Where have all the boaters gone?

V

Valkyrie

New member
Good morning, Brats!

Marcia and I are at the resort town of Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island in Lake Erie, about ten miles off the north coast of Ohio. We're docked at Oak Point SP, the smallest SP in Ohio at only one acre, but it's a gem with twenty, beautiful floating docks and a great view of Perry's Monument, which commemorates the Battle of Lake Erie (War of 1812) and also celebrates our friendship with Canada. It's the third tallest US monument after the Washington Monument and St Louis Arch.

I started docking here in 1983...first on my Renken 18 (pocket cruiser sailboat), then on Spirit ((Jeanneau 23 sailboat), followed by the first Valkyrie (C-Dory 22 cruiser..'05) and now on Valkyrie II (2016 C-Dory 25).

Here's the big question.....Why are we the only boat docked here in the middle of July on a beautiful, calm, sunny day? When I first came here in '83, the place was always full at night and for most of the day. This is also the cheapest place to dock at $36 for 24 hours with a max size of 28'.

There are about thirty sailboats in the mooring field, along with a couple trawlers and express cruisers. The town docks, where I would never be caught because it's party-heaven, is almost empty, too. Some private docks and the high-end Crews' Nest are half full with high-end, power boats in the 30-40 foot range.

Yes, it's a weekday, but when we were here a month ago on a week end, only half the docks were occupied. No, there's not a cheaper place to go, so that's out. Before we docked yesterday, we checked out the SP marina on nearby Middle Bass Island and it was nearly empty, too.

I'm not really complaining because it's nice being by ourselves with no idiots cranking out rap all night. It was quiet and peaceful on a cool night, just perfect for sleeping on the boat and when I walked Belle and Boomer this morning I enjoyed the solitude.

I guess I'm wondering if the boating arena ever recovered from the recession of 2008 or if people's interests are just going elsewhere. Then again, my first sailboat boat was only $4500 new, the second sailboat was $12,500 new, our CD 22 was $55,000 new and Valkyrie II was almost twice that, fully equipped. So, in the 34 years that I've been coming here, and as I've become more chronologically-gifted, I've been able to buy more expensive boats. I guess that to many, we are on a high-end boat, relatively speaking.

Has the price of increasingly-expensive boats driven out what used to be affordable boats and therefore, forced potentially-new boaters out of the market and off the waters?

Maybe I'm overthinking this, but we find it kinda sad to be here by ourselves as a great resource goes to waste.

An aside that might partially explain this dilemma and prompted my ramblings..... Last evening, a couple was walking the docks and we heard a guy say how much he liked our boat. His wife replied, "I'm not giving you $15,000 to buy a boat like that!"

Marcia's response to me, "Boy, she's got that right!"

Your ideas on the situation are welcome and thanks for considering my ramblings.

Best,

Nick and Marcia
"Valkyrie II"
 
I personally think it's a myriad of things:

1. Yes boating is more expensive. A bayliner starts at 30k. My new c-dory 23 is 90k basically. Less people can afford this outlay not to mention the cost of gas at 4$ a gallon and other expenses that come with the hobby. Look at what the average household makes in a year and you can see how the math doesn't pan out with ever increasing home prices. My house in 2000 cost me 140k. I sold it in 2004 for 200k. My current house I bought for 475k and it is worth supposedly 950k now.

2. I think kids are less interested in being on the water - they want their devices and to play games on consoles with friends.

3. It seems more kids are afraid of the water too in my experience.

4. Seeing nature and being able to absorb its beauty in peace and quiet is not interesting to many people in the age of constant stimulation. I took a friend up to puget sound on my boat he found it boring while another friend who was along more my age found it amazingly beautiful with the Olympic mountains in the background.

My 2 cents,
Harald
 
Ordutch1975 has some of the reasons--basically discretionary income for middle class families. Also there is more time demand on young families. My son is getting into boating as his "daughter" has finished High school, and several of his friends are into boating. But they live in San Clemente--a very beach oriented city. Also there appears to be a turn over of smaller slips--even some empty slips in Ca...Back when I was that age, 12 year waiting period for a slip.

(My first 26' Owen's Sea Skiff (1961, was $5,000, my first large sailboat was a Columbia Defender $10,000 all tricked out...We could buy a new car for $1500...to $3,000. (up from the $1,000 when in College). First house, $38,000. Today that house is worth one million dollars! Incomes have not come up proportionately for most people.

Despite being "out of recession"--the mood of many working people is we are not out of the woods, and a lot of uncertainty with the economy.

Time demands. More mandatory activities for kids. My grandkids are in so many activities, (many geared to getting into a "good" college or recreation/socialization) that there is just not time to have a boat for parents at least until out of High School.

There are a lot of "cheap boats" around...but to rehab them, is expensive. Parts and labor are expensive. (Many mechanics charge over $100 an hour).

In S. Calif. there is not room to build new marinas. The demand is for larger boats (more associated with wealthy and older folks), so there are less small boat slips. Land is too valuable to build "Stack" storage--but a few places have done this.

It used to be boating was a lifetime passion. Now folks buy a boat, :"Do the Great Loop", and sell the boat--they have "boated". Done the cool adventure. Boating has become easier--radio coms are better, GPS and chart plotters make navigation easy.

We are seeing less boats on Perdido Bay. Still plenty on weekends in anchorages. Used Boats seem to be slow to sell along the Gulf Coast.
 
Everything is more expensive. I see it in every single thing, a decent car is barely to be had under 30K, insurance is much more expensive. Rent in my city is now 1200 bucks for a studio apartment. I completely understand why kids live at home after high school; unless they want to move out of town they can't afford to pay rent given the entry level pay rates. I have 3 kids, the savings needed to pay for their college so they don't start out life in debt is in itself astronomical let alone having to save for retirement and the like. We pay for our kids car insurance $$$, their health insurance $$$, College $$$$$$. The bottom line is I am thankful I saved a lot when I was younger or non of this would be possible.

My wife and I are blessed to be able to do this AND enjoy the luxury that boating has become. Without going into politics I believe the current economy is simply unsustainable. It all feels like funny money these days.

Bottom line, I think the draw of boating/motivation is not what it once was. The barrier to entry is much higher and the maintenance costs are not doable for many. HALF of American families live paycheck to paycheck!!! Crazy.
 
It's working out ok for me, IME:

More peace and quiet for the rest of us.

I can call on Thursday and still get a slip in a very popular place on the Chesapeake Bay for Saturday night in the middle of the summer.

Prices on used equipment are coming down.

Fuel is cheaper.

More attentive staff at marinas.

Some places even give free docking to smaller boats.
 
Nick, I think you are correct that fewer people are being drawn towards boating. In 2007, New Boat Days were posted here regularly... more of a rarity here these days.

I don't think it is just the economic downturn from the middle of the last decade, I think younger families are having to make tough decisions about where to spend their discretionary $$... and $50k to $100K+ just doesn't work for them.

We are out traveling in our motorhome currently, and there are LOTS of new RVs on the roads and in the campgrounds... mostly inexpensive travel trailers rather than the more expensive motorhomes. We have passed by many RV sales lots in our recent travels that are advertising $20k travel trailers that will sleep a family of 4, and can be pulled by a truck or SUV that the family already owns.

Some of you know that, after a couple years of being boatless, we bought a small pontoon boat to use for dolphin watching and sight-seeing at home. That part of the market is hot, too. I occasionally participate on a pontoon group, and everyday there are multiple New Boat Day posts. And, many of these are not small and simple - tritoons with two 300 hp motors, priced over $100k. People seem to be able to picture themselves using that (and not doing extended cruising) as opposed to a very capable cruising boat like a C-Dory.

I also think some of it lies with the (lack of) marketing of many of these types of boats.

So, you aren't going to see as many boats that need overnight slips.

Having recently passed through the Erie, Ontario, and Thousand Islands areas, they are suffering from high water. To the point where many boaters in those areas have not put boats in the water yet this season. I was surprised to see how few boats were in the water, and how many are still wrapped, sitting in yards and dry dock.

It all affects the boating in that area. Enjoy the solitude.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Hmmm....I hope this isnt true! Im just starting my "voyage" and plan to make it a lifelong one.

I dont see any downturn in my neck of the woods. My marina is packed 7 days a week. On the weekends its actually frustrating...it can get very congested on the fuel dock, pumpout , restaurant etc.

I see lots of young boaters in Boston. My friend is around my age (mid 30s) and has a Formula 370. I've met lots of other young marina neighbors who are very enthusiastic about the boating lifestyle. Although some of them just like to show off their expensive boats and never even leave the dock.....party crowd!

Its very similar in Cape Cod too where my parents summer home is; I haven't seen any serious drop off in marine activity. Although boating in New England is different than other regions of the country. Our season is essentially from June to early October , thats it!
 
For me I think that most people are turned off by the way with a boat you are expected to be able to trouble shoot and make repairs even while under warranty. I had a defective Garmin radar dome. The first thing they tell you to do is start with moving connections to different communication ports and then get out the electrical meter. I was equipped to be able to handle and even expect this in the boating world. Most people are not ready for this way of doing business. Can you imagine a car dealer telling you to start with doing the trouble shooting on a car under warranty?
I think the boating industry has a lot to learn about customer service. Try to schedule a service for your boat while you wait! Most dealers will want the boat for a week. This is not to say that there aren't some better dealers out there but the boating industry needs to get to where most any car manufacturer or dealer needs to be to survive. You buy a car for 25k and the dealer does not send you to the manufacturer of the radio to get it fixed or replaced let alone make you remove and replace it. JMHO.
D.D.
 
I wish we had that problem here in Tampa. Plenty of boats everywhere - ramps are packed, slips are full (both transients and permanent)...I'm seeing guys drop $150K on flats boats (Gause).

Couple weeks ago I went out and saw plenty of new boats on the water. Housing is going nuts...just a regular day in the FLA.

Gas was $1.89/gal. That's nuts.

I did get back from a wedding in San Fran, and I have no clue how people afford boats out there. Sure there's Silicon Valley, but my god rent is crazy, I can't imagine boat slip costs.

I've seen a couple few CDories on the West Coast of FL, but not that many. It's just too hot for enclosures and most people do not overnight around here.

Now that said...I'm plugging away on my project boat (Glacier Bay 2670). Labor is $95/hr for a marine mechanic over here. So lots of DIY projects - and she has twins. Replaced water pumps, replaced upper seal on one, replaced lower unit gear oil. All those gaskets, o-rings add up quickly. Break Out Another Thousand.

I'm convinced that boating is a lifestyle - some people get it some don't. If you get the bug you're really into it, but it's hard to do it on the cheap. Heck I plan on asking for $13.5K for my 2003 17' sailfish CC. I doubt I'll get that, but $11-12K is credible. So that's a 14 year old boat with a 90HP. For decent money.

Course I'm Cuban so it's it's not a choice it's genetic...give me an inner tube and a sheet and I'll be there in 20 minutes.
 
Nick, I think you just got lucky. I was there a couple years ago in July, and it was miserably packed. I agree with your comments regarding Oak Point SP. It's where we stay when we visit PIB, which is usually early June before the crowds and mayflies show up.

Grand Traverse Bay was very busy the past four days. Power Island had the usual large gathering of boats Saturday night. Elk Rapids marina was full Sunday when we grabbed a slip (for the Petoskey Steel Drum Band concert). Quite a few sailboats out on the water as well.
 
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