Assassin
Well-Known Member
I think people have missed the point here as there are several factors in play which have been broadly overlooked; and the first one is the mind set of the younger generation which is money, money, money.
Why would you spend £500,000 on a boat for you and your wife, husband, partner (note the PC element) when you can get a property abroad for the same money and the property can give you an income (money again) almost instantly with a property for which you can appoint an agent who will undertake all the works required to run your property for, and as a source of income. Meanwhile you and your boat are generally used only by you and yours as and when you get the time to enjoy it as many rarely leave the marina and often viewed as a status symbol.
Property is an appreciating asset which can also generate an income by renting it out for a lot of the year not just to cover its costs, but for profits; meanwhile your boat is a depreciating asset which also has overheads, a berth, shore power, an internet connection and it all costs money when it is in the marina, and even more money if you take the boat out several times a year and apart from recouping a little if you can rent your berth when it isn't in use it is all outgoings. Cheap flights from most of the world to most of the world mean travel is easy and cheap and runs fairly well to schedule and you can take a taxi to the airport, or pre book a long stay car parking space and hop on your flight to your destination airport and either be collected or jump in a taxi to your holiday rental for your annual holiday.
If we factor in package holidays which are all inclusive (could think of nothing worse) then you have paid for your holiday and have little to no outgoings and you don't even have to leave the hotel where you can be fissed as a part by mid morning and sleep it off all afternoon and wake up in time for the evenings drinking session and listen to a singer who cannot sing or deal with the other entertainment they offer.
From this perspective things are changing, and remember mind set.
People are getting into boating and this appears to be more the towable boats they can keep at home where they have no marina fees or other expenses and they can work on their boats at their leisure and they can hitch them to the family vehicle with minimal cost difference, apart from slightly increased wear on their vehicles and a little increased fuel consumption while they tow their boats and they have little expense apart from having to pay slip fees when launching their boats, their running costs are a fraction of an average £500,000 boat and this puts them within reach of many people who could not afford £500,000 for a boat let alone the mooring fees and regular work these larger boats require to keep them in good condition.
Here things are changing radically.
Next traditional boating is coming under attack from smaller craft such as jet skis as they are cheap to buy, cheap to run, and they also have the hooligan element which appeals to the youngsters as they can buy and run a pick up instead of a car, put a couple of jet skis on the bed, and still have a crew cab vehicle which will carry 5 people, they often have no launching fees and can be easily dragged across a beach so the youngsters do not even have to take a trailer test to put their jet skis onto a trailer.
Why would you spend £500,000 on a boat for you and your wife, husband, partner (note the PC element) when you can get a property abroad for the same money and the property can give you an income (money again) almost instantly with a property for which you can appoint an agent who will undertake all the works required to run your property for, and as a source of income. Meanwhile you and your boat are generally used only by you and yours as and when you get the time to enjoy it as many rarely leave the marina and often viewed as a status symbol.
Property is an appreciating asset which can also generate an income by renting it out for a lot of the year not just to cover its costs, but for profits; meanwhile your boat is a depreciating asset which also has overheads, a berth, shore power, an internet connection and it all costs money when it is in the marina, and even more money if you take the boat out several times a year and apart from recouping a little if you can rent your berth when it isn't in use it is all outgoings. Cheap flights from most of the world to most of the world mean travel is easy and cheap and runs fairly well to schedule and you can take a taxi to the airport, or pre book a long stay car parking space and hop on your flight to your destination airport and either be collected or jump in a taxi to your holiday rental for your annual holiday.
If we factor in package holidays which are all inclusive (could think of nothing worse) then you have paid for your holiday and have little to no outgoings and you don't even have to leave the hotel where you can be fissed as a part by mid morning and sleep it off all afternoon and wake up in time for the evenings drinking session and listen to a singer who cannot sing or deal with the other entertainment they offer.
From this perspective things are changing, and remember mind set.
People are getting into boating and this appears to be more the towable boats they can keep at home where they have no marina fees or other expenses and they can work on their boats at their leisure and they can hitch them to the family vehicle with minimal cost difference, apart from slightly increased wear on their vehicles and a little increased fuel consumption while they tow their boats and they have little expense apart from having to pay slip fees when launching their boats, their running costs are a fraction of an average £500,000 boat and this puts them within reach of many people who could not afford £500,000 for a boat let alone the mooring fees and regular work these larger boats require to keep them in good condition.
Here things are changing radically.
Next traditional boating is coming under attack from smaller craft such as jet skis as they are cheap to buy, cheap to run, and they also have the hooligan element which appeals to the youngsters as they can buy and run a pick up instead of a car, put a couple of jet skis on the bed, and still have a crew cab vehicle which will carry 5 people, they often have no launching fees and can be easily dragged across a beach so the youngsters do not even have to take a trailer test to put their jet skis onto a trailer.
