How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

[DonHof]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

At least once a week, ether boating or fishing. The wife and I can go boating and it cost me about $8.00 to fill the tank after 3 hours.
Weather permitting.

 

[likalar]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

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 .........
So, how much do you use your boat?

Good post! I found myself in the same situation, and have "downsized" 3 times now, for similar reasons, as I got older. The kids are gone, the old boating friends have health issues, and the larger boats had become a big chore. Now I'm down to a 14' Gregor aluminum boat with a 20hp 4-stroke. I can launch it, rertrieve it, maintain it, back it into a garage, all alone. My wife loves it, too! Our outings together are just a couple of hours or so, so lack of a head is no problem; fishing trips with just the dog are longer, of course.
I take that little boat out almost weekly (fair weather only) and the cost per outing is practically nothing! Smaller is often better! ;-)

Larry (over 60)

 

[4Winns2]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

During the summer I'm out (rain or shine) 2-3 times a week. From Sept-Oct, at least every Saturday. I've been a lake rat my whole life and being on either of my boats is a priority when it's not snowing here.

BTW: I lived in Denver for a couple of years. A buddy took me over to Cherry Creek reservoir one afternoon to ski. I think it's like 3 miles long and they call it a lake in Colorado. Boy, am I spoiled here in the Finger Lakes. Beautiful state though.

 

[4Winns2]

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.

My wife knows better than to make any commitment that will interfere with my boat time during the season. There is plenty of time in the off-season to catch with the dry world.

 

[BTMCB]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

Mine goes out every time I take it out! Have had the boat since Aug 2009 (bought a new left over 2008) and I have had it out at least once a week since then; sometimes 2 or even 3 times a week. Every saturday it is me and the admiral. On Sundays the admiral rides her horse, so I often go on the boat solo or with one of our grown sons. Then, from time to time, I take an afternoon off and go solo (am my own boss...at work that is). I am getting a case of the 5 footitus but IF and when we upgrade it will still be one I can launch and retrieve solo - so I am thinking maybe no bigger than 24-26' (am 57 years old with a mind of a 20 year old but a back of a 90 year old!).

 

[shrew]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

I live on the boat from Friday night until Sunday evening every single week from mid May to the last week in Sept. We go out every Sat. and Sunday. We usually go out on Sat. and come back on Sunday. We go out in almost any weather, with some obvious exceptions.

 

[dsiekman]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

We try to make it out every weekend from late April through early October. August was a little too hot this year so we only made it out about every other week. Yeah, I know, how can it be too hot to be on the water...

I would like to go out more often but the wife works late and I'm not comfortable taking her out by myself...and it wouldn't be as much fun. If I can't take it out I take the kayak and do a little fishing.

 

[Wingnutt]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

When I had our 18' bow rider, I went out at least once a week. Then there was a three year hiatus caused by a new job, re-locating, and re-doing my latest project, a 24' cruiser. Granted the cruiser is a bit of a pain getting on and off the trailer compared the the bow rider, but I've almost got a good routine down that makes it much easier. Since I've got her running good, we've been out every two weeks or so. This will increase to once a week during the striper run, then she goes to bed for the winter while I install a few more goodies.

 

[75TowerOfPower]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

Over the summer it was a pretty good every other week. A couple during the week runs in the city on our stretch of river and then a week vacation at Norris. I need a better tow vehicle/boat combo to take it out even more. Both are too small, Cherokee struggles to pull the boat and the boat struggles to have 4 people on board. So 22'-24' bow rider over winter to hopefully be on the lake more next summer.

 

[the_mayor]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

We've been on the boat every weekend this year from the last weekend in March, probably till the first or second weekend in November. Most every Thursaday and Monday too. 33' Wellcraft Martinique.

 

[LuvBoating]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

I told my wife that the next boat we buy will have EFI! Our boat does need a new carb, been rebuilt twice (by us and previous owner) but just don't have the cash for a new (remanufactured) one. The boat also has a manual fuel pump which also makes it harder to start than EFI. It's a '92 Celebrity 200 Cuddy. Had the same problem with our old '89 Invader Bowrider. Got to really pump the throttle and keep the idle somewhat high for a minute or two to get the engine running at a good idle speed. Had new spark plugs put in last year, so that helped, but still somewhat hard to start and keep going. Having EFI, that wouldn't happen. Other than the manual fuel pump and carb problem, the boat really runs and looks good. The trailer is in excellent shape.
Funny thing, we are in our early 60's (61/62) and when we are on our boat, we act like we are much younger! Love sticking a CD in the player and playing some Classic Rock........Aerosmith, Bad Company, Deep Purple, etc.. When we are tied up to Jax Landing and drinking a few brews, people will walk by and hear the music, I simply say "yea, 60 year olds know how to party also!" Would definitely like to get a 25' fully-contained cabin cruiser, but it would have to be in a slip all the time. We couldn't handle it being on a trailer.
Got to get the boat we have now out more often though........that is a must!

 

[scoutabout]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

Summerize May long weekend and get up to the boat pretty regularly every other weekend (600 km round trip drive, tho...).

We usually spend two straight weeks there sometime in August. Winterize last weekend in October. Works out to about 50 hrs/season on the clock. Not nearly enough!

Rest of the time, she waits...

 

[sublauxation]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

I felt bad because I'm on mine about 14 days total from June through September, then I realized that a neighbor across the street has a beautiful 18 foot fish and ski in his back yard that hasn't moved in the past 3 years, so I guess it could be worse. Youngest kids will be old enough to tube now so next summer will be better!

 

[dingbat]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

My obsession with boating has long since passed. Anymore it?s a fishing platform and a means of transportation by water.

I put over a 160 hours on the boat between March 20 and May 15 of this year. Put probably 10 hours on it since. It goes back in the slip the end of October for Fall Striper season the end of October. Fully expect to put an additional 50 or 60 hours on it before I put it to bed the week after Christmas.

 

[Comoxsam]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

It seems like the bigger the boat the less it gets used. Same with big RV's.

How people can justify having all that money tied up in something they use only a handful of times a year is beyond me.

I like when guys justify the size of their big boat by saying "I need something that can handle the rough weather". Then you only see them use it on sunny calm days a few times a year.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

"It seems like the bigger the boat the less it gets used."

that is so true, especially if you are in a situation that lends itself to short trips. Alos ifyou have to trailer each time. That is why is is sometimes a mistake to buy the biggest boat "possible."

 

[kailec00]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

We go out every weekend and twice during the week. This is between March and October. Usually drop down to about 2 times a week in November and not at all in December through February. I will winterize it and put it up. However I still have friends that we will take their boats out during the winter 3 or 4 times a week.

 

[spikeitaudi]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

1st Season of boating for me. Got it end of June and have been out every weekend at least once, except on one weekend were I was out on my Brother-in-laws boat. So still out on a boat.

 

[howlnmad]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

At least twice a week. I get home on Wed. about noon and we'll have her splashed by 1:00 and hauled out about 7:00. Then Sat. is an all day trip. We usually start the season the beginning of May and go til it gets to cold. I can't leave it tied at the dock because they raise and lower the water too much so the boat stays hitched to the truck all summer.

 

[bowler]

Re: How Often Does Your Boat Go Out?

I try to get out once a week (sat or sun) and a few full weekends away. Sadly the boat is 60 miles away or i would be out mid week for sure.

D.