Cost per use

[thecommander]

So my partner and I did a few calculations last night to find out how much our motorboat was actually costing per use.

For a 20ft 3 litre petrol motorboat, drystacked with 20 uses per year it was costing £200 everytime we stepped onboard. Needless to say we were shocked. If we've done this calculation three years ago, we would have never bought a boat. But we're hooked now

This cost was calculated by totaling up our drystack fees, annual fuel costs, insurance costs, annual maintenance costs, cost of transport to and from the boat divided by the annual visits/trips to the boat. Not 100% scientific as it doesn't account for depreciation on the boat nor food or drink costs onboard.

I would be interested to hear readers opinions. Obviously the more you visit your boat the cheaper the cost per use becomes.

 

[jrudge]

This thread should be deleted at once !

 

[Cheery]

Wait till some of the 'big boys' reply. The costs will have you crying on their behalf!

 

[bigwow]

This is a very ill-advised thread!:disgust:

 

[tetleys]

Delete Delete Delete !!! Just in case my other half is watching
Time for a stiff drink

Cheers

Tetleys

 

[lisilou]

I find it doesn't bear thinking about...so we try not to.
We're at the boat most weekends throughout the year. Sometimes we take her out, sometimes we don't. Either way we enjoy it so we measure the cost versus quality of life. Quality of life wins hands down and so for us, it's priceless. In real terms it costs us about 12k per year so..roughly the equivalent of a private school fee. A money pit yes but a bloody enjoyable one.
L

 

[Richard10002]

If you hired a boat 20 times a year I hate to think what it would cost. So the value you are getting is amazing at £200 a time!

 

[Firefly625]

These sorts of threads rear their head every now and again, I agree with others that they are very unwise. If you really care/worry about the cost, just sell it.

Before you do, see how much it costs to book a nice hotel with a sea view for 40 nights for you and your family.

 

[BruceK]

I think after this year my cost per visit is a helluva lot higher. I could of course save the expense and sit at home gardening or watching tv......... No, The way I look at it it's still a whole lot cheaper than taking the family out for weekend getaways and the costs associated with that. What's a BnB for 2 nights plus meals for 4 cost these days? I think we might actually be quids in :encouragement:

Edit:
FIREFLY beat me to it

 

[BruceK]

In addition, when I look at my peers. They earn the same but don't seem to show anything for it. Somewhere they are spending the money but .... where? They look at me and wonder where the money comes from.... so do I actually....

 

[thecommander]

It doesn't put us off boating because we enjoy it so much. This thread isn't to scare anyone.

We've recently bought a 23ft sailing boat to replace the motorboat. We're estimating this new boat it will cost £133 per use. This is based on increased usage as it'll be a marina boat, allowing us to pop down 3 or 4 times a week.

In real terms the cost difference between a 20ft motorboat drystacked and a 23ft sailing boat in a marina are minimal, even with fuel and maintenance costs considered.

 

[BruceK]

A raggie. Now I understand the question

 

[maverickofpoole]

I don't think about the cost as I don't want my sensible head to take over, oh and I dare not tell swimbo or that would be the end of my boating career

 

[alt]

The one good thing about being on an inland lake on the West of Ireland is that the costs are much lower. (and by the way I love it, nice cruising grounds, back to more simple times, great company)

If I was in the UK, I don't know if i'd even have a boat. In Ireland, I don't even have to think about the expenses of having a 39ft sports cruiser.

 

[thecommander]

These sorts of threads rear their head every now and again, I agree with others that they are very unwise. If you really care/worry about the cost, just sell it.

Before you do, see how much it costs to book a nice hotel with a sea view for 40 nights for you and your family.

Very true. However in our case we don't earn mega bucks so we need to have an idea and control of the costs.

On reflection, £200 per trip is good value for us because it gives so many happy memories. Priceless in some ways.

 

[alt]

Very true. However in our case we don't earn mega bucks so we need to have an idea and control of the costs.

On reflection, £200 for 20 trips a year is good value for us because it gives so many happy memories. Priceless in some ways.

£200 per trip you mean, not £200 for 20 trips??

Really goes to show the mooring cost differences in different parts of the world, though. My 39ft sports cruiser doesn't even cost that per trip! That said, we don't cover huge ground, maybe 30 miles per weekend.

 

[thecommander]

£200 per trip you mean, not £200 for 20 trips??

Really goes to show the mooring cost differences in different parts of the world, though. My 39ft sports cruiser doesn't even cost that per trip! That said, we don't cover huge ground, maybe 30 miles per weekend.

Sorry £200 per trip haha! An annual mileage of around 700nm. Which is usually Southampton to Cowes and back (25 miles approx.) and every so often Newtown Creek.

 

[thecommander]

£200 per trip you mean, not £200 for 20 trips??

Really goes to show the mooring cost differences in different parts of the world, though. My 39ft sports cruiser doesn't even cost that per trip! That said, we don't cover huge ground, maybe 30 miles per weekend.

Fuel costs make up almost a grand. Dry stacking about 2.3k and the rest is maintenance, insurance, transport to and from boat etc.

 

[KevB]

La La La La La La La La La La La

 

[CLB]

Sounds like the op needs to use the boat more. The mire it's used the less per trip it will be until it is just a little above the cost of the fuel. Simples