bait, ice beer, coke, that will go up. Lets assume no other purchases. I have a 16ft cobia CC w/ johnson 60 hp a few weeks ago i went out and say cruised for 2 hours, i think i used 4 gallons this is at about 3/4 to 4/5 throttle though. So for this short outing which i covered a lot of water it cost me (in the boat) 4gals x $4 = $16 not bad right but rember thats only a few hours of cruising at around 25mph w/ my 60hp. so that trip cost $24 not bad i guess.
If i were to go swimming or beach the boat up 2 miles or so from the landing all day and just barly cruised to get there i could get away with 1.5 gallons used.

So as you see there is many things to consider.

-nate

Re: Average monthly costs of owning a boat

you can find them.. just take your time and inspect everyone.. dont just jump on one.. i got mine for 2500.. ended up paying for it.. ive spent about 500 so far on the floor and im not done yet.. than 2nd time on the water the drive broke so we found a good cheap one when the guy was throwin an engine out.so just look around take your time.. like they siad craigslist is good for everything