Gas, $3.75 a gallon by Summer Estimated

[RTS]

Fuel prices don't significantly impact me, and it's not because I'm a Rockefeller or anything, it's because of the type of boating we do.

We are lucky enough to live 10 miles or so from the private club we boat out of, meaning fuel for the tow vehicle doesn't really come into play like it does for some of you that drive long distances towing these relatively heavy rigs.

The club is on a chain of lakes, and 90% of our skiing/tubing/a little wakeboarding is done within 1/2 mile (mostly within sight) of the club, so we don't burn a bunch of gas getting to a good spot. We spend a bunch of the day at the club grilling, watching kids swim and play on the playground, and socializing...i.e. boat parked at the dock. The boat gets run when someone wants to go out and play for a while. We do minimal wakeboarding and no surfing...I would imagine those activities would really impact the GPH you burn.

So I may put 2-3 hours on the engine in a typical full day of boating, so maybe 10-15 gallons max for a day, costing an extra $15/day maximum if gas prices go up a buck.

But I understand some of you are burning far more fuel than that during a day...especially the wakeboarders/surfers that tow long distances to the lake and cruise a long way to your favorite 'spot', and I can see how that $1/gal could impact your day.

[Dan P]

Poll needs an option of:

eliminate altogether... tubing,...

I'm for that!

[BillFooter]

If you couple high fuel prices, with inflation in general, and the poor economy I'm sure many of us will probably use our boat less this year. We will also buy less of many other things too. That is why the economy is in the dumper now, and will soon be headed even further down. We as a whole are not "consuming" as much of almost everything.

[dlb]

With 4 growing kids there are lots of ways to spend money. Since we all love to get out on the water and have fun that is where we will be. If I think about it enough I am sure I think of other ways to spend the time or money but, I would rather be with my family having fun on the water.

Now let's do some math.....55 gallons x $3.75.....I would rather not think about it.

But with 4 kids I do more math than I care to remember.....

[YJim]

Bills, fuel, boat gas, beer, bbq... I'll just have less left over for other stuff. Not happy about it, but I'm not gonna cut back on the stuff that makes me

[jjackkrash]

http://www.foxbusiness.com/article/chevron...s_461941_1.html

[ricnvic]

Hopefully the higher gas prices will cut down on the amount of wallys on the lake.

[SacRiverRat]

Higher prices may impact further driving trips pulling the boat (that is where the real consumption is)... and some of the cruisin' time. Floating on the baot, and enjoying the water is free

[NorCaliBu]

Hopefully the higher gas prices will cut down on the amount of wallys on the lake.

That was the line of thought last year and it didn't seem to pan out.

[Pistol Pete]

Guess I'm just gonna have to up what I charge my guests.

[Longjohn]

That is going to be fun filling the truck and boat up together. A mere $300 bill.

[68Slalom]

Our gas bill has become a major expense, we averaged $800-900 per month during the summer months between the boat and the truck not including the other cars we drive. It's hard to imagine but paper doesn't lie Don't know how much more of this my knees can take (lol)

Edited February 21, 2008 by 68Slalom

[CedarLakeSkier]

Gas is still cheaper than beer and bottled water, so as was stated in earlier posts on this thread you can cut back in a few other places to keep the bu full of fuel.

I think if I had to buy my beer or bottled water 40+ gallons at a time I'd be complaining about the price of these too. Especially if I had to buy 40+ gallons twice each weekend.

[shot]

Germany goes close to US $ 8 per gal

Why do you cry at les than 4 ?

[RobSMalibu]

Yes and Germany taxes the livin daylights on fuel....... that is why the higher cost

Germany goes close to US $ 8 per gal

Why do you cry at les than 4 ?

[CedarLakeSkier]

Yes and Germany taxes the livin daylights on fuel....... that is why the higher cost

Germany goes close to US $ 8 per gal

Why do you cry at les than 4 ?

And at the current EUR to USD exchange rate it's more like 5+ per gallon. Still expensive but with lots of taxes that would do it.

[68Slalom]

Never thought I would say this, but those Hybrid cars dont really look so bad anymore. Tinted window's lowered and some nice wheels and tires (very skinny wheels and tires though) My commute is about 23 miles one way in a 6.0 liter car so my mpg are about 16-18 on a good day not what I planned.

Edit: I was very surprised when I was in TX this past year to see that gas is right up here with Calif. and in some cases a little more, now that I did not expect.

Edited February 21, 2008 by 68Slalom

[Malibudude]

Never thought I would say this, but those Hybrid cars dont really look so bad anymore. Tinted window's lowered and some nice wheels and tires (very skinny wheels and tires though) My commute is about 23 miles one way in a 6.0 liter car so my mpg are about 16-18 on a good day not what I planned.

Edit: I was very surprised when I was in TX this past year to see that gas is right up here with Calif. and in some cases a little more, now that I did not expect.

I purchased a cheap 4-banger car for my 96-mile round trip commute everyday for about 5k w/ 67k miles on it. While it’s nothing to get excited about, I paid cash for it, it’s in great shape, and I get 38mpg at 70+mph. I just don’t see the need to spend $$$ for a hybrid, which in most cases aren’t designed to perform at highway speed anyway. Now the new Tahoe Hybrid changes that a bit w/ a two-mode system, but I’ll need to save a lot of gas in that to recover the cost differences in purchase price between the two vehicles. I’m all for others purchasing a hybrid, it means more gas for me…lol Why is it when I see a Hybrid they seem to have bumper stickers like coexist, war is not the answer….lol Probably because I pass through the Republic of Davis… lol

[Dan P]

I get 38mpg at 70+mph. I just don’t see the need to spend $$$ for a hybrid

I agree with M-dude. I've always thought hybrids are a friggin rip off. The highway mileage is LESS than a comparable gas model and the in town mileage is only slightly better. If you look at the extra cost of the hybrid, you'll never get that money back in gas savings. And the "greener" arguement? The new cars run so clean you can almost breath from the tailpipe.

Save your money for a hydrogen vehicle.

[curtisco24]

Ah, I'm sure it will go through the roof. Our government is getting plenty of perks for allowing traders and oil companies to run the price up. They know the economy has been in the tank since gas went over $2.00 a few years ago. Difference is now credit cards are coming due, so throw the credit crisis in there. I gurantee if gas was dropped to $1.80 or below and heating oil was dropped as well, the recession would be over and the economy would thrive. The best part would be the investors that are artifically driving oil prices would lose their rear end.

[auto]

The best part would be the investors that are artifically driving oil prices would lose their rear end.

Not entirely true, those that are short willmake a killing. There are two sides to every play

[lakewaterjunky]

The greed and corruption that has been tied to our government & big oil sickens me to no end.

With so much alternate energy technology available for so long now, it became overwhelmingly frustrating for my family and I some time ago. We just couldn’t stand it anymore and had to do something about it.

Recently we acquired a 1993 Ford F350 Crew Cab Diesel as a pulling vehicle to convert to waste vegetable oil.

After buying my first diesel of any type, we liked it so much I got my wife a 2001 VW 5sp Diesel Beetle (45-50mpg)! She loves it, so do I for the fuel mileage.

Even if they are robbing us on the price of diesel vs. gas it still pays off big. The mpg dominates anything we’ve owned and knowing our diesels will last so much longer before the need for rebuild is great. (I’m a cheapskate in case you don’t know).

Our mini van just went bye-bye so that the new (to us) 1999 C2500 Diesel Suburban has room in the driveway (it got nearly 18mpg last tank). My wife had to have a car she could drive comfortably that carries at least 6-7 people for the times our girls have friends along.

I’m selling the truck and currently looking for a diesel VW Jetta to drive to work (also converting to WVO)

I plan on completing the conversion on the Suburban first, then converting the Jetta that’s coming soon, and if all goes well, we will do the same to the Beetle.

In the meantime, we are trying to run the highest percentage biodiesel we can get as often as possible to be anti-oil and eco-friendly until the fossil fuel line can be severed from our entire diesel fleet.

I’d like to make some biodiesel out of the WVO we collect during the process as well.

Since I’ve gotten hooked on the diesels, that steyr/indmar in line 6 cyl marine diesel engine looks pretty good.

The smell of French fries behind the boat from WVO doesn’t sound half bad.

Hopefully by the start of boating season, I will at least have the Suburban fully converted to further offset the increasing fuel costs and if all goes o.k., this year has potential to be the lowest cost fuel season we have ever had.

Good luck everyone

[jetskipro550]

Wife and I both drive our cars less then 10 miles a day. Boat is stored 2 miles away and our riding spot is less then a mile away. I don't like paying more for gas, but given that everything is so close it's not as bad when our only real gas costs are for the boat. It gets far more expensive when we make trips to Shasta and have to tow the boat a long ways. The only thing that is going to be different this summer is filling up a 55 gallon tank vs. 30 gallons...thats going to hurt a little.

[UWSkier]

LAME...

[bu2007vlx]

I'm not letting any fatbody's in Washington or some CEO of an oil company stop me from having my fun on my BU!!!! This is what I love and will continue to do it!!!!