Number of days currently scheduled for the lake this summer?

[smokedog2]

Like Michigan, we had snow Sunday (nuts). Looking forward to better days I added up my definite days at the lake between now and September 1st. I’m at 15. I figure I need 25 to get 100 hours on the boat this year. I’d like to end the summer closer to 30.

How is your summer schedule shaping up around work, baseball, soccer, Cub Scout camp, tennis, track, forced fun at relatives and yard work (I hate yard work)?

Friends think I’m nuts asking now about June & July schedules but maximizing water time requires some planning. Anyone else plan this far ahead?

SD2

[OnTheH20]

Your not the only one looking forward to warm weather and the boat...

My wife and I have gone so far as to schedule Christmas and Thanksgiving at home. We notified the family they can come see us this year. We are using the extra days off in June/July for a "boating-only" week. We also made sure our 'normal' summer vacation included the boat by coordinating a week with her brother at his lake community.

We've contact my youngest daughter's gym (competition gymnastics) to get meet dates and practice schedules. We also checked the soccer schedule (oldest daughter) to make sure we have free dates.

Wow! That certainly borders on obsessive now that I wrote it down...

[silverski]

I applaud your efforts to think through the summer to maximize your boating experience. I am not quite in your position yet at my house as I have to be careful not to have our summer dictated by that boat. I am hoping that the new moomba, first inboard and 3 1/2 more feet will make get the better half on board by the end of the summer.

Being a numbers guy, your post got me thinking about the cost of owning a boat.
Making some assumptions..........

Annual depreciation on boat including lost sales tax $1,500
Insurance $300
Launch permits $50
Annual Service $250
Accessories/Equipment that I would buy each year $500
Gas $400
Total hypothetical annual cost $3,000

Number of trips out (once/week mid may to Sept) 15

Cost per trip $200

Enjoyment out of each trip PRICELESS

[Will Watters]

silverski - I think you gas estimate is a bit low....

Hope to get my 30 days of boating in this Summer. Got our Boat on April 9th and so far had 6 trips to the water. Hope to get 30 trips in this season (if gas does not continue to go through the roof). Got about 15 hours and already through 60 gallons. Thats a little less then 120 gallons a month (close to 300 dollars a month argh!!). Brake Out Another Thousand....

Will

[Wake Master]

I have a place in Michigan and plan a couple of weeks plus almost every weekend on the boat during the summer. We put 135 hours on our 04 LSV last year. We wakeboard/ski about 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening. During the day the tubes are out. The price of gas this year will add to the overall expense.

[smokedog2]

$200/trip. You are so low, are you showing that to the wife?

Never ever run the math on hobbies. It is depressing.

In 2000 I bought a new boat. It was the best investment I made in 2000.

So far 2005 has not been a bad year for buying boats either - nuts.

Oh well, money is a great way to keep score when you are not doing anything important.


SD2

[zabooda]

Last year I had 11 weeks off and I usually take every other week off in July and August. I don't take any time off until then as I have every other Friday off so I stick around the local area until the temperatures start getting into the 100's. I usually pick the time off based on weather and take off for the week. Sometimes I plan my work travel so I can hit a few distant places and help offset the boating expenses.

[Yellowmobius]

I usually hit the 40 day mark, sounds depressing as I would LOVE to get more in. Last year I got out 38 times. The most I have been out has been 50 days, GREAT YEAR. Not bad for a married guy with two small kids. We have a "heated" lake near, never freezes and it is easy to get into early spring and late fall. First time out boarding this year was April 24. Not bad for ND, keep it suht you lucky southern guys.
I keep track on a calander of my days out and if it was a day of boating or wakeboarding. I also keep track of my hours per year. Friends would describe me as a wakeboard fanatic!

[jburnside]

I have already scheduled though August this summer! We rented a lakefront cottage for a week this year in July, so if I combine that with the camping days I have booked in June, July, and August along with getting the boat out at least 1 day each week the new LSV should end the season with more than 100 hours. I'll report back in September.