re: Owning a boat vs charter

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Never understood why there are not more boats owned by partnerships.

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3 things on this earth you don’t ask a man to borrow. His chainsaw, boat and old lady. You partner out your wife?

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Never understood why there are not more boats owned by partnerships. You rarely fish by yourself, reduces individual ownership nd operating costs, etc. RVs, and probably the majority of light aircraft are owned by partnerships, i was in.a airplane partnership with 3 other people, it worked really well.

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Boat partnership is NOT equal to airplane partnership. I've seen them and they rarely work for the good. Something breaks, or someone goes without the other partner, but the partnership always falls apart.

Owning a boat is more convenient for some people--but most just have that itch to buy and the boat just sits in storage for months at a time. I bought the perfect boat for both family and fishing use. Even though I only take it fishing once a month or so, we take it out for leisure use to the prop stop and such once a week.

Before you buy a boat just to have one and you THINK you will use it a lot, consider your reality.

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The first thing I do is pull out my towel and clean it.

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Nothing wrong with this, but also don't be afraid to get your boat dirty! Don't be that guy who keeps in shined up in the shed afraid to use it. I take 8 people out on my boat at times and we absolutely trash it! I want everyone to have a great time and I can take care of it when I get home.

And just as I'm talking all kinda shite about how if you take care of your stuff, you wont have a lot of problems, I blew out a hub on my boat trailer pulling it to the camp to spend the weekend fishing. I made it there on the bad hub, and luckily it doesn't look like anything else is damaged, but I have to take a half day this week to go back with the new hub kit to replace the damn hub

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Furthermore, there's something about fishing and hunting by yourself without a guide that makes it seem more enjoyable and rewarding.

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I could not agree more....I have been on hundreds of chartered boats and have been hunting with guides / outfitters nearly that much and I would far prefer doing it on my own and never raising a fish or turning a bird than to limit out daily with a guide / outfitter. It is all about working out the puzzle for me, not catching fish or shooting birds.

I go goose hunting 2-3 times a year with people with access but no equipment and have done so without even taking a gun because its all about setting a spread and pulling birds into the dekes for me. I would do it more often but of course there isn't a lot of opportunity. I have also worked out a deal with some outfitters who for the price of admission would allow me to hunt their access on my own...again, not easy to talk them into but it can be done. I don't mind the money I just do not like to hunt or fish with people who I am not close to and I want to match my skills, such that they are LOL, with the fish or bird....I have spent an inordinate amount of time developing those skills...and god only knows how much money....and to be honest other than the local knowledge and access...not insignificant...I have been on only a few fishing trips and NO hunting trips where the "guide" knew more about what was needed than I do. Of course the local knowledge and access is key and can't be replaced with years of knowledge and experience but I can do pretty well on my own hunting and, if I lived close enough to suitable offshore fishing I can catch fish as good as most...I ain't going to win any tournaments but I can usually raise a fish or three...

If your kids like fishing, you'll be taking the boat out more often than just once a month. Its one thing taking a charter once a month with some buddies and you're only responsible for paying for yourself...but $150-200/person for you plus 3 kids to go once a month or so gets to be more expensive than just having your own boat

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Rent slip: $300/month

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Boat sheds at Hopedale Marina are $100/month

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Gas+bait for a day: $150

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Seems high. When I go with my buddy on his bay boat, even on days where we run a LOT we only burn 20-25 gallons...although you're going to pay more for gas per gallon filling up at the marina vs filling up at a gas station while towing the boat down.

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Never understood why there are not more boats owned by partnerships. You rarely fish by yourself, reduces individual ownership nd operating costs, etc. RVs, and probably the majority of light aircraft are owned by partnerships, i was in.a airplane partnership with 3 other people, it worked really well.

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I was very fortunate to be in a 1/4 ownership years ago and 2 of the owners rarely used the boat and the third was one of my best friends ever. That being said it usually goes south in a HURRY. We did it without drama for nearly 12 years. I paid my share for another 2 years after moving overseas until one of the 2 guys who never used the boat bought us all out. It worked great for us BUT we were all very sensitive to the wants and needs of our partners and were all willing to work together. It didn't hurt matters that only 2 of us really used the boat and my buddy and I knew several other boat owners in the area who we could usually hitch a ride with if there was a conflict. That boat raised and caught a lot of fish for a bunch of amateurs...but the partnership route takes a lot of patience and cooperation.

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This. Soap and water later will clean it. I have a friend that makes me drive his boat between spots so he can constantly scrub shite down w a brush and the raw water wash down. It’s absurd. All he’s doing is salting everything.

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Blood will stain gel coat and upholstery if there is any...best to not have any or as little as possible.... plus it is slicker than snot....I always get blood up and I always give everything a scrubbing on the way back to the hill and then wash it down in fresh water at the dock. If I am catching fish I will scrub the boat down during the day also.....catching pelagics would be a MESS if you didn't get the blood off the decks LOL....most of the time I look like some character out of a slasher movie between making bait and gaffing fish....that's why my fishing clothes consist of a t-shirt, hairy hangdowns and Jupiter inlet dance shoes if I have shoes...it ain't pretty but it is far better than having on a $100 shirt and a tuna bleeding out on it....

You know what would be a good solution is to somehow get boat owners and people interested in going fishing, especially offshore fishing, together is some sort of "club" where they could get to know one another socially. I always try to pay for everything if a friend and I a using their boat...because I ain't paying anything for them to own their boat. I would bet that at least some boat owners have a hard time finding folks to go offshore with them, especially on short notice and during the week etc. I have no idea how to hook the parties up but it ought to be possible. I know fishing clubs can leverage several boats when chartering and will get a better level of service than some dude and his kids....that may be a good way to make those contacts. I know when I have had an offshore boat I went alone a bunch because I had time and no one else could go....I enjoyed it and would do it intentionally from time to time but if it is someone you can tolerate it is usually more enjoyable with someone. Nothing worse than being on a boat with a prick though....

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I hear you. I washed blood off my deck last trip. This dude isn’t cleaning blood though. At best he’s washing off water marks and spray. He’s just nuts.

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nothing like bloody decks to warm the soul!

I have a buddy with a BEAUTIFUL bay boat...he is terrified to use the thing. It sits in his shop for YEARS without getting outside. I fully understand boats, water and sunshine don't mix...the damned things are going to wreck and ruin every second of every day....but they need to be used or sold. He has said for years he was going to get rid of it...never will.