U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

Forest Gump · Jan 27, 2013

I am soon to buy a pontoon boat and thinking of saving about $3,000 by NOT buying a trailer. I can get the outboard motor serviced anytime needed at the marina without pulling it out of the water, plus they will do other general repairs to the boat. I will be keep the boat on a lift in a boat slip, and really will have no need to go to other lakes.

Plus a couple of added benefits:
1) I won't have to worry about storing the trailer, and
2) When family members want to borrow my boat to take elsewhere, I can say, "I wish I could, but....."

So tell me where my thinking is wrong?

H20Rat · Jan 27, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

Even up here where we can't leave it in year round, the vast majority of people on the river don't have pontoon trailers. They either pay a dealer or a friend with a scissor lift trailer to take it in/out each year, and don't have to deal with the hassles and storage issues of a trailer sitting around.

lncoop · Jan 28, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

I think you're all over it, Forest. You don't need a trailer. If you change your mind later you can always "run Forest, run!" (sorry, couldn't resist, but you had to see that one coming

) down to the dealear and pick one up. Or, you can get one off CL for about half the price of a new one. Don't forget to grace us with some pics of the maiden voyage. We like those. Welcome aboard.

MH Hawker · Jan 28, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

Well for me I wouldn't own a boat with out a trailer, and as far as some one borrowing my boat aint going to happen with out a cash deposit of 20,000.

but then I do my own work.

64osby · Jan 28, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

Forest Gump said:
So tell me where my thinking is wrong?

You are not wrong. It's your boat, do what you want.

jestor68 · Jan 28, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

You don't need a trailer.

Don S · Jan 28, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

How do they service the lower unit (Change the gear oil) with the boat in the water?

QC · Jan 28, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

The only hole in your logic is you don't compare the trailer savings to slip costs. Plus a lift isn't free.

Captain Caveman · Jan 28, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

It may not be a logic hole if he plans to leave it in the water most of the year - but lifted.

As long as your mechanic can do anything needed to it from the water, you are fine. You're completely covered if there is a local shop that rents pontoon trailers or you've got a neighbor/buddy that will let you borrow theirs in the rare occasion that you need to pull your rig out of the water.

Grub54891 · Jan 28, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

I changed the wiring harness plug to an obsolete style,my buddy never asked to borrow my boat again!

Home Cookin' · Jan 28, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

Lots of people* don't trailer their boats regularly and thus sharing a trailer, or working around it when needed, makes sense. A good repair shop would trailer your boat for you for work--for a fee, of course, but that fee would be way less than buying, storing, tax/title/insurance, tires every 5 years, etc.

There might be a market in some parts of the country for boat trailer rentals.

*These would be people who live at the place where they boat, with lots of facilities to slip a boat, including at their homes. Large bodies of water--such as the coast--are places where some people don't often hop over to another body of water. While to many posters here, not having a trailer seems absurd, to others (me) dealing with a trailer each and every time you want to use a boat is equally absurd.

emilsr · Jan 28, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

No need to buy a trailer if you don't need one. Our boat sat on a lift for 2 1/2 years while the trailer sat in the yard ....and I didn't miss it (the trailer I mean).

64osby · Jan 28, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

Home Cookin' said:
While to many posters here, not having a trailer seems absurd, to others (me) dealing with a trailer each and every time you want to use a boat is equally absurd.

My boats without a trailer become lawn ornaments. I don't live on the waters edge or want to pay for a slip, maybe some day. I can get home from work and be on the water within 15 minutes at the local lake. With 30 minutes I can be on 7 or 8 lakes. If one is crowded I can move on to the next.

If I lived on the waters edge and had a pontoon, I wouldn't have a trailer for it. I would still keep trailers for my Tinny's so I could visit other locations when the urge arose, or vacation called.

glenn property of pam · Jan 28, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

trailers only work if you have a way to tow them. alot of people dont have boat lifts so they have the added expense of having to keep a truck to pull the trailer. if i lived on the water then it would save on the truck that sits in the yard (gas hog) that only realy gets used when towing the boat.

82rude · Jan 28, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

Don S said:
How do they service the lower unit (Change the gear oil) with the boat in the water?

duh ,hold your breath,lol.also if your on the ocean you train an octupus,amazing what they can accomplish with 8 arms!:laugh:

Quit It · Jan 28, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

I don't follow how a lack of a trailer will keep someone from borrowing your boat - what's to stop them from asking to use it at your marina when you're busy? Eventually you're going to have to learn to say "sorry, but, no" to those folks.

lncoop · Jan 29, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

Don S said:
How do they service the lower unit (Change the gear oil) with the boat in the water?

I'm sure they have their own trailer(s) they use to pull owners' boats for service, etc. Around here, pontoon boats without trailers are very common. Folks just buy new barges and have them delivered to one of the eight or nine lakes within two hours of here. I prefer a boat on a trailer, but that's only because we like to mix it up on occasion and go to a different one of the aforementioned lakes for a change of scenery. We really are spoiled around here.

lncoop · Jan 29, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

Quit It said:
I don't follow how a lack of a trailer will keep someone from borrowing your boat - what's to stop them from asking to use it at your marina when you're busy? Eventually you're going to have to learn to say "sorry, but, no" to those folks.

Pretty sure that was a joke.

jigngrub · Jan 29, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

Forest Gump said:
So tell me where my thinking is wrong?

1. Letting someone else work on your boat, marinas have nincompoops and incompetents working for them sometimes too.

2. Letting anyone think they could borrow your boat in the first place.

The Rooster · Jan 29, 2013

Re: U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

MH Hawker said:
Well for me I wouldn't own a boat with out a trailer, and as far as some one borrowing my boat aint going to happen with out a cash deposit of 20,000. but then I do my own work.

James, I'm sure you were referring to NON-Iboats members, right? Can I borrow your boat ? :lol:

U can't borrow my boat because I don't have a trailer

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