Quote Originally Posted by Guppydriver View Post
Actually an interesting post @mgswake. I'm really not sure if the majority of modern wake boat owners are insulated from the rising price of gas. I had a friend who sold Porsches (before the SUV craze) and Aston's and I remember asking him how much a typical buyer "made". He responded, "These guys don't have income. They have wealth".

Although the families buying Paragons, M240's, Ri265, and the like are probably ones who have "wealth", I bet the vast majority of current gen boaters are like me. After decades of hard work and dues paying, I'm blessed with a good income and am investing to retire, but by no means do I have "wealth". I have to be physically present at my job to have earning power. Admittedly, my $600 dollar boat payment + yearly registration + insurance +maintenance is pretty easy to carry.

However, if going up to the lake even for a few hours becomes a $300 proposition instead of $150, I will start to feel it for sure if I continue to go twice a week like I did last year. I can see myself not going for those quick "evening runs" like I did last season. In the last 2 years everything has gone up save for my paycheck. Hell, the truck I would have dropped 50k for two years ago, will probably cost me 70K!!

Unless there is some sort of correction, inflation has also changed my longer term boat plans. I honestly thought I would have my current boat for about 2- 3 seasons, get used to V-Drive boating, then upgrade to my dream boat, which is a Supra SL. That was a feasible plan not too long ago. After going to the boat show though in February and talking to dealers, I'm flat ass priced out of the market. And this is coming from someone who is very easily in the top 5% income threshold . I seriously don't know how so many people do it.

That being said... Paradoxically...There is nothing that can make me forget our country's sad state of economic affairs faster than being out on the lake at sunset. It's pure heaven.
I completely see your logic here and agree that that's the majority of boaters story.
I struggle to understand how most people do it as well.
Different people have different views on financial responsibility is what it comes down to I think.