Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from North American Waterway bringing you Used Pontoon Boats along with news and views from the boating industry. In July 2006, Valley Boat Emporium in Fresno sold 53 boats. In July 2008, owner Ron Monteverde says he'll be fortunate if he sells 15.
With gas prices up, home values down and the economy tanking, people aren't spending as much money on luxury items such as boats and recreational vehicles. Nationwide, boat sales have declined 30 percent over three years - with 16 percent of that this year.
In California, the number of expired boat registrations in 2008 exceeds new ones, according to officials with the Department of Motor Vehicles.
"All segments are down," said Tom Dammrich, president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association in Chicago, who relayed the figures. "The two biggest impacts have been the slump in the housing market and the decline in consumer confidence."
The biggest declines are in California and Florida, the two areas where housing prices have slid the most. That's because many families who bought boats during the real estate boom in the first half of this decade used equity from their rapidly appreciating houses, Dammrich said.
The downturn has been devastating to Valley Boat Emporium, where sales have slid as much as 70 percent from their peak, which coincided with the housing boom. This season is the worst in 32 years of business, prompting Monteverde to discount prices with a liquidation sale.
He's trying to sell excess inventory before 2009 models come out. "My goal is to get rid of product that should have sold during May, June and July," Monteverde said. The summer is typically the peak of the boat-buying season.
Monteverde said that after the sale he will then evaluate whether to stay in business.
Sellers of new boats are having to compete with boat owners selling.
Tighter lending requirements also aren't helping his efforts. One of the biggest lenders, General Electric, abruptly stopped making boat loans to consumers in June, an important month for retailers. "That really hurt," Monteverde said.
County Bank in Merced, Calif., also gave notice that it would cease boat loans.
Patrick Sayre, manager of Ron's Marine in Fresno, attributed the industry's problems to a "perfect storm" of eroding consumer confidence, declining home values and high fuel prices. A two-year drought that has significantly lowered water levels also could be contributing.
Sales are down at Ron's Marine, but Sayre said the higher incomes of his core customer base are helping his company. "The upper end is more resilient," he said.
Sona Vartanian of Pacific Marine Center Inc. in Madera, Calif., said sales are down everywhere and lenders are more picky. Many of her customers pay cash, and Pacific Marine Center benefits from a strong Web presence and long history, she said.
Vartanian, like other boat dealers, is betting on a rebound. "The economy won't stay like this," she said. "Any boat business that survives this year will come out ahead next year." Thanks to;The Modesto Bee | U.S. economy capsizes luxury
Showing posts with label high gas prices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label high gas prices. Show all posts
Monday, August 4, 2008
Used Pontoon Boats - Valley Boat Emporium Adjust to Decline in Boat Sales
Friday, July 25, 2008
Used Pontoon Boats - Out on the water enjoying the summer
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from North American Waterway bringing you Used Pontoon Boats along with news and views from the boating industry.
Boating enthusiasts say there's nothing more relaxing on a summer day than going out on the boat.
The sun is on your face and the wind is blowing through your hair while you're on the water. Whether it's one with a motor, sails or pontoons, boating is incredibly popular.It's late afternoon at the Mactaquac Marina and boats of all shapes and sizes are docked.
Within the next couple of hours, people will make the 20-minute drive from Fredericton, leaving all work and worry behind as they head out on the headpond for a few hours of boating until dusk.
Gary Morehouse works at the marina. Despite rising fuel costs, he sees even more boats at the marina.Morehouse himself owns a boat and says it's a wonderful way to spend time with your family and friends."We meet up with our friends who all own boats too. We get together and waterski.
Then we will tie our boats together and spend the day on the water.
"He estimates he spends about $100 for the fuel needed for a weekend on the water. But in his opinion, it's well worth the price for fun time with his family. Larry Jewett manages the marina. He also operates a houseboat rental business from there.
While the cost of fuel isn't stopping people from putting their powerboats in the water, he says, he's seen a change in how they are using them."People with the big boats don't go fast because of the fuel costs. We see them being used more like a recreational vehicle on the water. "They will drive them slower and go shorter distances. Then they will stop and anchor wherever they are and stay for the night or an entire weekend.
What's growing in popularity, he says, are pontoon party boats which, he explains, are very fuel-efficient.
For those who aren't prepared to make the financial commitment of owning a boat, he says, there is a growing interest in renting boats for a few days.
Jewett loves to be on the water too, but now that the two houseboats he owns are in use by those who rent them, he says he isn't getting out on the water as much as he'd like."We're a little depressed because it's fully booked from now until mid-August. We love the houseboat. It's a floating cottage and it cruises along at 10 miles an hour. It's a lot of fun."The reason boating on the St. John River at the Mactaquac headpond is so popular, he says, is because this is a wonderful waterway with deep water and nothing to worry about such as sandbars and rocks.
Whether it's a boat with an inboard engine and lots of horsepower or a vessel that relies entirely on Mother Nature, boating in all forms is a thrill for those with love being on the water on hot, sunny days.For Bruce and Beatrice Messer, the fun begins when their pontoon boat leaves the dock.
The couple and the rest of their family often take the party boat on the water before lunch and will stay for the day."Most times we will stay out until sunset. We'll take a lunch and refreshments and lots of sunscreen," says Bruce Messer.A canopy provides shade for those who don't want to get too much sun. The Messers will anchor and swim right from the boat.
"If we get tired of one lake, we can put it on the trailer and take it to other lakes. I've got an ambition to take it on the St. John River."They bought this boat nine years ago. Back then there were very few of them in use, he says. They are growing in popularity because they are family-friendly and fuel-efficient, he says.He motors up to a dock and opens the door so several passengers can come aboard.This is like a floating living room and very comfortable. It's all about comfort, not speed.
Pontoon boats are also secure in rough water, Messer explains.
"They are wide and they ride the crest of the waves. We can go out on the roughest days and it's fun."Messer says he understands why many people are turning to these as their boat of choice for a weekend on the water because they are not too expensive to run for a weekend.
He estimates he spends about $60 to $70 to run this boat all weekend. Some people use them like houseboats. Before this boat, Messer owned a small aluminum fishing boat, a bass boat and a 16-foot pontoon boat. And soon, he says, he would like to try sailing."Any time on the water, in any kind of boat, is fun as long as you use your head about it and you do it safely.
"For Steven and Danielle Harrison, the thrill is in the power of the wind as they slice through the water on their 19-foot sailboat. It's wonderful to be on the water with only the sound of the wind and wildlife all around them, they say.This couple also does a lot of canoeing and kayaking, using their muscles to power them through the water. It's a great way to experience the water and a great upper body workout too, she says."We much prefer to enjoy the water without the noise of engines and the smell of gas fumes.
It's better for us and for the environment."According to a national survey, conducted by Angus Reid Strategies for Discover Boating, 68 per cent of Canadian boaters believe that boating relieves their stress."Boating is a great social activity that can help people bond with those they are closest to," says Lindsay J. Rennie, marketing director, Discover Boating, NMMA Canada."There is something undeniably romantic about being out on the water with that special someone. Boating can set the mood for total relaxation." Thanks to;
dailygleaner.com - Out on the water
Boating enthusiasts say there's nothing more relaxing on a summer day than going out on the boat.
The sun is on your face and the wind is blowing through your hair while you're on the water. Whether it's one with a motor, sails or pontoons, boating is incredibly popular.It's late afternoon at the Mactaquac Marina and boats of all shapes and sizes are docked.
Within the next couple of hours, people will make the 20-minute drive from Fredericton, leaving all work and worry behind as they head out on the headpond for a few hours of boating until dusk.
Gary Morehouse works at the marina. Despite rising fuel costs, he sees even more boats at the marina.Morehouse himself owns a boat and says it's a wonderful way to spend time with your family and friends."We meet up with our friends who all own boats too. We get together and waterski.
Then we will tie our boats together and spend the day on the water.
"He estimates he spends about $100 for the fuel needed for a weekend on the water. But in his opinion, it's well worth the price for fun time with his family. Larry Jewett manages the marina. He also operates a houseboat rental business from there.
While the cost of fuel isn't stopping people from putting their powerboats in the water, he says, he's seen a change in how they are using them."People with the big boats don't go fast because of the fuel costs. We see them being used more like a recreational vehicle on the water. "They will drive them slower and go shorter distances. Then they will stop and anchor wherever they are and stay for the night or an entire weekend.
What's growing in popularity, he says, are pontoon party boats which, he explains, are very fuel-efficient.
For those who aren't prepared to make the financial commitment of owning a boat, he says, there is a growing interest in renting boats for a few days.
Jewett loves to be on the water too, but now that the two houseboats he owns are in use by those who rent them, he says he isn't getting out on the water as much as he'd like."We're a little depressed because it's fully booked from now until mid-August. We love the houseboat. It's a floating cottage and it cruises along at 10 miles an hour. It's a lot of fun."The reason boating on the St. John River at the Mactaquac headpond is so popular, he says, is because this is a wonderful waterway with deep water and nothing to worry about such as sandbars and rocks.
Whether it's a boat with an inboard engine and lots of horsepower or a vessel that relies entirely on Mother Nature, boating in all forms is a thrill for those with love being on the water on hot, sunny days.For Bruce and Beatrice Messer, the fun begins when their pontoon boat leaves the dock.
The couple and the rest of their family often take the party boat on the water before lunch and will stay for the day."Most times we will stay out until sunset. We'll take a lunch and refreshments and lots of sunscreen," says Bruce Messer.A canopy provides shade for those who don't want to get too much sun. The Messers will anchor and swim right from the boat.
"If we get tired of one lake, we can put it on the trailer and take it to other lakes. I've got an ambition to take it on the St. John River."They bought this boat nine years ago. Back then there were very few of them in use, he says. They are growing in popularity because they are family-friendly and fuel-efficient, he says.He motors up to a dock and opens the door so several passengers can come aboard.This is like a floating living room and very comfortable. It's all about comfort, not speed.
Pontoon boats are also secure in rough water, Messer explains.
"They are wide and they ride the crest of the waves. We can go out on the roughest days and it's fun."Messer says he understands why many people are turning to these as their boat of choice for a weekend on the water because they are not too expensive to run for a weekend.
He estimates he spends about $60 to $70 to run this boat all weekend. Some people use them like houseboats. Before this boat, Messer owned a small aluminum fishing boat, a bass boat and a 16-foot pontoon boat. And soon, he says, he would like to try sailing."Any time on the water, in any kind of boat, is fun as long as you use your head about it and you do it safely.
"For Steven and Danielle Harrison, the thrill is in the power of the wind as they slice through the water on their 19-foot sailboat. It's wonderful to be on the water with only the sound of the wind and wildlife all around them, they say.This couple also does a lot of canoeing and kayaking, using their muscles to power them through the water. It's a great way to experience the water and a great upper body workout too, she says."We much prefer to enjoy the water without the noise of engines and the smell of gas fumes.
It's better for us and for the environment."According to a national survey, conducted by Angus Reid Strategies for Discover Boating, 68 per cent of Canadian boaters believe that boating relieves their stress."Boating is a great social activity that can help people bond with those they are closest to," says Lindsay J. Rennie, marketing director, Discover Boating, NMMA Canada."There is something undeniably romantic about being out on the water with that special someone. Boating can set the mood for total relaxation." Thanks to;
dailygleaner.com - Out on the water
Used Pontoon Boats - USA Water skiing team feeling fuel crunch
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from North American Waterway bringing you Used Pontoon Boats along with news and views from the boating industry.
U
High fuel prices have even affected the dazzling acrobatics of the U.S. Water Ski Show Team.
The team, which operates near Jumpin’ Jack’s, has decreased the number of boats it uses from four to three. President Kara Pangburn estimated that the team spends $500 on gasoline per show. This year, they are doing a total of 11 shows every Tuesday.“It’s really hard. It means that we have to go out and find sponsors.
We are relying on the contributions that the community makes during shows,” she said.There are 65 people on the team, but about 30 active skiers. This year, the organization also increased the fee that every single member of the team must pay from $75 to $100. Everybody seemed to understand, given the circumstances.“I think they just figured it was bound to happen. There’s really been few complaints. I think everybody is realizing that the team is incurring a huge cost,” she said.
“A boat takes a lot more gas than a car does.”The team tries to use just one boat for practices.“Until boats can run on solar power, we’re pretty much stuck in this situation,” she said.Pangburn said she believes there is still interest in the sport. However, gas prices may have limited extracurricular boating activities.
“I think a lot fewer people go out,” she said.Dave Hyde, owner of Hyde’s Boats in Rexford, said he has heard from people who live on Saratoga Lake and Sacandaga Lake that activity is down. However, he pointed out that the boating season just started.
Boat sales have been a little weak, but not that bad overall. Sales of four-stroke outboard motor boats and small electric pontoon boats have been good.
“I can’t say that fuel is really seriously affecting our operation,” he said.“It really seems like it’s not going to be a bad year as long as the weather holds up,” he added.Ken Reynolds, sales manager for the Adirondack Marine in Lake George, said sales have not been bad. People may be looking more toward buying used models.He said people are also looking for new in-board engine motor boats. “They’re more fuel efficient than the outboard models,” he said.He added that these boats are especially useful at the speeds that will be used — 18 mph to 22 mph for wake boarding and 28-34 mph for waterskiing.
He said that the fuel prices are just about $5 on the lake for regular gasoline. Ironically, he said the prices for gas at the marina used to be “astronomical.”“They used to be $4.25 when gas was down at $1.99. Now, they can’t get away with such a large [profit] margin,” he said.While the lake has been quieter, industry sales are up. He said a lot of people are realizing the longevity of these boats.“They’re more than just water skiing and wake boarding boats, they’re great cruising boats,” he said.
Thanks to; Water skiing team feeling fuel crunch
U
Friday, July 11, 2008
Used Pontoon Boats - Record-high gas prices and a slumping economy
Sponsored by Pontoon & Deck Boat, Special 2008 Issue
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from North American Waterway bringing you Used Pontoon Boats along with news and views from the boating industry. In years past, Marvin and Lucille Walizer spent many an afternoon cruising up and down Raystown Lake in their pontoon boat, waving to other boaters and looking for wildlife.
Record-high gas prices and a slumping economy
These days, however, record-high gas prices closing in on $4 a gallon and a slumping economy have put the brakes on the the Huntingdon couple’s routine — and many of others who say they’re cutting down on what’s quickly become an expensive hobby.
‘‘Now we usually pull into a cove and sit there. I read while he fishes,’’ Lucille Walizer said as she docked at the James Creek boat launch Friday. ‘‘It’s relaxing. Today, we splurged a little and went looking for bald eagles.’’
Boaters will adjust
The Walizers figure a few day on the lake will cost them more this season, but it won’t break the bank. Boaters who make a longer trip to get there, such as Ron and Francis McCulloch of Martinsburg, won’t have it so lucky. The McCullochs, who usually boat 30 to 40 days each summer, say this is the first year they’ve opted out of buying a lake pass.
‘‘We won’t be coming over as much because we can’t afford the gas to get here,’’ Francis McCulloch said, adding that it now costs about $75 to tug their boat over Fredericksburg Mountain and back.
Seven Points Marina, gas has topped $4.44
At Seven Points Marina, gas has topped $4.44 for regular fuel and $4.49 for mixed, but it’s too early to tell what long-term effect those prices will have on boating at Raystown, marina employee Gary Nolen said.
‘‘People have already made their plans for this summer, but next year, I think people will think a lot harder about what they’re going to do’’ to conserve gas, he said. Officials reported a drop in the overall number of boaters and people using boat ramps during Memorial Day weekend, normally one of Raystown’s busiest periods.
Park Ranger Allen Gwinn said he suspected the low numbers of boaters had more to do with cold water temperature than fuel prices, although he can’t say for sure. ‘‘Ten degrees can make a big difference,’’ Gwinn said.
Prince Gallitzin State Park anticipate good attendance
On the other hand, Daniel K. Bickle, park operations manager at Prince Gallitzin State Park, said his staff experienced a packed Memorial Day weekend, and they anticipate good attendance on Glendale Lake all summer long. He also predicted public lakes and parks ultimately will benefit because they present an affordable alternative to other vacations.
‘‘I think because state parks have free entry, people will stick closer to home and not go on longer trips,’’ he said. Prince Gallitzin has a 20- horsepower limit on the lake.
Boaters are saving gas by staying in their marina slips
Officials at Raystown are seeing a big difference in the activity on the water. Boaters are saving gas by staying in their marina slips or tying up on the lake rather than zooming around.
That’s good news for fishermen such as Christian Donharl, a West Virginia University student who splits the cost of maintaining a boat with a friend.
‘‘It’s nicer when there’s not that many people here,’’ he said, lowering his boat into the water from the empty Shy Beaver launch Friday. Fuel prices also are affecting boat sales. Smaller boats aren’t selling, while bigger, luxury ones are for those seeking to upgrade.
People who are boaters are still boating
Said Wayne Price, sales manager at Shy Beaver Boat Center. ‘‘But I’m not seeing any new faces.’’ Howard Reese, salesman at Jim’s Anchorage in Hesston, said he expects boaters to cut down on how often they take to the water.
‘‘We’re certainly not where we were last year, but neither is any other department, whether it’s cars or boats,’’ Reese said. He estimated that it takes about 25 gallons of gas for a family of four to go out on the lake for a weekend.
Climbing gas prices don’t seem to concern Bob Evans, an Elizabethtown resident who has been going to Raystown for the past 24 years. The owner of a 28-foot pontoon boat, Evans doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon. ‘‘It’s not going to change the way I run [my boat], because I come here to enjoy the lake,’’ he said. Thanks to Mirror Staff Writer Cori Bolger at http://www.altoonamirror.com 946-7458 for this.
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Pontoon & Deck Boat, Special 2008 Issue
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from North American Waterway bringing you Used Pontoon Boats along with news and views from the boating industry. In years past, Marvin and Lucille Walizer spent many an afternoon cruising up and down Raystown Lake in their pontoon boat, waving to other boaters and looking for wildlife.
Record-high gas prices and a slumping economy
These days, however, record-high gas prices closing in on $4 a gallon and a slumping economy have put the brakes on the the Huntingdon couple’s routine — and many of others who say they’re cutting down on what’s quickly become an expensive hobby.
‘‘Now we usually pull into a cove and sit there. I read while he fishes,’’ Lucille Walizer said as she docked at the James Creek boat launch Friday. ‘‘It’s relaxing. Today, we splurged a little and went looking for bald eagles.’’
Boaters will adjust
The Walizers figure a few day on the lake will cost them more this season, but it won’t break the bank. Boaters who make a longer trip to get there, such as Ron and Francis McCulloch of Martinsburg, won’t have it so lucky. The McCullochs, who usually boat 30 to 40 days each summer, say this is the first year they’ve opted out of buying a lake pass.
‘‘We won’t be coming over as much because we can’t afford the gas to get here,’’ Francis McCulloch said, adding that it now costs about $75 to tug their boat over Fredericksburg Mountain and back.
Seven Points Marina, gas has topped $4.44
At Seven Points Marina, gas has topped $4.44 for regular fuel and $4.49 for mixed, but it’s too early to tell what long-term effect those prices will have on boating at Raystown, marina employee Gary Nolen said.
‘‘People have already made their plans for this summer, but next year, I think people will think a lot harder about what they’re going to do’’ to conserve gas, he said. Officials reported a drop in the overall number of boaters and people using boat ramps during Memorial Day weekend, normally one of Raystown’s busiest periods.
Park Ranger Allen Gwinn said he suspected the low numbers of boaters had more to do with cold water temperature than fuel prices, although he can’t say for sure. ‘‘Ten degrees can make a big difference,’’ Gwinn said.
Prince Gallitzin State Park anticipate good attendance
On the other hand, Daniel K. Bickle, park operations manager at Prince Gallitzin State Park, said his staff experienced a packed Memorial Day weekend, and they anticipate good attendance on Glendale Lake all summer long. He also predicted public lakes and parks ultimately will benefit because they present an affordable alternative to other vacations.
‘‘I think because state parks have free entry, people will stick closer to home and not go on longer trips,’’ he said. Prince Gallitzin has a 20- horsepower limit on the lake.
Boaters are saving gas by staying in their marina slips
Officials at Raystown are seeing a big difference in the activity on the water. Boaters are saving gas by staying in their marina slips or tying up on the lake rather than zooming around.
That’s good news for fishermen such as Christian Donharl, a West Virginia University student who splits the cost of maintaining a boat with a friend.
‘‘It’s nicer when there’s not that many people here,’’ he said, lowering his boat into the water from the empty Shy Beaver launch Friday. Fuel prices also are affecting boat sales. Smaller boats aren’t selling, while bigger, luxury ones are for those seeking to upgrade.
People who are boaters are still boating
Said Wayne Price, sales manager at Shy Beaver Boat Center. ‘‘But I’m not seeing any new faces.’’ Howard Reese, salesman at Jim’s Anchorage in Hesston, said he expects boaters to cut down on how often they take to the water.
‘‘We’re certainly not where we were last year, but neither is any other department, whether it’s cars or boats,’’ Reese said. He estimated that it takes about 25 gallons of gas for a family of four to go out on the lake for a weekend.
Climbing gas prices don’t seem to concern Bob Evans, an Elizabethtown resident who has been going to Raystown for the past 24 years. The owner of a 28-foot pontoon boat, Evans doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon. ‘‘It’s not going to change the way I run [my boat], because I come here to enjoy the lake,’’ he said. Thanks to Mirror Staff Writer Cori Bolger at http://www.altoonamirror.com 946-7458 for this.
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Pontoon & Deck Boat, Special 2008 Issue
Friday, July 4, 2008
Used Pontoon Boats - More Gas Price Issues
Sponsored by Virtual Skipper 3 - Race people all over the world in online regattas
Hi gang, Rick Ostler here again from North American Waterway and Used Pontoon Boats bring you news and views from the boating industry. More gas price issues slow boaters,
some take shorter trips; others ask guests to pitch in.
"There's nothing pleasant about it," says the general contractor and owner of ACR Concrete. "But what choice do we have? Thank God we're not in Turkey where gas is $11 a gallon."
• Video: Fuel-saving tips
• Find the cheapest gas prices in our area.
• How are you coping with high gas prices?
The cost of summer boating has never been higher for the owners of nearly 40,000 power boats registered in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
With marine fuel selling for $4.75 to $5 a gallon, thousands of owners are starting to cut back. Some are leaving their boats at home or in storage. Others are putting their vessels in the water, then partying on them at the docks. A third of 823 boaters surveyed last fall told the Ohio Division of Watercraft that they're taking fewer boating trips and going shorter distances when they do.
Nationwide, retail sales of powerboats have dropped nearly 13 percent since 2005 - to 267,300 last year.
No one's claiming a falloff in boating passion, but it's clear that habits have changed.
Ziebell, 40, says he works 12-hour days, six days a week, and looks forward to his day off on his boat. But if he and his wife Elizabeth ran their 27½ -foot Baja wide open at 60 mph on the Ohio River, they'd be lucky to get 2 miles to the gallon and they'd need to fill up again in just a few hours.
Instead of the 20 boat trips he usually makes each year, Ziebell figures he'll go out maybe 15 times this year.
"If gas prices keep going up, I'll be one of those people in line to sell," he says. "I'm almost there now. As hard as it is to make money today, you can't waste money frivolously."
Cindy Armstrong of West Price Hill owns a 23-foot Sea Ray cruiser that's "still shrink-wrapped in the driveway" from winter storage. "We're still contemplating what to do," she says.
Armstrong says her great-looking gas hog will burn up to 50 gallons of gas - or about $250 - in three to four hours pulling water-skiers or inner-tube riders on the river. Fortunately, her bank loan for the 1996 cruiser was paid off long ago.
"If we were still making payments, we'd probably feel we had to go out and put it in the water,'' she says.
She and others say selling their boats isn't much of an option, because most buyers in today's economic pinch want to buy cheap.
Her best bet? "We can hang on and hope gas prices bounce back."
'Lifestyle' changing
Despite the uncertain times, the National Marine Manufacturers Association is staying upbeat. It reports that more than 59 million U.S. adults participated in boating last summer - up 10 percent over 2006.
"Boaters aren't boating less; they're running their engines less," association president Thom Dammrich says.
Recreational boating also isn't just for the very rich, the association says.
It says that three-fourths of American boaters have household incomes less than $100,000. The average outboard powerboat sold for $17,768 and the average ski boat for more than $47,000 last year. Lenders are writing boat loans at 7 to 8 percent interest - and offering payback periods as long as 10 to 15 years.
Greg Keairns, 61, a self-employed carpet seller, keeps a 42-foot houseboat and a pontoon boat at Riverside 4 Boat Harbor in Dayton, Ky. He bought his 1993 pontoon boat used, about six years ago, for $8,000, including boat, engine and trailer. Since then, he's seen pontoon boats surge in popularity - and price.
Keairns keeps his houseboat docked and uses the pontoon for cruising. It's more maneuverable and gets 4.5 miles to the gallon compared to 1.25 mpg for the houseboat.
Keairns cut back on boating a bit last year, but plans to buck the trend in 2008. "I will be back up to 400 hours of boating this year," he claims. "With boating, you either love it or hate it."
Harbor owner Dave Bricking, who lives year-round with wife Debbie aboard a houseboat there, says he was "tickled pink" over selling all 150 dock spaces this summer. Two customers paid about $1,000 each for boat slips this summer before they even bought their boats.
Bricking says river-going houseboat owners used to invite friends aboard and would suggest: You bring the drinks or appetizers. Now it's more likely everyone chips $20 into a pot for fuel.
"It ain't nothing to have 20 people on a houseboat," Bricking says.
He says boaters are taking shorter trips from the dock and partying more at marina restaurants and bars.
"Everybody's expecting $5-a-gallon gasoline," he says. "Everybody's penciled that in."
Rivertowne Marina dock master Bill Manis says his Kellogg Avenue marina gained customers this year, thanks to a marina closing downriver.
"Boaters aren't taking joy rides as often," he says. They bring larger groups, sometime the whole family, and are more likely to draw up a float plan before heading out. The number of year-round, live-aboards has dwindled from dozens to just a few at some marinas.
Jeff DeNardi and his wife Leona of Mason took their new 33-foot twin-engine Sea Ray cruiser out for a maiden run from Rivertowne up the Ohio River on Memorial Day weekend. It's their fourth boat, their biggest yet.
DeNardi, a director with Luxottica Retail, estimates his Sea Ray gets about 1.2 miles a gallon when he opens it up to top speed of 50 mph. Tank capacity is 250 gallons. The DeNardis anchored up-river, but on future jaunts plan to cruise about 35 miles downriver to Aurora, Ind. for a little shore time at the casinos.
"A lot of people use these boats like a weekend home," he says. "They're really expensive if you didn't use them. We're doing our part for the economy."
Floating v. boating
Local boaters aren't just coping with rising costs along the Ohio River.
Ron and Denise Grause keep a 68-foot houseboat and 35-foot twin-engine Formula FASTech speedboat at Lake Cumberland, about 200 miles south in south-central Kentucky.
"Boats are still being enjoyed; they're just not used as much. The highway is still busy going down to the lake," says Grause, the owner of Ron's Complete Auto Body shop in Fairmount.
He says it's more expensive to run his houseboat generator over a weekend than it is to fuel up. Houseboat owners by the dozens now routinely tie on to each other in mid-lake and commence a fuel-free, floating party at their "trailer park on water."
Grause says he's saving $60 round trip by leaving his Ford pickup truck with double rear wheels at home and driving down and back in a Ford Focus coupe that gets 35 miles to the gallon. Some boaters at Cumberland now use rubber dinghies with 10-horsepower outboards to shuttle between docks.
Some boat owners who have to trailer their vessels wince at the double whammy of hauling their boats to water and then fueling them up.
Clint Ridenour and his girlfriend Sommer Tate of Hyde Park feel torn between transporting their 21-foot Rinker Festiva family boat to bigger waters like Tennessee's Norris Lake or compromising with short trips to smaller lakes closer to home. They save by camping aboard their boat.
"People boat because of the lifestyle," says Ridenour, a business development representative for a chemical analysis company. "They boat to get away. It's really not the same experience if you are forced to go to dinky, nearby lakes because of these ridiculous gas prices." Thanks to Tony Lang for this at http://news.cincinnati.com
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway
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Hi gang, Rick Ostler here again from North American Waterway and Used Pontoon Boats bring you news and views from the boating industry. More gas price issues slow boaters,
some take shorter trips; others ask guests to pitch in.
Gas prices slow boaters
The gauge quickly clicks past $100, $250, $300 - finally stopping right about $400."There's nothing pleasant about it," says the general contractor and owner of ACR Concrete. "But what choice do we have? Thank God we're not in Turkey where gas is $11 a gallon."
• Video: Fuel-saving tips
• Find the cheapest gas prices in our area.
• How are you coping with high gas prices?
The cost of summer boating has never been higher for the owners of nearly 40,000 power boats registered in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
With marine fuel selling for $4.75 to $5 a gallon, thousands of owners are starting to cut back. Some are leaving their boats at home or in storage. Others are putting their vessels in the water, then partying on them at the docks. A third of 823 boaters surveyed last fall told the Ohio Division of Watercraft that they're taking fewer boating trips and going shorter distances when they do.
Nationwide, retail sales of powerboats have dropped nearly 13 percent since 2005 - to 267,300 last year.
No one's claiming a falloff in boating passion, but it's clear that habits have changed.
Ziebell, 40, says he works 12-hour days, six days a week, and looks forward to his day off on his boat. But if he and his wife Elizabeth ran their 27½ -foot Baja wide open at 60 mph on the Ohio River, they'd be lucky to get 2 miles to the gallon and they'd need to fill up again in just a few hours.
Instead of the 20 boat trips he usually makes each year, Ziebell figures he'll go out maybe 15 times this year.
"If gas prices keep going up, I'll be one of those people in line to sell," he says. "I'm almost there now. As hard as it is to make money today, you can't waste money frivolously."
Cindy Armstrong of West Price Hill owns a 23-foot Sea Ray cruiser that's "still shrink-wrapped in the driveway" from winter storage. "We're still contemplating what to do," she says.
Armstrong says her great-looking gas hog will burn up to 50 gallons of gas - or about $250 - in three to four hours pulling water-skiers or inner-tube riders on the river. Fortunately, her bank loan for the 1996 cruiser was paid off long ago.
"If we were still making payments, we'd probably feel we had to go out and put it in the water,'' she says.
She and others say selling their boats isn't much of an option, because most buyers in today's economic pinch want to buy cheap.
Her best bet? "We can hang on and hope gas prices bounce back."
'Lifestyle' changing
Despite the uncertain times, the National Marine Manufacturers Association is staying upbeat. It reports that more than 59 million U.S. adults participated in boating last summer - up 10 percent over 2006.
"Boaters aren't boating less; they're running their engines less," association president Thom Dammrich says.
Recreational boating also isn't just for the very rich, the association says.
It says that three-fourths of American boaters have household incomes less than $100,000. The average outboard powerboat sold for $17,768 and the average ski boat for more than $47,000 last year. Lenders are writing boat loans at 7 to 8 percent interest - and offering payback periods as long as 10 to 15 years.
Greg Keairns, 61, a self-employed carpet seller, keeps a 42-foot houseboat and a pontoon boat at Riverside 4 Boat Harbor in Dayton, Ky. He bought his 1993 pontoon boat used, about six years ago, for $8,000, including boat, engine and trailer. Since then, he's seen pontoon boats surge in popularity - and price.
Keairns keeps his houseboat docked and uses the pontoon for cruising. It's more maneuverable and gets 4.5 miles to the gallon compared to 1.25 mpg for the houseboat.
Keairns cut back on boating a bit last year, but plans to buck the trend in 2008. "I will be back up to 400 hours of boating this year," he claims. "With boating, you either love it or hate it."
Harbor owner Dave Bricking, who lives year-round with wife Debbie aboard a houseboat there, says he was "tickled pink" over selling all 150 dock spaces this summer. Two customers paid about $1,000 each for boat slips this summer before they even bought their boats.
Bricking says river-going houseboat owners used to invite friends aboard and would suggest: You bring the drinks or appetizers. Now it's more likely everyone chips $20 into a pot for fuel.
"It ain't nothing to have 20 people on a houseboat," Bricking says.
He says boaters are taking shorter trips from the dock and partying more at marina restaurants and bars.
"Everybody's expecting $5-a-gallon gasoline," he says. "Everybody's penciled that in."
Rivertowne Marina dock master Bill Manis says his Kellogg Avenue marina gained customers this year, thanks to a marina closing downriver.
"Boaters aren't taking joy rides as often," he says. They bring larger groups, sometime the whole family, and are more likely to draw up a float plan before heading out. The number of year-round, live-aboards has dwindled from dozens to just a few at some marinas.
Jeff DeNardi and his wife Leona of Mason took their new 33-foot twin-engine Sea Ray cruiser out for a maiden run from Rivertowne up the Ohio River on Memorial Day weekend. It's their fourth boat, their biggest yet.
DeNardi, a director with Luxottica Retail, estimates his Sea Ray gets about 1.2 miles a gallon when he opens it up to top speed of 50 mph. Tank capacity is 250 gallons. The DeNardis anchored up-river, but on future jaunts plan to cruise about 35 miles downriver to Aurora, Ind. for a little shore time at the casinos.
"A lot of people use these boats like a weekend home," he says. "They're really expensive if you didn't use them. We're doing our part for the economy."
Floating v. boating
Local boaters aren't just coping with rising costs along the Ohio River.
Ron and Denise Grause keep a 68-foot houseboat and 35-foot twin-engine Formula FASTech speedboat at Lake Cumberland, about 200 miles south in south-central Kentucky.
"Boats are still being enjoyed; they're just not used as much. The highway is still busy going down to the lake," says Grause, the owner of Ron's Complete Auto Body shop in Fairmount.
He says it's more expensive to run his houseboat generator over a weekend than it is to fuel up. Houseboat owners by the dozens now routinely tie on to each other in mid-lake and commence a fuel-free, floating party at their "trailer park on water."
Grause says he's saving $60 round trip by leaving his Ford pickup truck with double rear wheels at home and driving down and back in a Ford Focus coupe that gets 35 miles to the gallon. Some boaters at Cumberland now use rubber dinghies with 10-horsepower outboards to shuttle between docks.
Some boat owners who have to trailer their vessels wince at the double whammy of hauling their boats to water and then fueling them up.
Clint Ridenour and his girlfriend Sommer Tate of Hyde Park feel torn between transporting their 21-foot Rinker Festiva family boat to bigger waters like Tennessee's Norris Lake or compromising with short trips to smaller lakes closer to home. They save by camping aboard their boat.
"People boat because of the lifestyle," says Ridenour, a business development representative for a chemical analysis company. "They boat to get away. It's really not the same experience if you are forced to go to dinky, nearby lakes because of these ridiculous gas prices." Thanks to Tony Lang for this at http://news.cincinnati.com
Used Pontoon Boats, By Rick Ostler
Pontoon Boats-North American Waterway
Be sure to check out this weeks latest Pontoon Boat Videos
Please visit our sponsors, they help make this possible. Thanks............Rick
Sponsored by Virtual Skipper 3 - Race people all over the world in online regattas
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