BoatOut
The Journal
Winterization and the Off-Season Boat Budget
Six months of not using the boat is not six months of not paying for it. Here is what the off-season actually costs, and which lines keep running when the boat is on the hard.
Slip Fees vs Trailering: The Comparison Worth Doing Before You Sign
A marina berth is often the single largest line in a boat's annual cost. Trailering removes it and adds costs of its own — including one nobody prices.
Down Payment or Shorter Term: Which Actually Moves the Cost?
Both lower what you pay, but not in the same way. More down cuts the payment proportionally; a shorter term raises the payment and cuts the interest sharply.
Renting vs Owning a Boat: How Many Hours It Takes to Break Even
Owning beats renting above a certain number of hours a year and loses below it. The figure is computable before you buy, and it is usually higher than people expect.
What Size Boat Do You Need for Your Crew and Your Water?
The same four people need a different boat on a sheltered lake than on open ocean. Length follows from what you do, how many come along, and where you do it — in that order.
Boat Trailer Weight: What the Brochure's Dry Weight Leaves Out
Dry weight is the boat and nothing else. Add the engine, a full tank, the trailer and the gear you actually carry, and a rig that looked comfortable can sit over your tow rating.
Twin Engines vs a Single: The Running-Cost Arithmetic
Two engines burn twice the fuel of one at the same rating. The comparison people actually face is a twin rig against a single of equivalent power, and it is closer than you might think.
How Much Anchor Rode Do You Actually Need?
Scope is measured from the bow roller, not the waterline — a detail that adds several feet to every calculation and catches people out worst in shallow water.
What a Day on the Water Costs in Fuel
Marine engines burn at a roughly constant rate at a given RPM, so a day's fuel is simple arithmetic — and at dockside prices it adds up faster than most owners expect.
The 10% Boat Maintenance Rule, and the Year It Starts Lying to You
Budgeting 10% of a boat's value each year is a sound starting point. Because the value falls every year, the rule quietly budgets least for the boat that needs most.
Boat Loan Terms: What Stretching to 20 Years Really Costs
A longer term makes the payment comfortable and the total enormous. The term is a bigger lever than the interest rate, and it is the one nobody negotiates.
What Does a Boat Actually Cost Per Hour on the Water?
The payment is the number everyone negotiates and the smallest part of the bill. Add the slip, the insurance and the upkeep, divide by the hours you really go out, and the answer is usually a surprise.