How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

[LuvBoating]

There are folks who have nice boats, but hardly every use them or don't use them at all anymore for whatever reasons. They just sit in a RV/Boat Storage place, Dry Storage building or tied up in a slip. We were VERY, VERY surprised to see how many boats are just that way here in Jacksonville, FL. The manager at our Storage, where we have our boat, told us that a lot of the boats in his lot don't go anywhere and we've had Marina and Dry Storage employees tell us this also. When we lived south of Denver, CO, seems like everyone in the entire area had their boat at two local reserviors to the point where Park Rangers had to close the parking lots cause there was no more parking spots left. On one Fathers Day in Colorado, there was a 2-1/2 hour wait to get to the ramp at one reservior. The line extended from the ramp area to the main gate! Then again, they have to use the time they have before cold/snow starts up again......unlike here in Florida.
We don't take ours out nearly enough either, but we are older now than when we had our bowrider in Colorado. Our boat now is bigger (cuddy cabin) and not nearly as easy to launch/retrieve as the bowrider was. Generally people in our age bracket (early 60's) have their boat in a Dry Storage or tied up in a slip and not on a trailer.......much, much easier that way especially for older folks like us.
I guess either people just get tired of using their boat, don't have the time for it or it needs repair but they just keep it. Some of these "storage" and slip places charge a high monthly fee, but people just pay them and the boat continues to just sit.
So, how much do you use your boat?

 

[JCMINIS]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

Anything over 60ish degrees, at least once a week,sometimes 2 times a week.Trailered to and from, home is about 20 minutes away from the ramp. Even if we dont swim/water sports the wife and kids (and myself) just love to be on the water, in our 23 year old chap !

 

[stic88]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

cherry creek and chatfield resevior were always crowded.. i loved living there but returned home to so cal. lake pueblo was fun to go to. but a little far. but if you think of all the boats that were in the vicinity of denver no wonder there was always a line, and then you had the guys with the 50 sailboats???? got my first boat for a "winter" project hopefully i can have it done by christmas, living in the desert i can still go to the river in january. cant wait to be on the water.

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

Usually weekly from May to Sept.

 

[Beefer]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

I'm a little excessive, but from the end of May through mid December, I'm on my boat 3-5 times per week, and I am at the boat daily. I keep it in the water, and live 1.5 miles from it. The rest of the year, I try and do the weekend (Sunday). The only reason it's Sundays only at that time is because our busy season in the store is from Dec to May (flowershop). Winter months it's usually just me or with a buddy (too cold for the wife).


Ah, it's the only good thing about Florida.. year-round boating!

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

We were out on Pueblo Lake yesterday 99 degrees on September 19th? I love Global Warming!! But to answer the OP's question we went out every other weekend at least and we went to the lake 5 weekends straight at one point this year.

 

[dave11]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

I am now trying to get out at least once a week on one of my boats. The big one is in a hi&dry and the little one is on a trailer at home.

 

[mpsyamaha]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

i try to get on the water once a week but usually its more like once every two weeks. in the brutal south florida winter i go even less lol. but yeah, when it gets chilly in jan and feb im less inclined to get on the water.

 

[ziggy]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

so far this year, i've been out once a week, every week this year. probably started in april. many of my once a week outtings include an overnight onboard. so i start on one day, end on the next.

almost didn't get out this last week. crummy weather. but i did manage to make it out yesterday. it was kinda exciting. sustained 25-30 mph winds, gusts to 45... there weren't to many other boaters out, i don't know why....


one of my 1st attempts at a movie.... kinda shaky, but gets the idea across i suppose..

seasons coming to an end here soon though. anything after oct. is icing on the cake.

 

[Pirate_40]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

Summer is on average 3 times a week. This time of year it goes down to about 2 times a week, one night fishing run and one day trip with the family. Come the winter, I get out once a week unless a holiday. I'm out 10 1/2 months of the year. For me winter boating and blackfishing is just as enjoyable as summer boating. My boats only get a six week rest so I can ski.

 

[MAXXIE]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

There are 2 other guy's that got boats the same time I got mine & I never see them move. In the begining of the season I saw them gone for the day, but that was it. I take mine out at least 3 or 4 times a week, every Saturday & Sunday, (weather pending), trying to get as much time on the water as I can before the weather changes. It due to be up in the 80's the rest of this week & work is slow for some reason, so off we go to the lake & just cruz around & maybe fish a little bit. The last week or so it seems like I have the lake to myself, only a pontoon or two & that's it. I'll be taking the boat out until there's ice on.

 

[nam6869usmc]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

Twice or three times a week, my favorite time is usually at 2:00pm - dark trolling. I'm only about 20 mins from the lake so it isn't a big deal, besides my wife loves to sit in the back & stair at the poles waiting for a big Hybrid Striper to smash one of the Raplala. I'll push my season deep into the cold weather because I mostly fish an Elec Motor only lake, I just dress warmer, makes for a much longer boating season.

 

[98Shabah]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

Usually 1-2 times a month during boating season here in missouri, we also take a week long trip each summer to my dad's place at Lake Norfork in Arkansas. The boat doesn't really cost much to keep even if it doesn't get used much, i do my own maintenance and it stays in the garage away from the elements.. at this rate it'll probably last another 20 years with the original interior!

 

[jmarty10]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

From 3rd week in May until end of September it averages once per week. Kept boat closer to river and it really made it a lot easier to get out, especially early in the mornings on Saturday or Sunday or after work during the week. I keep a log and we get out about 15 times per year. Once again, I'm contemplating getting a slip, where I can walk to the boat. One of these years I will get the stones to keep it on the water.

 

[convergent]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

Averaged 2-3 times a week through the summer and that will slow down as the weather starts to get cooler and I'll only be using it for fishing. I'd like to go once a week at least still through the cold months, but we'll see.

 

[642mx]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

During the summer, I'm out every weekend (Saturday and Sunday) and sometimes throughout the week (I get every other Wednesday off from work).

In the fall and spring, we go out every weekend if its not raining or super cold. We've been boating many times in sweat shirts and built fires on the beach to stay warm (during the day).

I summerize the boat in late March and winterize early to mid-November.

I would live on the water if I could!

 

[dbkerley]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

It seems like mine goes out every time I want to take it to the lake.

I tried twice last weekend and family commitments killed both attempts. We even ended up trailering the boat to their house instead of the lake on Saturday.

We were already hooked up and on the road when the call came in. No problems; just stuff. Great tenderloin - BTW.

 

[LuvBoating]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

Gee, we are thinking now.....do people in their 60's and up even own (or use) a boat? We've heard about a few couples that do own/use, but only a few!
What about people who have a boat that need repairing, but the owners just don't want to spend the money out to repair and the thing just sits on the trailer in the backyard or sideyard. We have seen some boats sitting on trailers that looked like ..............well, you feel like you wouldn't want to sneeze around them cause they'd fall off the trailer and into pieces! My brother has a couple of boats, one sail/one cuddy, that need some work, but they just sit on the trailers in their yard and have been for some years now. We know a married couple who have a cuddy that engine needs work, wore the engine out due to too much speed all the time, and that boat is sitting on trailer at their home in Michigan along with 2 Wave Runners. They have a pontoon at a lake cottage they use when there, but no boat here in FL anymore.
Just so, so many boats just sitting around and not being used.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

Ziggy, "small craft advisories" does not mean "take their advice and go out in a small craft!"

Just kidding. If you're careful, going out in bad conditions in a controlled situation is a good way to learn what your boat will (or won't) do if you get caught unexpectedly.

I keep a boat in the water at the house; January to March, I run it every 2 weeks or so just to run it. Spring and fall, maybe every other weekend. Summer, a couple times each weekend and occasionally during the week. But November December add in some weeknights for stripers.
Another boat I use primarily at a club, so 3-5 times during the year plus 5-6 in duck season.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

I'm a new homeowner, and a new boat owner. I take it out FAR too little. I would say on average between every week and every other week. I make sure to head over there once or twice a week extra, to open the hatches, take down the canvas, and sometimes start up and warm the motors. I see a lot of boats at my place sit and never move. I wonder if they are out and about when my boats sitting and not moving.

Right next to me is a very nice 32' Regal Commodore Express. I have not seen this boat move, and have only once seen the mooring cover lifted back. The owner has young kids and is in the process of selling his house, so I'm amazed the boats even in the slip. My guess is it hasn't been used at all.