Uh Oh!

Well Brenton, it seems that we may have come across someone who is even more minimalist than Bill and El. :wink: I hope you have taken the time to read through their travel adventures...

http://www.geocities.com/bill_fiero/index.htm

These boats are so much more than floating fiberglass and a motor; they are a hide-away, shelter from the cold, the wind, the sun. An "escape pod" to take you away from society. The magic carpet to transport you to new places.

Having said that, it does cost initially for the boat and then $$ to use the boat. Unlike your Metro, even at "frugal cruise", the C-Dory is going to burn about 5 to 10 times more fuel per mile than your Geo. And that's economical for a powerboat. Seems that you would be able to fish and forage to keep costs down.

Unless you were to go with a small sailboat, there isn't much out there that can get you on the water for less. And not much else that can provide the protection at the helm in that size range.

Of course, towing it with the Metro is out of the question. If you can find a like-minded woman with a truck... uh, just thinking out loud. 8)

Just an opinion: there aren't many powered boats that are for the faint of wallet... but the C-Dory is practical, economic, and pretty easy to maintain. Sounds like it would be a good match for your lifestyle.

I can't offer any suggestions on finding a woman to share your dreams... my wife doesn't let me date anymore and I'm guessing "so, what's your sign?" doesn't work well these days. :roll: But having a willing partner is the key to cruising happiness for many of us C-Dory cruising couples.

Good luck,
Jim B.
 
JamesTXSD":2kg0utpu said:
Well Brenton, I'm guessing "so, what's your sign?" doesn't work well these days. :roll: Jim B.
Click to expand...

You are probably correct Jim, but I'm willing to guess that if Brenton, were to purchase a C-Dory and went up to the ladies and said, "do you want to see my cute C-Dory", that he would score a home run!. :lol:
 
Hey Brent-
I was talking to an immigrant friend of mine about the idea of moving to Mexico. Just joking around I asked if I should take my wife.
He thought for a second and asked, "Do you take sand to the beach?"
I laughed, he didn't. :xseek
acuna matata-
Kenny
 
We think Brent has hit on one of the core issues of this Uh Oh thread - the flagrant spending of money on material 'things' that has been a hallmark of American culture. We who own C-Dorys and who love boating and the water, and who share the common trait of frugality by our purchase of a practical, no-frills, relatively low-cost to purchase and operate boat, are rather abnormal in our frugality. Perhaps the new 'niche market' for boating is exactly what we own. Most of us have been on the water enjoying the cruising (or fishing) or whatever boating lifestyle through this downturn - leaving the harbors where so many of the 'bigger is better' boats are growing grass on their hulls.
 
chromer":16whdrh4 said:
To many, the sight of a C-dory (of any shape) does not provoke the thought of frugality. We should never forget that.
Click to expand...

True. The price of admission is not inexpensive. However, the cost of ownership is, by boat standards, better than most. I consider the cost of ownership to be: what I paid for the boat plus what it cost to run and maintain the boat, minus what the boat sold for (if/when it sold). By those standards, we have done pretty well with boats, because our tastes have run towards the type of boats that hold a bigger percentage of their cost when sold.

This gets bantered around here fairly frequently, but the C-Dory hulls hold their value quite well. The engine(s) and electronics are where the bigger depreciation happens.

When someone who doesn't know boats asks, "So, what does one of those things cost?", I like to put down an absorbent pad before telling them... because a non-boat-owner generally has major sticker shock. When I compare our boat to other 25' cabin (and livable) boats, the C-Dory generally shows well. They aren't flashy, but they are very functional. And versatile. And generally pretty darn easy to use and maintain. Seems that most C-Dory owners put their "bling" into electronics and cruising or fishing extras instead of lots of teak, Corian®, and ultra-suede like many other boats.

I have never used "frugal" to describe C-Dory owners, but "practical" sure comes to mind.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
chromer":2ydh7gb5 said:
To many, the sight of a C-dory (of any shape) does not provoke the thought of frugality. We should never forget that.
Click to expand...
I think I see your point loud and clear. For MANY people, owning such a nice boat would be anything but "frugal" I feel very lucky and plan to share my adventures with family and loved ones. I especially hope to create a life long bond with my infant son through fishing, exploring and memorable good times on this boat--i just gotta learn what I'm doing first! :) these matters are always relative and full of perspective. Thanks.
 
Seeking soulmate to spend the rest of my life with. Must have truck. Send picture of truck.

JamesTXSD":3os6pojd said:
Of course, towing it with the Metro is out of the question. If you can find a like-minded woman with a truck... uh, just thinking out loud. 8)


Jim B.
Click to expand...
 
Since this thread was originally put up as a comment on the economy by El & Bill, I thought I would mention this here ... the link to this news is at ...
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Marine-Industry-to-See-Modest-bw-2272478790.html?x=0&.v=1 .

Hope its OK to quote part of the article here. According to a GE Capital survey...

After navigating through rough waters for several years, the marine industry is beginning to push forward on the throttle, according to survey results released today by GE Capital, Commercial Distribution Finance (CDF) from the Miami International Boat Show. More than one-third of respondents (38%) expect sales to increase up to five percent in 2011, and 54% said that the best time for dealers to increase inventory levels is now.

“The marine industry is starting to see signs of recovery as we move past the recession,” said Jeff Malehorn, president and CEO of CDF. “Through our 40 years in the marine industry, we’ve seen many cycles and we’re optimistic about the years ahead.”

Not surprisingly, sales of lower-ticket items are rebounding faster than those of bigger-ticket items. Forty percent of survey respondents expect growth to be led by sales of aluminum boats, followed by recreation boats (17%). In contrast, boats of 30’ or more were the strongest-selling segment during the market’s peak in 2007.

“Dealers are beginning to order new inventory, but they continue to be cautious,” noted Bruce Van Wagoner, president of the CDF Marine Group. “At the same time, manufacturers want to be sure their dealers have the right product mix so everyone is focused on smart growth. They’re all paying close attention to remaining aged product, dealer credit availability and inventory turns, among other metrics.”

Nearly 70% of the responding marine dealers and manufacturers believe that the biggest hurdle facing the boating industry this year is consumer demand, and 40% said a reduced level of showroom and field inventory is the trend that will have the largest impact on the industry this year.

The Marine Industry Survey of 53 marine dealers and manufacturers was conducted on Feb. 16, 2011, at the Access GE Industry Roundtable event at the Miami International Boat Show. Respondents included marine dealers and manufacturers.



Well, that's what the Yahoo website link says anyway. Kind of worrisome what the price of gasoline might be for the upcoming boating season but it's nice to hear some optimism from folks monitoring the boating industry.

Take care and be good. Looking forward to seeing folks out on the water once spring/summer finally gets here.

Dan & Tanya on C-Renity
 
We have seen an upturn in repower and trailer business, but I think the recovery is a precarious one. Increase fuel prices or uncertainly about the situation in the middle east could slow things down again.

We remain cautiously optomistic.
 
From the looks of things some think that the inflation, that some said was coming; might be knocking at the door. Fuels prices will have a chilling effect on almost all products. Petro chemicals to build fiberglass boats will surely be effected even worse than they have already. I read today ex prez Clinton called for less corn to be used for ethanol production as it was effecting food prices so drastically. It's always something.
D.D.
 
Back
Top