How much do you use your boat?-gctid805914

[CptCrunchie]

I see boats berthed or on trailers everywhere I look. I'm curious how many times they actually get used. When I did a yacht delivery years ago from Panama to Hawaii, we did 330 hours of motoring, the rest under sail. Once we'd delivered it, the captain said that 330 hours of motoring is more time than most power boat owners use their boat in 5 years. That seemed .....odd.

So, how much did you used your boat last year? I don't mean while sitting at the dock, and time on anchor doesn't count. I mean motoring somewhere. I'd also like to know, what was the longest stretch - in time or miles - that you did last year. And if you could dream, do you have any big trip you would like to do with your boat, this year or next?

I splashed mine 41 times, 22 of which was to set and retrieve crab pots in Sequim Bay. The rest was fishing the strait. My longest was a motor to Oak Bay from Sequim, which took 2.5 hours. It should have taken far less time, but the wind, waves and current was like being in a washing machine around the Dungeness lighthouse, and then again nearing the SE corner of Vancouver Island. That's also the longest so far. This year I hope to head up the inside channel for a week to visit some friends in Vancouver, BC.

[Pcpete]

We average about 75 engine key on hours a year. The hour meter is connected to the port engine on our soon to be sold boat, the power steering is connected to the starboard engine so when trolling, the hours are not recorded. Our new to us 1988 3818 has around 3500 hours showing on the meters which seems like a lot compared to others of the same vintage that are advertised as 15-1800 hours. My boat was initially in charter service and still, the average is about 120 hours per year.

When I was growing up our Fairliner had a motor miles meter rather than a hour meter. That's a setup that,to me, has more meaning than a clock that turns on every time the key is turned on.

[Critterracing]

i try to use my boat twice a week all season sometimes more. i dont keep track of hours. im on a small lake so not to much to do really. i like to be on my boat just hanging out. hanging in the marina if fun for me also. this year i scored the slip next to me. the marina had to move some boats around so i took the spot for my waverunner we just got.

2016 215 DB and a 2016 Yamaha VX Cruiser HO right next to each other. hoping to make my neighbors jealous lol. not easy getting slips by me as everything is brand new as of last season. all new docks and fingers.

last year i had a great employee who took care of things for me, 3/4 days a week at the boat was great. now i gotta work alittle lol but ill get by.

aldo

[Cool_Beans]

If nothing else than to muddy the waters a bit to what "boat use" constitutes...I live on my boat so I say I use it 24/7/365 :woohoo:

[Mikalkc]

Around 150 engine hours/year and 50-60 nights aboard.

[yachtman]

About 100 + engine hours a year but my season is short June to september.

[RGrew176]

Back when I was working at Ford I averaged about 120 hours per season. Since I retired and with a more limited income I am probably averaging 30 to 35 hours per season.

[Nickdixon]

About 30-40 engine hours, but I do a lot of drifting.

[Ruffryder]

300 engine hours last year

[rbrauerei]

Last year, our first year of boating, we went out 17 times from May-October and put 65 hours on the engine. We would have gone out more, but weather sometimes kept us at the dock.

Since we bought the boat new (and a new lift at pier), I obsessed about how much the cost per hour used might be... So, I also kept a fairly detailed log book recording hours spent out on the boat (cruising, at anchor, etc); that came out to be around 180 hours (a couple of those 17 trips were overnighters). Cost to buy/operate the boat last year: about $350 an hour.

[CptCrunchie]

"rbrauerei" post=805986 wrote:
Cost to buy/operate the boat last year: about $350 an hour.

Now there's a calculation that would scare the crappola outa me! In a way, it's an interesting way to look at it, .....but I'm unwilling to go there. :whistle:

[wgander]

Almost 400 hours last year, mostly USCG Auxiliary, a few wakeboarding outings with my grandchildren.

[rossi45]

Kind of depends I guess. I moved my boat closer to the gulf islands just over a month ago and I've already used my boat more than I did last year because I'm a little more motivated to get out and explore. I literally used my boat about 5-6 times last year. I've already been out twice this week!

[Wort123]

We spend about 20 weeks a year aboard. Most of the time docked, but 100-150 hours on the engines each year last two years. We plan to do much more cruising now that almost all the kinks have been or about to be worked out.

[mlewis100]

We seem to rack up about 150 engine hours per year and are expecting 80 nights aboard this calendar year.

Winter and shoulder season boating adds much more usage.