Career...

[HollaGeo]

I was warned about the disposable income you need to be boater. Family, other internet people on other sites, etc. My question for those who feel comfortable to answer. What do you do for a living?

[onesubdrvr]

By day, I'm a newspaper reporter,.....by night, I'm a SUPER-HERO!!!




Just Kidding,

I'm a glorified mechanic, I work on industrial machines, diesels, electric compressors, nitrogen generators / etc. I make a fair living. My wife is a branch manager for a bank, she also makes a fair living.

There is lots of stuff to keep in mind, example, my last weekend boating,...
Fuel $75.00, Sodas / snacks $20.00, SeaTow $450.00, lost cash $90.00,...anyway, that may not be normal, but plan on dropping $100.00 everytime you put your boat in the water ($ varies slightly with size of boat). Keep in mind insurance, and NORMAL maintenance. BOATING IS NOT A CHEAP HOBBY, IF YOU WANT A CHEAP HOBBY, DO CROSSTITCHING OR SOMETHING!!
Then, there is the addiction,...uh let's see, the boat I paid less than 4K for, I've put about $5.5k into, and there is more to come with the upcoming out drive repairs.

My opinion for a first time boat owner - buy an inexpensive boat (like my Ragazza for example), play with it, if you decide "hey this boating thing is even MORE expensive than I thought, it's killing me", sell the boat, take a small loss there, and be content riding in the boats of you family and friends. If you love it, but want more, then you make sure you keep up on your boat, shop, shop, shop, shop, shop, until you find "THE" boat, then go from there. Oh yeah, make sure your spouse / significant other is on board with you for the $$:banghead: , like I said, IT AIN'T CHEAP!


I'm in the shop, shop, shop, shop, trying to find "THE" boat phase right now!!

Just my thoughts,
Wayne

[TuxedoPk]

Boating will suck up quite a bit of cash. Considering that you will be just starting out in your career and will have other uses for cash (home, retirement savings, children, marriage counseling if your gf happens to read your post about cheating :) ), I'd agree with Wayne's suggestion about buying a used boat rather than new. Above all, you won't be the one taking the major depreciation hit. There are many on this board who could buy any Donzi of their dreams cash but also have made the same decision.

Aside from the cost of the boat, consider that you will have to pay for fuel (go fast boats use quite a bit), potentially a tow vehicle (which also sucks fuel), maintenance, insurance, and possibly storage. Based on living in the North East you will also have to factor in winterizing/shrink wraping the boat each year. For our sized boats I'd guess a fair figure for the cost to operate and maintain (does not include the cost to buy/lease the boat itself) would be approx. $3k-$5k plus food and drink. Perhaps others could give their input as to the range they would estimate costs to be.

One of the great things about being part of the Donzi family are the various events held around the country. Don't forget to factor in another $500 or so per event min. that you plan to attend to cover the cost of fuel/food/hotel/and t-shirts.

[harbormaster]

Boatin is not cheap. I have my day job (which right now sucks!!!), work a night consultant job, and run this websight.

The night job and the evening job pay for my boating habit.
I was doing OK till I decided I needed something larger than a 18 footer.
I have tackled a large project that ain't cheap. I am a computer/web consultant. It pays the bills if you work enough hours.

[gold-n-rod]

I'd guess a fair figure for the cost to operate and maintain (does not include the cost to buy/lease the boat itself) would be approx. $3k-$5k plus food and drink.

Speaking for myself, the "food and drink" part of the budget is huge. Those boat sodas are gettin' expensive!!! :beer: :bonk:

[Formula Jr]

I'm a CIA wetboy. :hyper:

[boxy]

I clean up after Fjr when he's finished work....

[Lenny]

I am a two job guy to try and play this game. Plan on, if EVERYTHING works perfect, about $200/day between gas in a SMALL DONZI (16-18), suds, a decent lunch and fun getting there and back.

If something goes wrong then you spend even more on " boat sodas" so that you can cope with the pending ordeal.

...and, if something does break you will find that a "stock" motor will no longer do "since it is out anyway" :rolleyes:

[Rootsy]

I am a two job guy to try and play this game. Plan on, if EVERYTHING works perfect, about $200/day between gas in a SMALL DONZI (16-18), suds, a decent lunch and fun getting there and back.

If something goes wrong then you spend even more on " boat sodas" so that you can cope with the pending ordeal.

...and, if something does break you will find that a "stock" motor will no longer do "since it is out anyway" :rolleyes:

200 / day? holy wha... you don't have enough HP sipping gas or you drive too slow!... so then comes the 'stock' motor issue.... and you know I don't work cheap :biggrin.: it costs at least 3 cases of beer...it never ends...

and then you have one boat with a crapload of money invested and you can't get rid of it and you decide to buy another poor donzi that really needs a lot of work... and holy crap here we go again...

so all i do is friggin work... mcdonalds fryboy by day... wendies burger flipper by night... and on my way home i stop by burger king and take out the trash... the world needs ditch diggers too, Danny...

JR

[HollaGeo]

Thanks for the responses. My dad and all his friends deal with the same excitment and they have cruisers. As time gets closer and closer I'll def. keep everyone posted on my boat search (That's if you care).