I've always wanted to get a ski/wakeboard/tubing boat, and have been looking online for a spring purchase. So to all the boat owners out there....

What would you say are the average yearly costs to maintain and own decent insurance on it?

Being totally unfamiliar with the different types of boats and the prices with each, what brand/model would be like a Ford Taurus of boats???

11/21/2010 1:29:00 PM

i too would like the advice ITT maybe more jetski than boat but either would be cool.. could possibly a reliable boat be cheaper than a reliable jetski? as far as repair, upkeep, breakdowns, and storage..

11/21/2010 1:37:19 PM

my family has had boats all my life, but I've never been on the financial side of things... so I can't comment on actual costs...

1) Fuel. If you like boating you'll burn through it quickly and 30+ gallon tanks hurt the wallet in a hurry, especially when buying gas on the water

2.) Accessories/required supplies. Lifejackets, fire extinguisher, flares, electronics, etc, etc, etc. If these aren't included in the cost, they can run quite a bit; and many such items will need replacing every few years (assuming you stay legal)

3.) Winterizing, etc. (if you don't plan on using it in the winter). I wouldn't recommend leaving your boat out in freezing weather with no prep; but I'm sure plenty of people do anyways.

4.) Engine maintenance/repair. It's going to need it. It's typically not cheap, though some things you could do on your own.

5.) Taxes/insurance aren't cheap

6.) Hull/deck/general boat repair for used boats; can be texa$

of course most of this is dependent upon your level of care. I like my boats (well, family's boats) to be clean, in good working order, and I hate broken shit. And we are sure to keep maintenance items up to date. So we tend to spend money on it. Others will probably come in here and troll/flame but it's really two different schools of thought - spend the money to keep things in good order and have few problems or don't worry about it and hope nothing breaks and learn to do things yourself.


[Edited on November 21, 2010 at 1:56 PM. Reason : .]

11/21/2010 1:55:14 PM

^This and I'll add motor oil and trailer maintenance.

11/21/2010 2:31:49 PM

they say the two happiest days in a man's life are the day he gets a boat and the day he sells it.

11/21/2010 2:46:00 PM

Don't forget dock fees/slip rental or purchase and the cost of a boat lift.

11/21/2010 3:02:39 PM

^^^yeh, that's what I meant as far as engine maintenance; forgot about trailer maintenance; especially important if you're ever in brackish/saltwater.

^yeh, but I wouldn't say that applies to most people as most trailer, but if you do rent/buy a slip you are talking big money in most popular boating areas. I recommend getting a transom saver and trailer your boat. unless you're an everyday boater and a long distance from the water

[Edited on November 21, 2010 at 3:06 PM. Reason : .]

11/21/2010 3:05:37 PM

Why would you even bother buying a boat if you don't live close to the water? I don't think I'd ever even consider making that purchase if I didn't own a property on the water. I know people do it, but I can't imagine that it makes economic sense if you have to tow it, store it, and also rent a property if you want to do more than a day trip. At that point wouldn't it make more sense just to rent a boat?

Maybe I'm just biased because outside of bass boats, every boat owner I've ever known has a place on the lake/river/beach they go to.

11/21/2010 3:35:00 PM

Is there a place at Jordan Lake to store the boat in a marina or warehouse where they get a forklift to put it in the water?

11/21/2010 6:35:46 PM

Quote :

"At that point wouldn't it make more sense just to rent a boat"

Boat rental in my neck of the woods is from $275-375/day. Lot storage close to where you will be boating shouldn't be more than $100/month. Gas to get there per trip/back...$10-20? Sure this leaves out winterizing and maintenance costs, but young people that buy boats are going to be using them a lot. Renting only makes sense if you are only going to do it a few times a year.

11/21/2010 6:39:40 PM

Quote :

"Why would you even bother buying a boat if you don't live close to the water? I don't think I'd ever even consider making that purchase if I didn't own a property on the water. I know people do it, but I can't imagine that it makes economic sense if you have to tow it, store it, and also rent a property if you want to do more than a day trip. At that point wouldn't it make more sense just to rent a boat? Maybe I'm just biased because outside of bass boats, every boat owner I've ever known has a place on the lake/river/beach they go to."

because waterfront property/slips/etc are expensive as shit? and most people who buy boats have room to store it on their property. ramp fees are cheap. and multi-day trips are easy... just camp out, sleep on the boat, or trailer it to where ever you are staying. I know tons of people with boats that don't live close to the water.

and why would you bother buying a boat if you're not close to the water? the same fucking reasons you buy one when close to the water. that was truly one of the dumbest things I've ever read.

^^yeh, there are slips you can rent/buy. not sure on long-term/winter/warehouse storage though, but I doubt there are any (at least I don't ever remember seeing any.

11/21/2010 7:01:12 PM

^ give dude a break, he's from Rolla, MO apparently There's only one serviceable body of water within 100s of miles.

11/21/2010 7:22:59 PM

Your condom bill will go through the roof.

Other than that I can't think of any hidden costs.
(srsly though...I'll post something up later.)

11/21/2010 9:13:47 PM

Quote :

"they say the two happiest days in a man's life are the day he gets a boat and the day he sells it."

I have also heard -- "If you want to know what it's like to own a boat, take a $100-bill and flush it down the toilet."

11/21/2010 9:17:13 PM

Quote :

"Being totally unfamiliar with the different types of boats and the prices with each, what brand/model would be like a Ford Taurus of boats???"

Any relatively new (1998 or better) "inboard outboard" should do. Find one with fiberglass floors and stringers...You'll be glad you did in the long run. Stingray and Chaparral seem to be quality from what I've seen, but there are a ton of brands out there and they generally share almost identical components. The primary difference is the hull and interior design which is generally tailored by each manufacturer to try to make their boat stand out.

Quote :

"3.) Winterizing, etc. (if you don't plan on using it in the winter). I wouldn't recommend leaving your boat out in freezing weather with no prep; but I'm sure plenty of people do anyways."

Unless it's an outboard engine you need to do a formal winterization process around here. There is raw lakewater in the engine with no antifreeze. If you don't winterize it's going to push the freeze plugs out of your engine block, push the valves out of the head, crack the exhaust manifolds, or some combination of these types of damages. I know people who keep them in the garage with a block heater or two on them all winter, but they're also the type who are out wakeboarding in drysuits throughout the winter.

Quote :

"What would you say are the average yearly costs to maintain and own decent insurance on it?"

Normal Costs:
Winterization...This is probably a $80 job at a shop, but that's just a guess. I do all these types of things myself, so all of my cost estimates will be based on you doing the work yourself. In any case, you're going to want to drain all the water out of your engine, exhaust manifolds, transmission cooler, raw water filter, vdrive unit, lower unit, etc. Depending on your engine type you'll have some combination of these.

Once a year you need to change the oil...$25-$30 if you do it yourself. 5 quarts of good oil + a filter.

Once every two years you need to change the drive fluids. My boat has transmission fluid and vDrive fluid. A inboard outboard would have some type of gear lube. The cost is minimal...Maybe $15 for the fluids as long as you're doing it yourself.

Once every two years you need to change the raw water pump impeller. Mine is about $25. Most are $10-$30.

NC registration is $15 a year or $40 for three years.

You'll have to pay county property taxes based on the value of the boat.

Like a car you have spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor caps, fuel filters, etc. that will need to be replaced every once in a while.

Batteries fail. Keep them charged during the winter and they'll last a lot longer, but you don't buy cheap batteries for a boat. It's not easy to get a jump start when you're tied up at an island. I'll be replacing one of mine (my boat has two) this spring at a cost of around $165.


The main thing is being able to do simple stuff yourself. Boats are not built to be virtually work free for the first 100k miles like a modern car. They take a beating and the most random things work loose or break.

Fortunately, most boats are very easy to work on by comparison to modern cars. Mechanical linkages between the steering wheel/throttle and engine/rudder are easy to troubleshoot. The engine itself is usually pretty easy to access, so things like replacing an alternator or starter are usually a simple 20 minute job.



Keep your eye on the temp gauge and the oil pressure gauge and it's likely that you'll never have any huge repair bills.

11/21/2010 10:24:53 PM

A boat is a hole in the water into which you pour your money.

I grew up on the coast. Taking it in and out of the water is a HUGE pain. Has to be washed down, flushed, all sorts of BS. I would never own one unless I could keep it in the water, preferably in my backyard.

11/21/2010 11:05:34 PM

My uncle has had two boats. He enjoyed them, but he ditched the first one due to the motor dying and the second one due to being nickled-and-dimed by one thing after another. Almost everyone else I know who's had a boat ultimately threw in the towel because of money and hassle.

I'd say rent one, for the sake of your sanity.

11/21/2010 11:40:43 PM

I'll sell you my boat

86' ebbtide dynatrack 160 bass boat. johnson 90hp runs strong. the boat is in the condition you'd expect an old boat to be in, but has working livewells, depth finder, etc. I haven't started it since last season though but I had it professionally winterized. I had bought it from an NCSU professor. the trailer is also in rough shape but if you live in Raleigh and just want to go out to Wheeler/Falls/Jordan to fish and pull skiers/tubes it'll do you right. boat runs about 55 mph on a nice day. $2,000 obo

11/22/2010 12:01:09 AM

The "nickle and dime" thing really isn't a bother if you're doing the work yourself or if you have a newer boat. $10 here, $50 there. It might add up to a couple hundred bucks a year, but it's not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things. It's only when you factor in $80/hour labor that it becomes a pain. I can think of worse things than turning the stereo on, having some friends over, drinking some beer, and working on the boat.

I probably wouldn't buy another older boat unless it already had a major overhaul. Spongy floors, rotten stringers, busted carpet, worn upholstery, etc. is a lot of work if you're not ready for a project boat.

11/22/2010 12:13:28 AM

bend over

11/22/2010 12:38:31 AM

B.O.A.T. = Bust Out Another Thousand

11/22/2010 1:19:59 AM

Trailer registration and boat registration every year

11/22/2010 8:21:16 AM

everything that needs to be said has been said. But if you take care of boat and understand what it needs there shouldn't be very many hidden costs. Before we had our floating dock put in I would trailer the boat after every weekend and wash it down. It's something I told myself I'd do to take care of it, so that I wouldn't have that stained bottom for as long as possible. Now that it stays on the floater (except in winter) I still take it out about once every 4-5 weeks and wash it down, remove the drain plug, and clean out the inside.

I usually have it winterized and serviced at the same time so that next spring it's ready to go.

11/22/2010 9:15:24 AM

What's the difference between a flaming bucket of cash and a boat?

The bucket! Zing...


What are the two happiest days for a boat owner? The day he buys the boat and the day he sells the boat. Double zing...



[Edited on November 22, 2010 at 9:16 AM. Reason : gh]

11/22/2010 9:16:15 AM

^ I wouldn't call it a "double zing" considering that joke was made in the fifth post of this thread

[Edited on November 22, 2010 at 9:33 AM. Reason : a]

11/22/2010 9:33:19 AM

Quote :

"they say the two happiest days in a man's life are the day he gets a boat and the day he sells it."

i have heard this as well but i still want one

11/22/2010 10:04:43 AM

^

11/22/2010 10:34:48 AM

Quote :

"The "nickle and dime" thing really isn't a bother if you're doing the work yourself or if you have a newer boat. $10 here, $50 there. It might add up to a couple hundred bucks a year, but it's not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things. It's only when you factor in $80/hour labor that it becomes a pain. I can think of worse things than turning the stereo on, having some friends over, drinking some beer, and working on the boat. I probably wouldn't buy another older boat unless it already had a major overhaul. Spongy floors, rotten stringers, busted carpet, worn upholstery, etc. is a lot of work if you're not ready for a project boat."

Agreed. My parents bought a new boat about 10 years ago and they haven't had any major issues. They just get it winterized/serviced? every year. They live about 10 min from falls lake and love having a boat.

11/22/2010 11:45:05 AM

got my tax bill today. 822 bucks. i mean shit! this blows every year when it comes.

11/22/2010 9:16:21 PM

Just like Tarpon said. Its never-ending

[Edited on November 23, 2010 at 7:16 AM. Reason : :]

11/23/2010 7:15:35 AM

I could say the same thing about owning a car...
OMG I had to get the oil changed and they said the antifreeze was old and the transmission fluid and the axle fluid and the shocks were worn out and the tires are almost bald and the AC doesn't work anymore, the tie rod ends are worn out, property taxes are due, insurance is due, registration and inspection is due...Yadda yadda yadda...

Don't even get me started on owning a house. My boat takes very little attention by comparison. ::knocks on wood::

And stone either has a hell of a boat, his property taxes are ridiculous, or both. My taxes on a $13k boat were $100.97 this year.

11/23/2010 9:30:33 AM

Quote :

"his property taxes are ridiculous, or both. My taxes on a $13k boat were $100.97 this year."

i was getting ready to ask if he owned a yacht ....

11/23/2010 11:29:02 AM

As long as you have the driveway or garage space to store it the costs are not that expensive. Any I/O, inboard, or new 4 stroke outboard will need an oil change 1 or 2 times a year(depending on how much you use it), lower unit once a year, winterize-dewinterize once a year.....as long as you keep up with these simple issues you should not have any major problems.. My boat cost me $100 to change the oil and lower unit oil this year using oem parts doing it by myself....

11/23/2010 12:25:58 PM

DIY oil change for my motorcycle is $25. Much cheaper and more useful than a hole in the water.

11/23/2010 12:58:27 PM

^and a lot more likely to get killed on than a boat, plus ability to bring more than 1 person with you(chicks)

[Edited on November 23, 2010 at 1:16 PM. Reason : .]

11/23/2010 1:03:38 PM

^^ That post is from so far out in left field I don't even know how to respond.

Homeslice...Shoot me a PM if you have an idea of what you'd like to pay and what you want out of a boat. I can keep my eye out for something or maybe make some better recommendations. I help old dudes from Lake Gaston sell their boats from time-to-time and they're usually at least a few grand less than what I'd be asking if it were mine.

11/23/2010 7:43:01 PM

Thanks for the feedback.

^Hoping to keep it around $15k. As far as a comparison style (I know these are like BMWs), but I like the Sea Ray 185. 7 Passenger, small enough to where its easy to put in/out of the water and tow with a a light SUV, yet has the ability to tube, wake board. There isn't a whole lot of storage, but I think that comes with the specs of an 18ft boat.

11/23/2010 11:07:13 PM

Since you wont be fishing and buying a bunch of tackle and bait; beer, maintenance and fuel will be your biggest expenses by far(other than the actual cost of the boat). Taxes and insurance are really minimal compared to these other expenses. Fuel would include 2 stroke oil and all the extra gas to go in your truck to pull the boat also. I only get about 7-8 mpg in my truck pulling the boat. A trip to Hatteras takes more than 30 gallons in the truck. A ski boat like you are looking for really shouldnt be that bad on fuel. I ran 110 miles on 68 gallons on sunday but a ski boat would be much better than that.

11/24/2010 10:06:39 AM

I'd suggest seriously considering a 20-21' boat rather than 18-19'. The extra size matters. The bow will be big enough for adults. The sundeck becomes something that is comfortable to lay out on. In addition to the length, it will also be wider and feel less cramped in the main part of the boat. But the biggest thing is the difference in the way they will handle normal lake boat wakes that you'll be crossing almost non-stop every time you go out. An 18'er is going to bounce pretty hard, but a 20-22'er just seems made to handle that sized chop. It will not be that much more difficult to tow and the weight difference behind your truck is only going to be somewhere around 700-800lbs. If in doubt, test them both and see which you like.

I'd look for a Stingray. They don't skimp on quality on the smaller boats and their "z-plane" hull will give you more top speed and better gas mileage than the competitors.

http://www.boatingmag.com/boats/sport/stingray-185-lx
http://www.stingrayboats.com/products/reviews/lb07_08.html
http://www.boatingmag.com/stingray-225

11/24/2010 10:26:49 AM

Quote :

"Taking it in and out of the water is a HUGE pain"

then someone didn't know what they were doing.

11/30/2010 7:36:20 AM

Unless you want everything to rust you have to wash the vehicle you used, trailer, boat, clean the thing out, flush the motor, etc.

Maybe you half ass it because you don't give a shit about your stuff, or have some tiny dingy so it doesn't take that long. All my friends had sort of decent sized boats (nothing huge) and all ended up paying for a slip for the summer or selling it.

11/30/2010 10:05:51 AM

anything towed behind the hitch ball of your truck is going to be a cost, the trailer, hull, motor, interior, accessories, fish finders, fishing rods, life jackets, on and on and on

11/30/2010 10:07:28 AM

I have always wanted to build my own boat.

see: http://www.bateau.com/

11/30/2010 10:40:50 AM

^^^

do you drive your truck into salt water to launch? Why the hell would it rust or need cleaning? Any decent size boat, especially one that may be used for fishing, will have a raw water washdown, making it much easier to get things clean before loading on the trailer. Trailers can be aluminum or at the least are galvanized so rust isn't a problem, especially if you live out in the fresher water area away from the coast. Cheap steel wheels will rust over time if not cared for and cheap bolts will rust as well if you repeatedly dip them in and out of salt water. This is something you should know when buying the trailer and either get them out of stainless, replace them every 7-10 years, or wash the trailer and spray w/ wd40 every trip out. You don't need to flush the motor all of the time, especially if you can drain it fully like most outboards. I/Os still need a flush and more work to winterize but that isn't a huge concern and can easily be done yourself.

In the end it comes down to old boats give boats a bad name much moreso than newer (10-12 years) cheap boats. getting rid of wood stringers makes the boats lighter, stronger, and last a lot longer because they won't rot. The newer gelcoats don't fade and dry out as easily. Newer engines don't need the same level of preventative maintenance that they used to (evident by the fact there are no longer saltwater and freshwater versions of the same motor).

11/30/2010 12:11:01 PM

Quote :

"Unless you want everything to rust you have to wash the vehicle you used, trailer, boat, clean the thing out, flush the motor, etc."

Not really. Most of us are using our boats in freshwater. Backing the trailer in is akin to washing it off. Just keep grease in the wheel bearings and you're good to go.

If you're using it in saltwater you just have to get the right gear for the job. A galvanized or aluminum trailer will not rust. The springs and their hardware will not be galvanized, so they'll rust like crazy, but unless you're planning to keep it for more than 20 years it'll never be a problem for you. Even if you do keep it that long it's not a big deal to swap the springs once during the trailer's lifetime.

Fresh water won't mess up your truck. Not at the levels that it'll be touching the water at least.

It's unlikely that you'll back the truck far enough for salt water to touch the bottom of the axle or the wheel bearings, but it's not the end of the world if it does. Most boat ramps drop off quick enough that you don't have to back that far though.

[Edited on November 30, 2010 at 12:54 PM. Reason : s]

11/30/2010 12:51:39 PM

Quote :

"And stone either has a hell of a boat, his property taxes are ridiculous, or both. My taxes on a $13k boat were $100.97 this year. "

i live in charleston sc, flats boat, they value the motor and boat separately. and when i say value they OVER value both items. i send them kbb pricing and pricing from the interweb and they tell me tuff cookies every year. they will not even apply ky first. ohh and it is 10.5% on hull and motor

[Edited on November 30, 2010 at 8:49 PM. Reason : k;kj]

[Edited on November 30, 2010 at 8:52 PM. Reason : hello ass reaming]

11/30/2010 8:48:03 PM

Unless it's the great lakes, freshwater boating is like being a hamster on a wheel.

11/30/2010 8:51:59 PM

Quote :

"Unless you want everything to rust you have to wash the vehicle you used, trailer, boat, clean the thing out, flush the motor, etc. Maybe you half ass it because you don't give a shit about your stuff, or have some tiny dingy so it doesn't take that long. All my friends had sort of decent sized boats (nothing huge) and all ended up paying for a slip for the summer or selling it."

are you retarded? did I ever say that I don't take care of my stuff? no, in fact, I said the opposite (read the thread). I said if launching/trailering/cleaning your boat/vehicle is such a PITA then you are either lazy, dumb, or don't know what you're doing. It takes about 10-15 min to do all of that, including flushing the engine. And it also requires very little energy. and no, I don't have a dingy. we've had 16-23' center consoles and a 27' sailboat.

[Edited on December 1, 2010 at 12:15 AM. Reason : .]

12/1/2010 12:14:44 AM

My boat costs me a metric fuckton to keep up, but it's a totally different size, type, etc.

All the things listed in this thread are considerations though.

Insurance, storage costs, maintenance, repairs, taxes : run me about $3000-3500 per year if no major repairs.

But like I said it's really a different case, so not too helpful I guess.

12/1/2010 1:02:31 PM

Quote :

"A galvanized or aluminum trailer will not rust"

A galvanized trailer will most certainly rust. You people must not be boating anywhere near the coast. Any motor needs to be flushed everytime it is used in saltwater or you will have problems. Even cheap stainless will rust at the coast in just a couple years. The only part of an aluminum trailer that will not rust is the aluminum frame. The axles, brackets, winch, and everything else will rust.

12/1/2010 1:28:50 PM