What do you charge your boat passengers for gas?
 

I was curious what most people do for gas money for the boat?

I've always been the type that doesn't say anything about it and they usually give me $20 to $30 dollars for gas and a lot of times nothing for gas. My friends who understand how much these boats suck fuel understand more than others. Now that wake surfing is the primary activity on the water fuel consumption is getting worse. Having a boat payment and having to constantly pay for most of the gas is starting to get old. Is it fair to ask your passengers to pay for the gas? or Just ask for a flat dollar amount per person? Lets be honest a lot of the time the boat owner is usually the one driving the boat while most of the others are enjoying themselves surfing, wake boarding, or partying. Share some of your process with me so I don't feel like I'm being unfair or unreasonable.

Thanks

I usually ask that people bring a 5 gallon gas can and call it good.

i just ask for 5 bucks for anyone who boards if we surf it goes up.

People usually give me $20 and take 2 sets or so. It's VERY rare that I get away with not throwing at least $20-30 or my own money in to get it filled up, so I think it's pretty fair for everyone. Loaded boats drink gas.

That being said, I don't CHARGE anyone. If someone doesn't pay I usually note it, but I try not to hold it against people for the most part. I ride with one kid that is 17 and only has a part time job. I don't take money from him, he needs to be saving for college expenses.

I never charge anyone for gas. I only invite people onto my boat.

I do, however, always remember who offers to pay something. They are the people who really appreciate getting rides and are much more fun to have invited. Probably they'll get invited another time.

Most loaded up wakeboard sets that last about 20mins each or 7miles use 4-5gals each. Do the math.

I simply tell my friends that $10-20 a person goes a long way, and to bring beer. I usually don't ask girls but they will sometimes pay as well. I typically have 10-12 people on there so it helps a lot. My buddies that understand how much boats cost will usually give me $30-70. One weekend, I walked away with over $300, granted we used almost 100 gallons.

This +1.

I've never had an issue for the most part. My regular crew has been coming out with me for years and understands. We started when we were all 15/16 years old so everyone knew they had to contribute if they wanted to go out. Now, quite often they don't even let me pay for gas.

It also helps when you stop at the gas station on the way and they physically see how much is going in.

Lastly, my old boat had this which helps you with the conversation.lol.

If people are just there to ride in the boat i charge them nothing only the boarders pay. the other people are just free ballast.

This is good info....Dave...Thats hilarious! I might need to use that one. I have also thought about starting off with a full tank of gas and telling everyone when we are done for the day I will fill it back up and we can all split that cost. That way no one feels taken advantage of.

^^Thats what we used to do when we fished 60 miles off shore when I lived in Florida. Burned a lot of gas. Started full and filled up on the way in when everyone was in the boat.

What do you charge your boat passengers for gas?
 

I just cut my crew to 2 me and a good friend . It used to be 4 of us. One would always pay or clean the boat before we went out and the other two would come up with a BS excuse as to why they couldn't pay or clean. Yet they can buy an almost half a million dollar house. Yet they can't give me $15 for gas here or there. Summer time comes we talk every week. Winter comes I don't hear from them but once a month. I finally realized this year I was being used. Don't let people take advantage of you to go on the lake. True friends will be there no matter what or what time of year.

I have a few guys that understand and others that don't. I like having those that don't around (they're fun guys), just either a little on the cheap end or oblivious. For them, on the invite txt to go out, I tell them to bring $10/ea. the others I don't have to worry about.

I don't charge for going on the boat but I do charge for a ride back to shore.

I have never charged anyone for fuel. If i have room and someone wants to go, they are welcome.

Easy... regular crew should always cough up some cash for their sets. If we are going out specifically for everyone to ride, ya.. you should pay.

If I am inviting people out just for a day on the boat, then no... I don't expect anything as I would be out on the water regardless if they wanted to join or not.

Like Chase mentioned we had a guy who rode with us for a whole summer and was a friend but never chipped in for gas once or helped clean or tarp the boat. Come winter we never heard from him. We realized we were being used and replaced him. It's not about being cheap, but if you go out and ride week after week why should the boat owner cover the costs? Heck I even sold this guy a wakeboard and it took him a year to pay me for it, all $200 for a Company board and Ronix bindings and the board was brand new.

$20 is a pretty good deal if you ask me for a day of riding.

I had a distant cousin come out once and bring 6 friends and I spent the whole day towing all these people I never met and taught them all how to wakeboard. I never got to ride once. We got to the dock and they were gone, like a virgin on prom night. It was probably the most "used" I felt since owning a boat. Haven't really spoken to him since. I spent $100 in gas and a whole day driving, the least they could have done is given me a bottle of Rum.

Yeah I clean my boat or try to almost every time before I go out, they have a lake house across from mine and have been my crew for at least 7-8 years. The friend that would pay/clean and I would get up early and spend most of the morning cleaning even hung over while the other two would send text asking what's taking so long and why we weren't on the water and that they were waiting on the dock.......clipped

Pick which category you are in:

1. You don't ask - once in a while - guests for money.
2. You are so rich you don't care about the money so you don't ask - once in a while - or regular crew riders for money.
3. You need riders so you can go yourself, so you don't ask your regular crew riders for money.
4. You can afford not to ask for money but prefer getting it because you believe your regular crew riders would prefer to pay their own way.
5. You need the money and you believe your regular crew riders would prefer to pay their own way.
6. Pretty much everyone you ride with has a boat, so you just trade pulls and it evens out.

I never ask but I will usually accept a $20 dollar bill or so if someone offers. The exception is a friend of mine who has a Nautique and I go out with him on his boat once and a while and vice versa. We never ask each other but we usually bring the beer/food etc when on the others boat. I feel like I bought the boat so I accept the costs that come with operating it. Hell, I have a hard time even getting people to come out half the time so not gonna hit em up for money on top of that.

I've never charged anybody I invite! But bring your own beverages and food, and respect my boat and the rules of boating! And I don't need help wiping her down...

All I ask of people is to handle the drink situation, and keep their shoes on the dock.

It has been mostly alright doing things this way. Like some guys have already said, you get some people that may be a bit oblivious to the fact these things aren't cheap to run, but also get the guys that surprise you with cash for making their day. I think it evens out in the end, and at least it's good for a laugh when you can shame the cheap guy over the drinks he brought.

$20-$30 per rider is appropriate for a typical day of 3-4 sets each. If you're not riding then I don't expect anything. I don't require money but most either ask how much for gas or get the idea quick when they see someone hand me money at the ramp. It's nice to get gas money but it's not a deal breaker. It's not always easy to find a crew early or late season so I take what I can get, a few bucks in gas isn't going to make or break me.

$20 bucks to ride. If you don't pay and don't have a valid excuse, you don't come back.

That may sound harsh, but I am fresh out of college with a boat payment, truck payment, and has for the boat along with all the wear and tear. I put 100-150 hours a year on my boat so upkeep is steep. If they don't understand, I'm sorry. I want everyone to have a good time, but as one of the above posters said, "My boat runs on gas, not thanks!" Plus with 4000 lbs ballast and the wedge down, fuel consumption is pretty high, so I think $20 is a deal ha!

ETA: I don't expect anything if you don't ride. I just view that as extra ballast :)

We usually only have kids and close friends and never even think about charging.

Jay Wedsted (jbird) Join Date: Jun 2011 04-26-2015, 6:26 AM Reply Quick Reply
I've never charged anybody I invite! But bring your own beverages and food, and respect my boat and the rules of boating! And I don't need help wiping her down...

This ^^^^ I hate when people that dont get it want to help me clean the boat - they are just in the way. I never ask for money

If the topic comes up, I say, "gas money is not *expected* but is always appreciated"

I only have a few somewhat regular crew, and most of them are boat owners, so sometimes money changes hands, or often we just swap rides. If we chip in money, it more or less ends up that the money just shuffles around.

And if I'm on someone else's boat, popping $20 is cheaper than taking my own boat out.


I have one "regular" crew. He is great. He always helps with wipe down and various tasks. Sometimes he tows. He always chips in gas, and even chooses to pay pal me money in advance. Heck, on his last pay day, he unexpectedly paypal'd me $40 for "future rides". LOL

From my perspective, $20 seems reasonable for a rider. Maybe more for a weekend with lots more ride time.

And should the rare occasion happen where all my gas was subsidized, then the rider is still getting a good deal.

Anytime I get on anyone's boat besides mine I give them $40. Whether I ride 1 set or 3 or none.
I know dude probably spent 100-150 filling the boat & 100 for his truck. Plus, plus, plus.

I prefer not to ask and shouldn't have to. If you come out and don't offer up a dime then I probably won't invite you again.

everyone should just follow the CWB PSA. 5 gallons per 20 minute set. Whatever that costs. Probably $20-30. Or just bring a large can of gas with you. I'm happy to accept gasoline straight up.

As a Boat owner, 5 gallons a set is the best way to go if you want to be super cool.

Honestly though, I only let cool people (people I think are cool) on my boat. I rarely ever have a problem with people not bringing cash, beers, gas and sticking around for clean-up. I won't accept cash from people just riding along, especially if they brought beer. One big exception I have is the broke, young shredder. If they throw me a 10 for a set, or whatever they have and stick around and are helpful I'm totally cool. I was that guy for years.

I personally think it's all about transparency. I built a google doc that calculates average gas usage per set, as well as the tow to each of the lakes I frequent. If a rider wants to see it, I send them a link.

Based on tow, and 3 riders each taking 2 sets, it usually ends up being about $22ish each. I show them that and they paypal me that amount. If someone just wanted to give me $20, I'm down for that too. $2 isn't a big deal. I do find that there is an economy of scale, since I include the tow cost into my calculation. It's around $15 a guy if they only take 1 set, while around $22 for 2. I work in big data so maybe I get a kick out of this number crunching.

If someone just hangs in the boat, I don't expect anything unless they offer.

I've seen people calculate it and then whip out the credit card readers and charge me like $12.86 a set and be completely adamant that's what I owe them. I've always thought that was a little extreme. Higher or lower I don't really care, if it's someone else's boat I'll usually throw them $15-20 cash depending on if we had to travel to the lake or how much weight is in the boat.

I usually get taken advantage of. But sometimes people who own their own boats offer to pay. Sometimes I take their money and sometimes I don't. Usually let them slide the first time.

I typically use a straight line depreciation method. Roughly equates out to $100 per 30 min. set. I'm generous enough to not calculate in oil changes, slip charges, and maintenance. Oh, by the way, I'm joking. 5-10 gallons of that sweet sweet premium gas will do. $20-30.

$20 does it for the Axis per a person. It isn't required but get you invites.

20 bucks a set, that's what I pay, and what I ask for

$20 a set!! Lmao damn it only cost like 5$ for a couple gallons

First off where do you live that fuel is 2.50 per gallon?
20$ per set may be extreme to you but the way me and my friends ride, 20$ per set is cheap and the boat owner is losing out. We burn 5 gallons per set and fuel is over 4$ here in Northern California

Mine varies all over the place. If I'm just out with another family to have fun, I don't ask for anything, though if they want to chip in I'm more than happy to accept. Many will instead arrange ahead of time that they are bringing all the food/drinks. If it is a pure wakeboarding trip, I usually ask for $30. There are a bunch of college kids I take out sometimes that I only ask for $20 however as I know they are hard up for cash. I have thought about charging per set instead - does seem fair. I burn about 8 gal/hr or $24/hr at $3/gal, so a set should cost maybe $6. I also have a long drive to the lake and also burn 10 gal round trip on the truck, so I had thought about making it $10 plus $10 per set... which not coincidentally is about $30 per rider. The $10 + $10 per set would give me the flexibility to treat people fairly that take different number of sets or hog the rope with super long sets.

The East Coast where gas is $2.75 a gallon for premium. I charge $20-or 8-10 gallons because it will be the best $20 you've burned in your life, and boat weighted with 6k of water and a 450 hp eco-friendly engine uses that much per set which is roughly 20-30 min.

I have spent too many hours behind the wheel of a weighted boat in which we pull away from the dock pulling a rider and return pulling a rider, and needless to say, $20 for a set isn't extreme. Of course some days we end up with too much gas, others, too little, it all seems to even out at that rate. A couple of years ago, it was almost double.

If your riding an unweighted boat, of course there will be a lot less fuel consumption, but the moral of the story is, you know your boat better than anyone, if not, fill your boat up, take 2 or 3 sets, then go fill it up again and see how much gas it takes. Repeat a few times, then you will get a good understanding of what it takes or doesn't take.

When I had my 210 I did not worry and everyone brought drinks and sometimes gas money. Now that I have the G and we have more people coming and the fact that I have put 250 hours on it in less than a year running 93 octane I just let everyone know as long as we have gas we can go. So the crew has taken ownership of that responsibility and we go whenever people want to go which is normally 3 times a week. I covered most of the expense in the beginning and it became too much. Everyone is happy to ride the G.

I'm for the idea that the boat owner shouldn't pay for anything. Beer and gas should be covered by the other occupants.
I paid for the boat, tow the boat, store the boat, maintain the boat.
Everyone along for the ride should cover the daily expenses when out.
Should never have to pay for a lauch, beer, or gas imo.



But we all know that's a pipe dream

Exactly. Unless someone spends just as much time on the boat as I do, then I don't "charge" them anything. Im open to donations, beer, grass and gas. I'm definitely not going to be "that guy" who charges people to ride on the his boat. If donations from others make or break whether you can enjoy a day on the water, then you're in the wrong sport. I expect to burn gas and drink beer when I'm out and I don't try put that expense on other people.

Ive spent years covering the gas bill, doesn't matter to me if people come out to ride or not, I do not depend on others money for me to have fun. I put at least 120 hours on my boat a year. My friends have no problem paying 20 bucks per set. They burn at least 3 gallons per set which is about 12 bucks in gas, not to mention all the other expenses that go with owning a boat. If they don't want to pay, they can stay home, I'm still going regardless.....

I charge $20 plus per head minus little kids. $20 is more than fair for someone to run out and enjoy a day on the lake. We have a pump close by so they swipe their card and then get in the boat. Period. I have a long list of people willing to pay to come enjoy so no free rides here!

Never ask for money but don't turn any down. However if they don't help with gas, food, or the boat they usually won't get invited back. If you're cheap you can at least help wipe the boat down, stow everything away, or put the boat in the parking spot. Sometimes help is better than gas money....sometimes.

Mines usually 20 bucks a person for all day of no ballast wakeboarding. Currently im the only one who rides with ballast in my crew for wakeboard.

But if your a surfer and want to surf for couple hours on end i calculate surfing at 5-6 gallons per hour, surfing EATS gas in my rig.

For the people who just wanna ride and drink, bring your own drinks, and be prepared to share, and no gas money required, excpet im gonna be asking you to move seats to balance the boat out (dynamic ballast)