Gas Prices
 

So how are these climbing out of control gas prices going to change your riding habits?
Are you going to ride less?
Are you going to run with less weight?
Are you going to just suck it up and deal with it?
Get more riders on the boat and have them chip in more?
Sell the boat and become a boat whore?

Our plan for this season is to find at least one other person to come out with us on a regular basis, there are only 3 of us currently. The fourth will help cut back on cost per person, but it also cuts into everyones riding time.

We are just going to bite the bullet

I am not going to change a Thing. The X-Star burns about 8-10 gallons an Hour of Premium fully slammed out. I am just going to make sure I collect loot from everybody before we hit the water!

cut down on something else in life. Boat, riding, water time comes FIRST.

Gonna pull down my shorts, bend over and accept the fact that I am going to be raped at the pump this summer. I plan on filling my 100gal tank whenever prices are at the lowest.

Cable

I'm leaning towards selling the boat. It's not something I want to do, but why have a boat if I can't afford to ride when I want. I sure wish we had a cable.

Why do u run premium? What engine

Just got this via email, perfect for this thread.

I too will be bending over. Making sure everyone pays up is important too, maybe charge the girls to tan

Yeah it's crazy how gas is getting expensive, and I'm sure it's still ok for you compare to europe.
Here you pay like 8,5 $ per gallon. How much do you pay in US?

my LT1 requires 89. States in the manual.

I will run lighter ballast if any at all.

I'll be out as often as I can get a crew together. I'm poor but riding and time on the water comes first.

Stop driving my car so that I can afford gas for the boat. Just like 4 years ago this will totally justify me buying a motorcycle for summer. "Honey, gas is soo expensive for the truck." I'm dialed.

i won't change a thing. hopefully this will maybe result in less crazies out on the water!

More time chilling in the cove, but still time on the boat. Also mandatory gas money form everyone. Figure last year $75-80 a tank, this year $100-110

Less Beer, more gas?


http://wackyiraqi.com/wtf/hnng.jpg

My thoughts exactly. My only problem is convincing her I need all five.

Suck it up, and sit and float while not riding!

Probably won't change anything except collecting more from the people that come out with us.

I am hoping since we are going to go to a small lake across the street instead of the bigger lake that is 60 miles away the gas I will save in the truck will go into the boat and everything is a wash.

im biking to work everyday, because gas money is for wakeboarding and its gotta come from somewhere. pluss im getting in better shape for riding.

BTW i live about 8 blocks from work so its actually kinda pathetic when i do drive my car to work.

Definately going to hafta hit up the cable more this year... not a totally bad thing i spose!

I won't be changing a thing. I typically ride with just one other guy and he usually throws me a $20 for up to 3 sets. We usually burn about $30 in gas (when gas was $2.80 a gallon). So gas over the last couple years has really only cost me about $10 each time we go out to ride. Even if gas hits $4 a gallon I would imagine that my contribution would only go up another $10 or so.

I think the people that will be hit the hardest with high gas prices will be those who go out with 5-6 man rotaions for a day of wakeboarding. There's always one or two people in that large rotation who take 45 minute sets and then throw you $5 at the end of the day. To each there own, but I'd rather ride with a 2 man rotation and take my time in-between sets. Have a beer here and there, wait for the right moment to ride while other boats are changing riders, etc. I know most of the other boats riding in my cove, so I still get the same social aspect of hanging with a large crew; I just don't have to deal with waiting 2 hours in-between sets and then getting shafted on gas money at the end of the day.

Perhaps there will be an upside to high gas prices in that maybe the lakes will be less crowded this summer?

No difference for me, but $25 for two sets will take care of things. Everyone that rides with me takes a 30 min set at the most....no marathon riders in my crew. :D

Just like a few years ago, high gas prices will keep some of the cruisers and performance boats off the water.....NICE!

2 years ago when gas was $4 here, there was more boats out than I had ever seen in all my years of riding. I dont know where they came from.

I have been trying to find more and different people to ride with. I am lucky to get $10 out of the guy(s) I usually go with most days. Considering I tow 20 miles from my house to a lake 5 miles from theirs and do most of the work associated with having the boat, I loose a ton of money every year. It costs me more than $50 every time I go out with just me and another guy to the lake I go to. Others who know the game toss 20 my way usually, and dont get me wrong, I know what I got into when I got the boat, but dang, it makse is hard to afford it more than a couple of times a week. I dont slam my boat, I got a 210 so it is decent on gas, but at 10MPG, the truck isnt. Sometimes I really feel like it isnt respected at all. It makes it tougher to get stoked for sure.

Summer is short here... So I might have to cut on other non essential expenses. But, I'm getting a new boat, new boards and will ride the hell out of them. I came late to the sport and I'm now 40 ouch...... The price of gas will definitively hurt. But it will not stop me from landing a few invert this summer.

More kiteboarding, Wind = free

I will probably be a little more picky in my invites on the boat and will probably ride less. If it is one of those marginal days (several other boats, chilly temps, a chopped but ridable surface), I will probably take a pass instead of trying to make things happen. $20 sets are just not worth it if it is only so so riding conditions.

So all last year the average peeps payed was 10 a set, What is a decent amount to accept for gas, now that its climbing. Im new to owning a boat, and dont feel right asking for money.

Jason: No single right answer. For regular riders, I pay or hope to get the cash equivalent of 3-5 gals gas per set rounded to the nearest $5. If there is a significant tow, I will throw in more.

I might try and work at the marina and pay off the cost of a boat slip, would save from having to tow an hour with diesel gas which will probably be upwards of 5-6 dollars by summertime. I will only run with stock ballast and those who throw down for gas will be invited the next time. I think I will be posting up more in the find a third section because it seems like wakeworlders are more inclined to throw down money for a ride than my cheap friends.

Price per barrel is expected to reach near 200$ by June. Chances are it won't get that high, but all these traders and issues in the middle east could cause it to happen. $.38 in 13 days is absurd. I'll be taking only riders. No just sit in the boat watchers bc they don't have to pay for gas in my boat.

Up the price per set and maybe start charging the girls $10 to tan all day. If you think about it $10 for someone to come and enjoy a day out on the water is pretty damn cheap. Last year my normal crew threw in $10 a set and that covered the gas mostly.

I'm not a big fan of having to ask people to chip in for gas when they come out on the boat but the best thing I ever did was start riding with other people that own boats also. That way we just rotate boats and you save on maintenence costs and everyone riding knows proper boat ettiquette. I rarely take my normal friends out anymore because they come out, ride all day, drink all my beer and you never know if they are going to throw down any money. I saw a sticker on a boat one day that said "This boat doesn't run on thank you's." Maybe everyone would get the hint then ;)

If it goes to 200.00 a barrel, that would mean 5.50 to 6.00 a gallon gas. Gas is only @ 105.00 a barrel currently.

I trying to pitch this idea to my crew:

Instead of going out EVERY Saturday we go out every other Saturday and camp Saturday night and leave early Sunday Afternoon. This will save gas with one less trip to and from the lake and allow me to work an extra two days a month. I doubt my crew will buy off on it though.



If it goes to $200 a barrel I wouldn't worry about wakeboarding... I would worry about having enough shells for the shotgun...

Not changing my riding style a bit. Still plan to get out on the water as much as possible or more. Got a good buddy that is the same way. We will take his SAN 210 or my Axis and not think different. The boat is one of those line items in my budget that doesnt have a max limit lol. Its the one thing I enjoy to do and I have been waiting for spring/summer to hit. If it went to 20 a gallon, yeah I'd curb back but still...4 bucks a gallon, totally worth it. If anything, I hope it stops the people that are out joyriding and screwing up the water for us. Maybe we can actually ride on weekends. If we take other people, they can chip in. We ride with eachother in our boats so if we got gas money off eachother we would just be handing the same amount back and forth lol.

I won't change anything.

Some of you guys seem to take the fun out of boating by worrying about the $/set and how much to charge your guests each time you go out for a ride. Look, it was my decision to buy a boat and that means it was my decision to incur the costs associated with the boat, including fuel. It's great if someone wants to throw me a $20 at the end of the day, but I will NEVER ask for it. Sorry, but asking for money is rude imo. I enjoy having others enjoy my boat and I want everyone to enjoy themselves and not worry about how much they are going to owe me at the end of the day.

It's kind of a catch 22, asking is rude, but also riding in a time where gas prices are so high and not pitching in is rude. I figure we'll probably only ride wiht people who understand that, and pitch. We'll also swap boats wiht friends who have them and split costs that way, while also pitching in on gas for them.

I agree I would never ask them directly, but if you are wakeboarding with a crew on a regular basis I would definetly drop the hint or not invite the person any more. Most people know gas is expensive and will pitch in no worries.

This is the best advice I have heard. A friend of mine was buying his first Malibu and he was asking how much more fuel it would use versus his old I/O. The statement from the dealer was "Son, if you can afford this boat, you can afford the gas."

Pretty good analogy. If you can't afford to put fuel in the boat, maybe you shouldn't have one. Just saying.

While that may be true before there is a point where even those who have plenty of money see that paying $4-5 a gallon in gas is a bit too pricey. Last year I could afford gas easily, this year it's going to be a bit more rough on the wallet. That sales guy may be talking himself out of sales this summer with that mind set.

My guess is gas will push prices rising all over

Looks like its going to cost me an extra dollar to get to the cable.

I dont bring money to ride.
I bring gas. Two cans for me and two for my sister if she comes.
Plus red bulls or beer depending on the situ.
When your friends boat is kept at the waterfront, money is one thing. Schlepping 8 cans to the station and back is another.

So bring gas. But let the owner pour it unless your are directly asked to do so.

It was said tongue in cheek. Trust me they aren't going to lose many sales. They are great people.:D

But even if you do the math it doesn't make a huge difference.

Last year $2.00/gallon burning assuming a high number of 8 gallons/hr. 100 hours a year. $1600 year

Last year $4.00/gallon burning assuming a high number of 8 gallons/hr. 100 hours a year. $3200 year

So the difference for an entire year of boating (based on 100 hrs) is $1600. Definitely not cheap. But compared to not using it at all?

Remember these are just average numbers and every area, or country, will be different.

Again this is just my opinion. I will be shutting the boat off a lot more, and hopefully pulling the tube a lot less:p.

just going to have to give up the hookers, boat time takes priority

i was going to stock up on vaseline to help ease the pain as i bend over and take it but then remembered that vaseline is a petrolium based jelly....bughhh

this

that is also giving the assumption that "riders" are those using and buying new boats. I have an old boat, because that is what I can afford, and still live and afford to use it. That dealer is part of the demise that will soon be coming to the wake boat industry. We need more economical boats, and not just an X-1 advertised at $40K. They need to look at the RV industry if they want to stay around in the upcoming years. RV companies developed and now market budget based product, and are able to attract new customers and are digging back out. Boat companies just put more gadgets and "innovation" in, and keep going after the rich, lake house owning executive families. That will only last so long IMO.

The boat industry has budget boats, and they run about 17-20k. Not that these are bad boats, but they are built for the budget consumer who wants to get on the water. My parents just bought one because they wanted to enjoy the water without having to rely on me to get time off from work to go, etc, and they only had to pay around 20k. That's why people buy the "budget boat" and throw a tower on them. They get to enjoy the sport without breaking the bank. There are many boats that are not wakeboats that are just as expensive, and go fast rather than produce a huge wake. You are correct when you say the RV industry created a budget RV, but there is a reason the budget RV's do not look like a Class A. Your comparing whole RV industry to one facet of the boating industry. People should live within their means, and be happy with what they have. Damn lake house owning people, ruining the industry:rolleyes:

Never said they were ruining the industry. It was that they are the only customers being marketed to with the newer wake boats. I agree, the boat industry is a better use for example. What boat were they getting for $20K new?

They bought a bayliner 185 for 22k. Stereo, bimini, swimplatform, trailer with swing tongue. Obviously not a wakeboat, but they didn't need a wakeboat. We also checked out VIP and tahoe, all around the same price point. Budget boat that would serve the purpose. Went with the bayliner because it was a little nicer in my folks opinion. But if someone wanted a new boat, this would do. Maybe upgrade the engine, slap a tower on, and they can hit the water. Yes there are those people who are boat snobs and laugh, but if its all I could afford, i'd buy one. We started riding years ago behind a little 17' flat bottom with a johnson outboard on it, with an ankle high wake. And I do agree that boats are way overpriced for fiberglass and an engine, so is the housing cost here in CA, so unfortunately if we want certain luxuries, we pay for them.

[IMG]http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/...-01-34_320.jpg[/IMG]

I tell my guys straight up, i love coming out here but i'm not going to pay for you guys to have fun. They are still a bit reluctant, but still remind them about the up keep in the other stuff around the boat. A few times i have overheard them talking about getting their own boat and i butt in and tell them, you dont even wanna pay for your part in gas and you want to buy a boat! LOL Towards the end of the season they get stingy, but I usually end up putting down about $50 in gas a season.

$20 per night is what I pitch in with the guys I ride with. About an hr+ riding total divided up by two sets and I feel that what I contribute is decent. If it's a longer day I'll pitch in more or bring something to eat/drink.

We had high gas prices about two years ago and it didn't change anything then.

I have been riding with less weight since last year. This year my wife suggested that we ask everyone to pony up. I personally don't like asking or requiring it, but obviously appreciate it when people do chip in. I haven't been riding much since I jacked my knee up and we have been hanging out in the coves more as a result, so that helps. I'd rather be riding though.

haha this is funny down here in oz we are paying about $1.30 - $1.50 a litre which is about $4.90 - $5.70 a gallon and you guys are worried about $4 :D

Jac, your government artificially inflates the price of gas with very high taxes. Ours taxes gas much less than yours. Prices going up is what it is. Nothing I can do about it so I won't let it get to me. A socialist government heavily taxing gas is something I would be absolutely livid about and could at least try to do something about.

gas prices going up, and then ethanol % going up to 15% (required by LAW) and maybe 20% next year. these boats were not made to run on that crap. so we are paying more for gas that destroys our engines..... can't buy pure gasoline anywhere, at least give us the choice!

Embrace "Change". Gas up 100% under Obama and instead of encouraging further exploration for our own oil he is restricting it more and more. We won't ride any less though. 2012 can't get here soon enough.

the difference isn't really that significant.....consider 100 hrs/season, 5 gallons/hr...a $1/gallon increase is only $500/season...now, I'm not saying i like it , or high gas prices are good, or that something shouldn't be done about it...i'm just saying, if you don't have at least $500/season buffer in your finances...maybe you need to re-evaluate how you spend your money...

Obama is not to blame, and neither is any other president. I believe gas was just as high with GW in office for a good run. Truth is administrations don't control gas prices, (but if you want to play conspiracy theory, Cheny was really involved with the iraq war to get in there with Haliburton and get some oil) Blame the speculators buying the oil stocks at the crazy price they are at. If everyone dumped their stocks, the prices would drop. Like the boat industry, we'll keep seeing 100k boats as long as people are willing to buy them. Not a bad thing, but just they way it works.

Speculators play a very small roll in gas prices-- maybe 5 or 6%. It is basic supply and demand. India and China continue to use more and more oil and production isn't going up. Obama and liberals fight to continue to restrict our ability to produce our own oil. Meanwhile Brazil and other countries are rushing offshore to drill. Bush wanted to expand production but environmental loons prevented it. K Money is right too... the great ethanol fraud continues and we get worst gas mileage and pollute more because of it.

Back in the last huge gas price increase in 08 a conservative estimate was that speculation added $30-$40 per barrel. The oil companies tried to say it closer to $15 a barrel, while some experts went as high as $60 a barrel. The fact is that supply and demand are hey parts to the increase, but the increase exceeds the demand, so that tells you that markets have a significant impact on the price. 5-6% speculative impact would considered far more than a conservative estimate.

next time you're at your favorite riding spot, and you are admiring how great of a spot you have and how beautiful the scenery is, thank those environmental loons for making sure there is no oil drill or pump there. How did that BP spill work out for the gulf? Proof again the price here is manipulated. A refinery shuts down for maintenance, price goes up, libya produces 2% of world supply, and prices double. BP has a major spill and loses millions of barrels a day, but no price increase. I guess they figured they couldn't have a major disaster and raise prices. Bad for public image

Rob, why do you think it matters where it is drilled? There is oil drilled in the US, and if I am not mistaken, more than 2/3 of US states produce petroleum. Oil companies making billions in profits, yet the US govt (Republicans and Democrats) feel the need to give them billions in subsidies each year. Plus Canada is where the US imports the majority of our oil.

In the UK we pay £1.35 per litre (and rising), so that's £5.10 per US gallon, which is $8.23.

It hurts. A lot. We had people out on the streets when it hit £0.80 a litre a few years ago, now gas is so expensive no-one can afford to get to the protests!!

One thing we do have here is LPG- Liquid Petroleum Gas, you convert a regular engine ot run on it, it's about 90% of the fuel efficiency, but only costs about £0.80/ litre (so $4.90/ gal), but of course you get about 90% of the miles you woulda done on it, so the "real" equivalent cost is about $5.50/ gal.

But it costs ya about £1600 (so about $2580) to get the conversion done in the fist place, so you gotta burn a LOT of it to make it worthwhile.... Or of course, buy a boat with the conversion already done.

i dont see the big deal about asking for people to contribute to the filling the tank. I drive to tahoe every weekend and anyone who rides with me throws down even with out me asking. gas isn't free and up keep on 4 wheel drive vehicles as well as boats is already pretty expensive. im not asking anyone to pay for my differential fluid change or 4 wheel baring inspection so i think a little $$ for gas is a minimal expense for non owners!!

So as a 3rd, what in everyones opinion on gas contribution to the boat owner, is a fair amount for 2-3 sets? I always help launch and do the wipedown, cleanup, etc and as a guest pitch in $20. However ridin with friends who also have boats we usually traded pulls in each others boats. Even having my boat and wakeboarding for just over a year I've noticed how many people think owning a boat means your made of money and for most thats not the case, seems to be no shortage of people expecting to ride for free. In my opinion is why people are leery of meeting new riders and offering pulls which could really help the sport?!
Thoughts?

Looks like I need to maybe have a talk with the 3rds on my boat. They either contribute no money, or maybe $10 when they come on my boat, then think its ok to ride for 2 hours a piece. Hell, if they bring beer, they dont think they need to chip in for gas. Not to mention I also wipe the boat down while they sit around and talk, then get the real cleaning done alone at home. :mad:

Gas prices this summer arent going to help much at all...I guess I need to find another crew:D

Shaun, figure around 6 GPH to run a boat (ballpark), * however long you ride. 3 sets for me = 60-90 minutes depending on how many people area riding that day and how long we'll be out. So at $3.70/gal for 89 octane == $22.20 - $33.30. By peak of summer add a couple bucks to that.

I don't make people pay since my friends who have any interest in being on the water or riding either work on weekends, don't want to get up at a decent hour, work crap jobs and don't have a lot of money, etc. It can be like pulling teeth to get a crew together to ride in the early morning or later evening when the water is flat, so mandating cash for pulls would mean I get to ride less. I try to gently suggest that people throw in cash, or make them aware of the cost to fill the boat, etc. If asked what they should pay I say $20-$30 is fine, but anything is appreciated. Those who don't throw down, I ask to help clean up and put away the boat. I'm poor, but at the end of the day it's only money and I can always make more of it.

http://www.stickergiant.com/Merchant.../z887_450.jpeg

Any questions?

Everyone knows " that guy". Had a buddy who never had money to throw in, buy round, etc. We all would pitch in for him because we figured he was a nice guy and we could afford it while he couldn't. Until, he went out and bought a brand new boat of his own. Funny how he complained when we didn't throw money in for gas on his boat. We're not really friends anymore, can't imagine why????