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Why so many unused boats?

8K views 51 replies 37 participants last post by  SloopJonB 
#1 ·
We have all seen it, in our own marinas. It seems to be everywhere. As long as I can remember (& we have been boating for 30yrs) we have seen boats in slips at our marina that never have anyone on-board.

For instance this year at Michigan City Washington Park marina we had 2 nice 40 foot sail boats as dock mates. We made the 150 mile trip every weekend except for 2. Plus we spent 2 weeks there on vacation. We never saw a person on those boats. Looking at them you can tell they weren't there over the week either. Bird droppings and spider webs all over them.

There's 111 slips on our dock, we are at the end, so we walked past every boat all the time. If I had to guess I'd say at least half the boats never had anyone using them. I mean just their. I know half of them never left the slip.

We just wonder why have a boat at all. If you never use it. I'm certain not all these people are millionaires. I guess it's their money and they can do what they want with it. Of coarse it's non of our business and we really don't care, but makes you wonder WTF....lol
 
#2 ·
I work weekends so I sail during the week when it's me and the other commercial guys/gals doing our thing. I had about 40 days sailing this year and there are two months to go. I think I sailed one Saturday the whole year. So if you go out on the weekend you might think I'm one of the non-sailor sailors. But yes I don't know why they let their boats go like they do. The empty slips do keep the slip rates down, and we all like that.
Brad
Lancer 36
 
#3 ·
It's like that everywhere. Several factors at work. "New" boats get used a lot then it tapers off as life intervenes. Many wives don't like sailing which cuts usage down. Some people only go when they can go for a few days, rarely daysailing. The bigger a boat is the less it gets used due primarily to crew requirements. Kids turn into teenagers and find other interests. Lots of them sit unused solely because selling them means accepting the loss of the dream. That last one covers a LOT of boats in boatyards as well. Huge numbers of boats sit on the hard, accumulating storage charges simply because the owners are unwilling to face the reality that they will never get them restored.
 
#4 ·
Whenever I see a message like this, I get the sense that there is a bit of jealousy or envy buried under the guise of inquiry or wonder. Boats are long term investments like houses...so decisions to dispose of them naturally proceed slower than things like cash, motorcycles, something else you'd just post on craigslist. Who knows, maybe the boat is being used as a floating vacation home for when the owner comes into town for the 2-3 weeks a year vs. buying waterfront vacation property. People buy vacation homes/real estate all the time and let it idle except for vacation time....

So, rather than focusing on all the boats that sit there idling away in the marina, I focus on maximizing the utility I get out of my own boat. Life's short, I worry about my own sailing season :)
 
#7 · (Edited)
Boats are long term investments like houses...
LoL! That's a good one! Investment! I would say it is more like a depreciating asset, which is why it is so hard to understand. I can see old inexpensive boats that have long since been paid for getting neglected. What I don't get is the boat that was worth over $100K getting neglected for years until it is only worth $20k. I guess some people have more money than they know what to do with! I wish I had that problem, so yeah, I guess that makes me jealous!

The empty slips do keep the slip rates down, and we all like that.
Around here there are no empty slips, which makes it even more frustrating because there are so many people who would love to get a boat, or a bigger boat, but can't because there is no dock space for them.
 
#5 ·
Didn't use mine near enough this year.

Lots of excuses. Too hot. No wind. Too much wind. Kids have something to do. Wife has something to do. I have something to do. Shoulder messed up and hard to winch. Beach traffic is bad.

It sucks. I am one of those people that life gets in the way and the boat sits.

I think I worked on her more than I used her.

But those couple of.times where she dropped her shoulder and drove through the waves as we tacked up wind then bore away on a screaming reach were worth every penny to me.
 
#8 ·
reflect

Great post my friend very interesting
reflective you must be a writer/ creative type- I too wonder those types of things often
to me it is also signs of this incredible economy that this country WAS blessed with for so many years now

how many people in places like Haiti whom can only afford a tent- yet we have cars, boats- ten pairs of shoes, literally
all these ridiculous things that we waste

Personally, my boat get treasured everyday- whether lived on, worked on, or sailed- it will be that way until I have to sell it, or my estate' auctions her off... who knows hopefully never, or until I buy the next one
God Bless
 
#10 ·
With no intent to offend, it is a mistake that many seem to make that a boat is an investment like a house. It is not. Boats are like women, they may improve to a certain point, but at some point they begin to decline and only with massive amounts of capital infusion can they keep their looks, and even then, then new models out perform them. At that point, only those of us who remember them in their glory find them more attractive than the young ones.

Strictly financially speaking, the idea that a boat is an asset like real estate is wrong. They can always build newer and nicer boats, while real estate is limited.

Again, no intent to offend, I just disagree with your thinking on this.
 
#31 ·
... Boats are like women, they may improve to a certain point, but at some point they begin to decline and only with massive amounts of capital infusion can they keep their looks, and even then, then new models out perform them. At that point, only those of us who remember them in their glory find them more attractive than the young ones.
...
Wow.
 
#13 ·
"A boat is a hole in the ground into which one throws money."

"Sailing is standing under a cold shower tearing up $100 bills"

With those two old, well-known sayings, it's hard to understand how anyone could look at a boat as an investment. Unless you're living aboard, it's an indulgence.

As for those lonely boats in the harbor, it could be their owners are trying to sell them but nobody is buying.

And to a boat being like a woman, that you have to pay a lot of money to keep her looking shiny and new, she could be saying the same about you. ;)
 
#15 ·
I bought my boat about 6 years ago. It's in VA, while I'm a 10 hour drive away in OH. I had great plans... but life doesn't care what plans you make. So I would settle for coming for a week every month or two... often just to work on her, and not even sail.

The last time I came was for 2 weeks. That was 2 months ago and I could leave... so now I'm job hunting. Ice sailed more in these 2 months than I did the first 2 years I owned her, which I'm embarrassed/sad about. But that's changing now.

You or I don't know what's going on in people's lives to keep them off their boat. There was a boat docked next to me that apparently had been there for 10 years, and the owner had never been there once (according to Marina manager, who's pretty ontop of things). He came one day opened the boat up, took a few things off, and was gone an hour later. He told the marina he's going to sell the boat and buy another one. A few people have called him offering to buy the boat and he's gotten very offended that they would do that.
 
#17 ·
It is possible they are business assets for tax write off. A company will keep a nice boat in the water in case they get clients who are into boating, they can send a crew down to the marina, tidy things up and host the clients on their boat.. If it never gets used they still write off the expense.
 
#19 ·
I've been told by a few that if they keep her tied-up, or better yet on land, they know exactly what she costs to own each month. As soon as they take her out, something breaks and maintanance goes up. I think this is a common perception.

I'm not saying I feel that way. I'm pretty sure if she's on land she serves no purpose, and only a little more while tied to the dock.
 
#20 ·
i have watched as folks buy boats with intent of cruising. something happens--wifee doesnt like the lifestyle, guy gets ill, as he has waited soo long to fulfil his dream, then dies...she wants to sell, market wont allow that to happen at the pricing she seems to thing is appropriate, as she has no clue...
.folks cruise and leave boats behind when they return to their land homes--never to return to boat again---many reasons for boats to lie fallow. most have to do with the mindset of the buyer and operator.
this didnt used to be a "problem", as wood boats have a self limitation---fiberglass ones don0t have nor share that limitation--they dont rot and sink. other things happen to them instead, and they become eyesores,and therefore unsellable.
 
#21 ·
Neverknow down lake both sides of Chicago the slips are filled up with alot of non local owners. We also have them up here just not as many. A few years back I tried to buy back a 37c I sold, missed out by a couple weeks so I found another. I have tried for years now to catch the new owner, no luck. His dock neighbors say they only see him a couple times a year. Even in this crap economy people have excess money but not enough time.
 
#22 ·
I have had a nice sailing life as a member of the "OPBC". **

Crewing on races, racing the boat myself when owner is away but wants to stay in the series, deliveries, teaching, charter skipper.

I have in the past owned boats but have had some of my best sailing on "other people's boats".

Will I own one? I don't know. Maybe charter one from time to time. Having a small-tonnage captain's license, and enjoying teaching, has helped. A lot.

Meantime, I too wonder when all those very lovely "slip queens" are ever going to get out for a nice walk. Frequently on a gorgeous fall day, on a boat with students, we wonder where the heck everyone else is, we might see four or five other sails within sight on a Saturday.


** ("Other People's Boat Club")
 
#24 ·
And I'm willing to bet your boat LOOKS as though it is sailed regularly, with no piles of leaves under the lines. A close look would give you credit.
 
#26 ·
As to the POs question/s;

I have seen the same in the small marina I frequent a a few or four times a year. There's a particularly lovely BIG yacht taking up space at the "T" dock on the end of the pier. It doesn't seem to have moved in years! Prolly one of those Corp. deals ;)
There's plenny of boats not (apparently) sailing on any regular basis. There's even more of them moored!
I often wonder how folks can afford NOT to use them... then I realize my motorcycle only got a few hundred miles logged this past season.
Yes.. colour me jealous :D
 
#27 ·
Probably comes down to the fact people have less time than they think. To take a large boat out it is really a whole day affair (including prep and cleaning). It is also a big job just to keep your boat in shape so you can take it out regularly. I think once you start using your boat less and less, it becomes even harder to ever use it. You really need to force yourself to use it or you will fall into that trap.

I try to go out once a week. Would like to go out more, and sometimes I do not go out for a few weeks due to kids commitments, the house needs fixing, the car needs fixing, the boat needs fixing or somthing "comes up".

Probably a lot of people read the magazine adds or go to a boat show and say that looks like a nice lifestyle, but looks and reality are different things.
 
#28 ·
You might say the same about me if you didn't look closely. The 3% interest rates have had me crazy busy all year. I get out sailing with friends every few weeks, BUT, you'll find me there a few days a week down below writing reports. I also have non-sailing friends (they get seasick) who join me for dinner on the boat and a movie from time to time. It's also a great 3rd date destination.:laugher My boat serves many functions, but mostly it just keeps me sane.

Mike
 
#30 ·
That may be the case or he could be afraid of it. I found out years later that was what kept the guy I sold it to from sailing. Lots of things can keep you from using them. You need to work at it or they will sit. I thought mine might be kids, but they love it. I also work so they continue to love it.
 
#32 ·
I bought my boat 10 years ago. Set it up to my liking and moved aboard. I lived on her for 4 1/2 years and sailed her most weekends and some nights after work. Then I met a lady and moved back into a house. Got a new job away from the marina and the boat got used less and less as things "kept coming up" that kept me from her. That was 4 years ago... Recently I had a major overhaul perfomed on her and started going out again. It is not as easy as when I lived aboard but getting better. I can understand those that own boats and not sail them often. I for one, don't ever want to sell mine. But I have to make a living, so I sail when I can and as long as I can even if that is only 3 weekends last year.

Dennis
S/V Mustang
S2 9.2A
 
#34 · (Edited)
When it comes to boats and marinas, you can often throw logic out the window. As silly as it sounds, I'm convinced some people just like saying they own a boat, and are quite willing to spend big bucks to say it. After all, if you are going to take a boat out a couple of times a year, chartering only makes sense financially. I know a couple of guys that don't really like going out, but enjoy sitting on their boat in the marina environment. One guy occasionally takes his sailboat out in the morning to run the motor, and is always back before noon. The wind rarely comes up here before 1PM!
I think that there are also some older Skippers that don't want to let go of the boat, because of what it implies, even though they can't sail it anymore.
Others won't sell the boat for what it's worth because they think it should be worth more. They will let it sit and deteriorate while paying slip fee's and insurance until it's worth even less!
I can go on and on about the things you only see at marinas, but here is another good example!
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gener...d/93439-things-you-would-only-see-marina.html
 
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