How many days per year do you boat?

[Thales14]

I know, incredibly subjective question.
Many live and breath boating I know, some even live on house boats, there's the weather, etc.
But to the extent that those that may read this thread, I'd be curious to know about how many days per year you take out your boat if you happen to approaching middle age, with a wife and two young kids and a busy job, and if you owned a nice 21 foot bow rider for cruising and water sports, but no fishing. Oh, and living in a good weather climate like along the Gulf Coast. What's the average?
5, 10, 20, 30 times per year?

 

[oldjeep]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

May - Oct 20-30 days, depends on the weather.
Some "days" are just a hour on the water at a small lake to get in some quick ski/board runs after work.
Our kids arn't really young 15 and 14 year old still at home with a 21 year old who pops in some weekends

 

[pikefisherman]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

Not enough!

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

Well i have a 32 week boating season and I am out at least 3 days a week so around 90 days a year.

 

[The Rooster]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

Roughly +/- 20 times a year, not including seperate Jet Flea days.

 

[countryboy26047]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

I'm in the same boat (no pun intended lol) as oldjeep.. may-Oct. Roughly, depending on how the weather is in spring and fall... On average, my dad and I go out fishing 1-2 times/week, and since i got my tri-hull in April, myself, the wife and our two older boys (6yrs & 10yrs) usually go out 2 days a week for 4-5hrs, and 1 evening for an hour or two... So, short story long, I spend on average 3-4 days/week on the water, sad thing is, thats not enough for me!! Lol

*Edit* note the fact that out of those 3-4 days, only 1 is strictly fishing.. when I take the fam. out, we usually troll for an hour or so, anchor and maybe fish for 30min., then spend the rest of the time swimming and 'slow-cruising' the river.. I absolutely love when its a sunny day, wife and oldest boy sitting up front and the 6yr old in the 'first mates' seat, just cruising along at 5-10mph, taking in the sights on shore as well as the other boaters.

 

[rivermouse]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

Does that mean on the water or include messing with and staring at it and on the computer being a student here on Iboats? Total days unknown but plenty. On the water I would say 5 or 6 average per year

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

You need to get in more fishing countryboy lol

 

[countryboy26047]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

You need to get in more fishing countryboy lol

Ya know, funny you should mention that.. My M.I.L. kept our boys overnight..told the wife I wasn't setting my alarm, but if for whatever reason I wake up before 6:30, I was waking her @$$ up and we'd go fishing for a couple hours before we get the kids back... Well, I just woke up about 10min. Ago, got excited, was just about to get a cup of coffee then wake her up when i realized it was 3:30am.....bugger....

 

[5150abf]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

I fish every other weekend wiht my buddy and now that hte kids are gone, almost, my wife has started going with me on the off weeks so almost everyweek end between May and the end of September.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

Our climate and environment is similar to gulf coast except our winter is longer. You have easy access to the water and more options for dry and wet slips, which greatly increases your use over those who have to drive 30 minutes. However, those who "owned a nice 21 foot bow rider for cruising and water sports, but no fishing" don't go out but a few times a year. They are surprised after the initial season how seldom they actually go out. Those with center consoles who do a lot of different things on the water are out a lot more. if you have teenagers, then the boat gets a whole lot more "boat days" than do the working parents! (consider getting one they can use)


I can't measure my boating in "days" since I am in and out of them constantly but seldom all day. From spring through fall I probably do 6-10 excursions around 5 hours; I fish the tides around 3 hours per trip about every other weekend* from May to September, then a couple few times a month through Dec 31. Jan-March I run the boat every other week. Nov-Jan I'm in other boats duck hunting throughout the day. The hour or so "cocktail cruise" 10 times. Boats are also transportion to and from an island clubhouse 8 times a year weekends/long weekends plus 1 week. I can jump in and go fishing for an hour before or after work any time. On a weekend day I may go out several times.

then there's all the time working on them.

Point is, a boat is a means to an end for many boaters like me. Kinda like our grandparent's day when they might take the car just for a drive but mostly used it for other things. But I seldom dedicate a whole day just to being in the boat.

* I'd go every weekend but t"every other" accounts for weather, conflicts from other activities, etc.

 

[jestor68]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

I know, incredibly subjective question.
Many live and breath boating I know, some even live on house boats, there's the weather, etc.
But to the extent that those that may read this thread, I'd be curious to know about how many days per year you take out your boat if you happen to approaching middle age, with a wife and two young kids and a busy job, and if you owned a nice 21 foot bow rider for cruising and water sports, but no fishing. Oh, and living in a good weather climate like along the Gulf Coast. What's the average?
5, 10, 20, 30 times per year?

I live on the water, so it's quite often.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

not enough. about every other weekend currently

 

[countryboy26047]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

I can't measure my boating in "days" since I am in and out of them constantly but seldom all day.

This is exactly what I was thinking when I first read this thread a few hours ago and responded... I'm un-lucky in that our climate here can have radical changes from day-to-day, especially the winter months... however, I'm very lucky in that 1) my tri-hull has a nice, cozy bed in my heated garage so no winterization and 2) I live 5 minutes from the local river launch, so even in the winter, when we get those crazy 2-3 day stretches in Dec. and Jan. where temps are in the 50-60's, it's very nice being able to hook up the boat and take her out for just an hour or two. Like you, I seldom spend 'all day' on the boat, but often times my fishing days consist of heading out between 6-7am, fish till noon or so, tie-off to my brothers dock which is right beside the launch.. head home till say 5-6pm, then back out again till 9 or 10 that evening.

I actually only have maybe 6-8 days per year that I spend all day in the boat...those are the days when me and dad drag the boat to Lake Erie (only 2 1/2hrs drive for us), launch around 7-7:30am, and stay out until 8-9pm then drag her back home.... and if we're lucky, the added weight of a cooler full of perch and walleye

 

[spdracr39]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

Every weekend between april and november weather permitting.

 

[Bass Buster One]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

Minimum 30/yr March to November. Goal is 50. , but the "JOB" gets in the way!!

 

[countryboy26047]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

Minimum 30/yr March to November. Goal is 50. , but the "JOB" gets in the way!!

Ya know, those things are WAAYY over-rated, and frankly should be out-lawed! haha

 

[98Shabah]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

About every other weekend between May and October, weather and work permitting.. And we haul down to Arkansas twice each summer for about a week each. It's never enough for me, by next summer I plan to have an extra tow vehicle so I can take off work and go boating with the kids while the wife works (right now her car is the tow vehicle).

 

[countryboy26047]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

About every other weekend between May and October, weather and work permitting.. And we haul down to Arkansas twice each summer for about a week each. It's never enough for me, by next summer I plan to have an extra tow vehicle so I can take off work and go boating with the kids while the wife works (right now her car is the tow vehicle).

Naahhh, just slap a hitch under that there mustang and have at it! .... just hope you don't have to stop once your moving, and might wanna put an electric winch on the front bumper to pull the car and boat up the ramp lol

 

[98Shabah]

Re: How many days per year do you boat?

Funny that you say that, I joke with her almost every time we are on the way to go boating and she says "why are you going so slow" as I climb a hill and I respond "I have this thing floored but your jeep only has half the power of my mustang".

Naahhh, just slap a hitch under that there mustang and have at it! .... just hope you don't have to stop once your moving, and might wanna put an electric winch on the front bumper to pull the car and boat up the ramp lol