Money for gas.

I was just wondering what ppl thought was a reasonable amount to pitch in if someone is pulling you for a set?

20 bucks

buy a 5 gallon gas can and just take it everywhere you go...

$20 Seems reasonable unless there are other expenses involved like a long trip to the lake or something like that.

Wow I'm a little behind then. Still ask for only $10 on my boat. First timers, first day is free...

Actually, I answered that as the guy bumming the ride. I always like to make sure I err on the side of overpaying.

As the guy that owns the boat, I am just happy to have somebody offer to pay and not be forced into a situation of either having to ask for gas money or just accept the fact that you're not going to get any. I think it's lame to put the boat owner in that situation and probably the best way to lose out on future rides.

I also agree with a freebie for first timers!

I agree with the 5 gallon gas can. That gets you one set behind a weighted boat. if I bring ten gallons it can sometimes stretch to three medium sets. If one of my bros brings a 5 gallon can to skate behind the jet ski...... thats about an hour and 1/2 of skating.

What about bringing 10 gallons of premium gas. rather than cash

I've never understood this. Are you inviting them out? To me it's like inviting a guest to your home and telling them when they go to leave "oh yeah before you leave I'd like you to chip in towards my mortgage this month." I do understand if they are calling you, and bugging you for a pull otherwise the way I see it is that I would be out anyway and the company is just a bonus. No offense to anyone, just doesn't compute with me.

I think this assumes a regular riding relationship where one person happens to own a boat. If somebody invites me out on their boat I'm going to offer them gas money no matter what and if they refuse to take it, that's up to them. However, if it was a regular thing with a particular boat owner, I wouldn't feel right if they didn't take it and I was always riding on their dime.

^^Exactly what David said.
If you compare a boat to a house you have bigger issues to deal with than gas money..LOL

1 set = $10. The guys I ride with usually kick down $20 for 2 sets or more. If they only get one set in, then it's less. This is not etched in stone though and is it strictly applies only when we go wakeboarding. Now, if I invite friends to go out and kick it then it's a free be. If I roll on anyone else's boat, I always offer up some $$ because it's nice not having to bring the pull everytime.

I think regulars should be paying about 20$ per day, with girls/guys that are there for hanging out provide the brew for the day.

How about this....let's go to Magic Mountain next weekend. Would you expect me to buy your ticket?

Having said that the guys I ride with are great and make it right every time we ride.

First timers ride for free on our boat too, otherwise $10 should cover them for the day, we only ride for 2 - 3 hours a day mostly due to the tides. I spend more on gas than anyone else puts in but if we get 4 riders out each paying $10 and it takes $60 for the set then an extra ten bucks doesn't worry me and there is usually some gas left over.

Usually the driver doesn't pay on our boat, a good driver provides a valuable service.

I let my friends give it a try if they're keen, and it sucks when the wake is always washed out because they're turning slightly (especially when you've told them the last 3 times the boat comes back around to drive straight ) and the speed drops off half way through cutting in because they have crappy throttle control. However practice makes perfect...

Two things about the gas can. #1, the last thing I want is a gas can full of the cheapest gas one could find (ie. the Pump and Munch) #2, bringing a gas can is the ulitimate way of saying that you don't think there are any other costs involved with a boat outing other than the boat gas. What about getting the boat to the launch, and other costs?

5's all around...everyone i ride with brings gas...no gas you go last if there's any gas left...

I agree with Brett, ...come over for a BBQ at my place, and by the way, you owe me $12.00 bucks for that steak?

Also, my question, whenever this question comes up is... how long is a set?

One ten minute pull, or five 20 min. pulls?

My boat burns about 5 gph, so at $2.50/gal. that's $12.50 per hr.

(Message edited by rio_sanger on April 23, 2009)

I think this applies more toward the "find a third be a third" type thing. If I take a homeboy out for the first time or even couple times, then it's on me. Now if that same homie comes out on a regular basis to ride (wakeboard) and uses my gear and what not, then he better put down some duckets. It's no longer come over for a bbq, but having them over for dinner every other night. It adds up quick.

My friends don't have boats, and i have no problem with taking them out with me. But I'm a broke high school teenager. I can't afford to buy all the gas so it is only reasonable that the friends I am taking out should help pitch in for gas, but I also agree we shouldn't charge beginners

I don't care if someone invited you or not, if you choose to go, you better bring gas money. Just out of respect even if you know they wont take it, always offer it up to remind them that you appreciate the pull. They are the one who dropped the 70k on the boat, not you so you better be throwing in gas or you shouldn't be riding. You are lucky that they thought of you to go out and share the fun with them.
And if they don't accept the money, offer to help them wash, clean, tarp the boat at the end of the day. There is nothing more annoying than taking a group of people out with you, and not getting any gas from anyone, then doing all of the dirty work by yourself at the end of the day. Gas isn't cheap and keeping a boat clean isn't easy, and if you're riding behind it, you're sharing some responsibility. I think every boat owner understands what I'm saying here.

Tru Dat! My neighbor sold his boat a few years back for this very reason. He was tired of doing all the work and his so called buddies would just show up at the lake, ride and leave at the end of the day. Not cool.

I'm to the point now, that I look forward to going out with the guys I ride with because I always have someone to help launch, wipedown at the end, fill the sacs, and help out with some duckets at the end of the day. Makes my day at the lake much more enjoyable.

All you guys that are saying that you pay for all the gas must me rich and only take the boat out every so often. When your going out regularly it ads up so this topic really depends on how often your riding. The people I ride witn are riding multiple times per week and when you figure launch, gas, mauntenence, and boat payment into it its everyones responsibility at that point

It depends for us. If its regulars, it would be nice if they would pitch in gas money, but we also go by the same token as "If you own and boat and we ride with you and you ride with us about the same amounts, then we call it even."
I just dont see the point in somebody paying me this weekend to go out in mine and then me giving them that money back the following weekend to go on theirs. Unfortunately, for the people that don't have a boat and ride with us, I never get the idea of gas money, admittedly it would be nice to at least have the consideration. I sometimes will get the occasional "How much do you want for gas money, and its usually 10 bucks (dependent on how long we were out there and how much they rode, or we call it even with a steak dinner LOL).
All the people that didn't have a boat that rode with us last year didn't help put it away or wipe it down, or even offer to empty the sacks. Maybe this year will be different...if not its just going to be me and my girl riding and counter balancing with fat sacs for whitewash on one side lol..

If the person owns a boat i dont charge them because i will hit them up and we will call it even.For peeps with out boats i hit them up for 10 bucks when gas is $2/gal. when gas was $4/gal i was asking everybody to pitch in whatever they could because it was killing me.I drive alot so my gas bill is one of my biggest monthly bills.So when it hit $4/gl i was hurting if it had went to five i would have had to park the boat.Or cut wwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy back on the times i went out.

We usually take turns filling the tank on the boat after a day on the lake.

since my 210 was sleeping at the marina and I couldn't bring my own gas, I would wait for everyone to show up and THEN fill'R up. 200-240$ later, they'd feel bad/understand how much it costs to ''just take a set or two''...

$10 with gas below $2.50.
$20 if it gets $3 or more.

$65,000- Boat, 5 years and 100 hours a year later might sell for $35,000-, $4,000- per year slip, service, ins, tags and maintenance (with no big repairs)....That is $50,000- someone is short in their bank account / 500 hrs = $100- per hour....+ Gas. I'd take a pull in someone else's pride for gas+ anytime!!! P.S...Still LOVE my Malibu...

I told my friends a couple weeks ago, if we are going out and you are short on cash don't worry about it, but don't make it a habit of not pitching in.

yeah, times are tough for everyone so i'm not going to tell people they can't ride just because they don't have money, but i usually tell them that i'll take anything or as long as they help out with launching, driving, cleanup, etc. and not just be "extra ballast" i'm cool with that. i guess my small tank (36 gal) , relatively lower gas prices and short tow to the launch helps too...