Boat Rentals

Yikes! The tiny campground up the road from me was asking $40 for half a day, included fuel.

I used to consider a rental expensive, until I considered what it would cost to tow a borrowed (free) boat boat to the lake.
I would have to drive a 2nd car. Get the trailer ready, pack bearing etc.
Then I 'd have to pay to launch the boat and take the time to do it.
In the end it was much easier to just show up at the dock get on a rental boat and drive off vs. the challenges and expenses of towing my boat 6 hours round trip.
I agree renting a boat is expensive but there is a convenience factor to consider that makes renting tolerable.
For me renting has significant advantages vs. towing a boat from home.

$350 a day is about right here in VA for a ski boat. I don't know if it's high or not as I haven't compared it around. I've got my own boat so I don't rent.
$40? Really? What kind of boat is that? I'm guessing a little john boat or a pontoon with a 40 HP engine or something?

My daughter rented a RZR side-by-side 4-seater in Utah for over $400 for a 12 hour period. That's a concession to get into.

azdryheat wrote:
My daughter rented a RZR side-by-side 4-seater in Utah for over $400 for a 12 hour period. That's a concession to get into.

Four seaters cost double that in California. It's insane.

Back in 1995 a buddy had a ski boat...he always joked it cost him $250 just to hitch it up to his truck.

Rental pricing is based on Location and demand
Just like Real Estate. Location, location, location

What kind of boat?

A little aluminum open boat with a 9.9hp outboard...yeah, that's excessive.

Something like a ski boat...add up the numbers:
- $50,000 purchase price
- Insurance? Thru the roof to hand it over to some random yahoo.
- Damage on a regular basis as they beat it up because it's not theirs and they don't know what they are doing.
- 5yrs and it's considered too old and they have to sell if for $10,000.
- Season only lasts 4-6months and rentals are mostly on weekends.
- They have to cover the cost of a slip and winter storage (say $3,000/yr) plus maintain an office and advertisment.

So just to amoritize the $40,000 in depreciation in 5yrs will be around $750/month. $1500/month during a 6 month season...If the boat rents an average of 6 days per month in season, that's $250/rental day just to cover amortization...add all other expenses plus a reasonable profit margin and $350 is a bargain.

$50,000 for a boat?!!!!! I use to ask my grand children, ages 9 and 11 then, what the difference between my boat and that $30,000 boat was. They, without hesitation, would say "$25,000". LOL. They knew it was a waste of money even at that age.

jdc1 wrote:
$50,000 for a boat?!!!!! I use to ask my grand children, ages 9 and 11 then, what the difference between my boat and that $30,000 boat was. They, without hesitation, would say "$25,000". LOL. They knew it was a waste of money even at that age.

It's insane to buy new boats (or RV's for that matter). But yeah, your basic ski boat can easily run $50k and if you want to do rentals, a beat up 10yr old boat isn't going to cut it.

Now if you are out on the water every weekend, makes far more sense to buy a used boat in good condition at a fraction of the price.

But if you do it once or twice a year, it makes sense to pay the inflated rental prices and you will come out far cheaper without the hassle of storing and maintaining it.

If boats bother you go look at side-by-sides and other off road toys...it's easy for them to hit $20k. How do you think those hold up when people beat the tar out of them in a rental business?...well, that damage comes out in the rental price.

Definition of a boat: a hole in the water that you pour money into. ;)