New C-Dory 25 is cheaper today than in 2002

Ron on Meander

Well it is at least for us Canucks.
When I bought my 25 in 2005 it (boat only) cost about $70,000 can. Today it costs $64,000 can. The Canadian $ hit par with the US$ today. First time in about 30 years. Which means since a lot of boating stuff is sourced and priced in US dollars its getting cheaper for me. That means of course that you folks in Washington and other border states are going to get even more visits by bargain hunting Canucks. It also means that a trip for folks to the Gulf Islands or up the inside passage went up as well. Gas here at the pump this morning is averaging about $1.04/litre which is $3.93/US Gal. Twisted Evil

The tourism businesses in Canada sure don't like a Dollar at par but I guess it means that if you are willing to spend the extra bucks the Gulf Islands won't be quite as busy next year. Conversely expect the San Juans to be busier.
Ron

El and Bill · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 12:04 pm Post subject:

And a little investment point for those in US -- owning Canadian stocks or mutual funds invested in Canada has been especially favorable -- even if your investment stays even, you gain by the percentage increase in the Canadian dollar.

Tough time for any US citizen to travel overseas now -- our dollar has virtually collapsed relative to foreign currencies. We're well aware of this, since we are heading to Europe for awhile next month.

Doryman

Pat Anderson · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 3:44 pm Post subject:

Interesting! The Peace Arch Outlet Mall at Exit 270 (our Birch Bay exit) had nearly closed up, no Canadian shoppers, but we have noticed it has had a substantial amount of investment fairly recently (although it is still not nearly fully occupied). Those guys must look like bloody soothsayers now! So, look out Whatcom County, here come those hordes of BC license plates! It will probably affect Birch Bay real estate values too...

cbull · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 5:35 pm Post subject:

I was watching Bernacke today on cnn. He stated the the problem with the dollar and the market tends to fix itself. WOW!!!!!

Ron on Meander · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 6:11 pm Post subject:

sawmilldon · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 7:05 pm Post subject: Canucks in the US

For the next two years, it will be tough to get down here. The Peace Arch will be in th emidst of the overhaul. Down to two lanes...

Jimbo · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 7:18 pm Post subject:

When we make the trek down, we usually use the truck crossing. Since 911 the waits have been bad. What used to be 1/2 hour now turns into 2 hours, and it is a hassle. Apparently everyone entering the States now is a suspect, even with a passport. With the construction at the Peace Arch it will only get worse. As much as we like the bigger selection of items in the States, not sure if the wait and hassle is worth it.
Jimbo

C-Dragon · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 7:47 pm Post subject:

Well folks if you think crossing the Canada/U.S.A. border is a crunch, try arriving in an Asian country in a fully occupied 747 with over 400 other souls. Sure we got spoiled with the old wave through days. I remember the good old day when I worked in Detroit and frequently visited Windsor, Ontario. Wonder what it is like these days as we were mix and match with CKLW broadcast studios in Detroit with the towers in Canada. Most of the Hiram Walker office staff in Windsor were Yanks. The company moved over to Canada when the U.S. went dry. Guess they were treated so well in Canada the company never came back.

Jack in Alaska · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 4:09 am Post subject: Crossing borders

We cross the US/Canada border several times a year and do it at Sumas, Wash. and Beaver Creek, Yukon. Have had no trouble at either using our passports. We have crossed probably 50-60 times in the last 40 years w/o any problems.
Just be nice, business like and answer their questions in a short answer..

El and Bill · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 8:27 am Post subject:

We crossed from the San Juans to Gulf Islands several times this summer. Just a telephone call at the Canadian border and we're in. In Roche Harbor, a ten-minute pleasant chat with US customs and we're across.

We cross many times on our foreign trips, and have never had a serious problem on either side -- and those are trips since 9/11 to the Orient, Europe, Central and South America.

Worst crossing I've had was when I was pulled from the boarding line by a guy who flashed his card and then gave a full question and body search -- almost missed the flight. When I asked him, Why me? He said, "You fit the profile." ME? So, I asked him what triggered it. He said, "one way ticket, no checked in baggage, nicely dressed but wearing hiking boots, not shoes". We had a good chuckle when I told him geologists wear their boots when travelling -- too heavy in the carry on bags -- and he held the flight for me to board.

Bess-C · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:33 am Post subject:

We just came back across at Blaine after spending a couple of weeks on the west coast of Vancouver Island. For the first time in 6 years we got a US border guard with a sense of humor. We used the truck crossing. It was the easiest it's been since 9/11. The wait was about a 1/2 hour, on a Sunday afternoon.

There were very few US vehicles on the road on Vancouver Island, which leads me to believe that there are a lot fewer US tourists in BC right now. That probably helps with the crossing line up. We've been doing this for 20 years, and it seemed almost like the old days, except for the fact that everything was 35% more expensive than it was a few years ago.
Lyle