www.iFourWinns.com

The last time I checked, our marina was selling 87 octane for $3.49, but since then the price of gas has gone up. I'm guessing it's nearing $4 a gallon on the water.

My question is this: When the gas prices get this high, do you spend more time at the marina or anchored?

Personally, it doesn't change anything for me. I bought a boat to use it, not sit in it. It's hard to stomach a $300 gas bill, but it's harder to stomach not using the boat because I don't want to pay the gas bill!

What about you?

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SOLD! 2006 30th Anniversary Vista 278
"Conch'd Out!"

http://vista278.com

I got a 5% back on gas purchases credit card. Also filled the boat (35G) and 4 5G jerry cans when gas was around $2.90. Also exchanged rewards points for 3 or 4 $50 gas cards. All this might get me through June. In the future, I'm seriously considering getting a 300 gallon tank and stand, and having it filled up in the Winter, when gas prices appear to bottom out.

I know oil's currently at $60 a barrel, but the cyclical increases in gas prices each summer by every supplier (all making record profits each year) screams collusion and price fixing to me. Where's the FTC when you need them?

Anyway, as far as boating habits go (rather than fuel acquisition habits), I expect to use the new boat this season, far more than I did the old boat (Maxum 1700) - due to break in needs, and the thrill of a new boat in general. (Even although said boat is capable of burning nearly 1G every 3 minutes!)

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

The issue of gas prices did factor into our decision to buy the 3.0l instead of the 4.3l when we bought the boat. So, sacraficing there should mean we don't have to sacrafice in the running of the boat. We have done some other strategic planning in order to get around the price of fuel.

How so you may ask? My biggest sacrafice was not owning a second vehicle (as in we are a 1 car family). That savings allowed me to justify buying a brand new boat, and not worry about feeding it. I have been walking to work for years now (luckally my current office is only a 5 minute walk from my house) and have actually enjoyed it..... well.... except for when it is -35 deg C outside with a wind chill into the -45 range...

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2009 H180 w/3.0 Merc
Homebuilt Minimax Hydro
2011 Zodiac Cadet 310

Nope when I do ride around I still drive it like I stole it.

Yes it has, mostly for our summer trip. Rather than boating up to the Savannah area from Daytona which is roughly 600 water miles round trip (~$2400 in gas) we opted to trailer the boat to the Myrtle Beach area and stay at a local marina. I figure I'll spend $400 round trip in diesel pulling the boat. That's far less than the amount of boat gas I'd use.

As to the local boating, yes and no. I will be frequenting the shorter mileage locations a bit more. Memorial Day weekend will be the exception. That's a 200 mile round trip cruise from the Palatka area to Fernandina Beach, FL/Cumberland Island, Ga area I figure I'll have to take on about 60 gals at the far end to feel comfy with the fuel amount on board for the return leg.

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

With the kind of power my 180 has? Yeah, I do think of it once in a while. In fact, it has changed my boating. I sold a hot-rod 21' Checkmate with a 225 Promax outboard that needed premium gas for my 180 Freedom with a 150 for toy pulling duties.

And just recently, I even thought about trading my outboard 180 for a 3.0 I/O model 180, until I reseached the gas savings. According to Four Winns own tests, the 3.0 I/O only gets 1 mpg better than the 4.3 I/O at 'pulling' speeds, so the power loss isn't worth getting the 3.0. We do a LOT of tube pulling, usually two at a time, and some ski pulling. My dealer even said he wouldn't sell me the 3.0 I/O. And then comparing my 150 outboard superior hole-shot power to the 4.3 I/O, the gas savings isn't worth giving up that power either!

The 3.0 I/O only gets 5.0 mpg at 30 mph, the 4.3 I/O (and my 150 OB) gets 4.0 mpg. Not any real difference...............

So what I'll do is use the Four Winns less for cruising, more for just towing, and the pontoon boat more for just cruising

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Previous Four Winns: 2003 Freedom 180, 150 Johnson XL, purchased new July 2005, sold Sept. 07
Current Four Winns: 2002 Horizon 170, 115 Yamaha V4, purchased May 2010 from family friend.

Yes. Fewer trips, fewer weekends away, shorter distances...

We took 4 extra teens yesterday for a total of 5. We pulle out the big tubes and fixed it so all 5 could be out at the same time. That saved lots of time and gas.

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1999 258 Vista
Floating on Easy Street
in Jonestown, TX

I am looking into buying a donkey. I hear they have great towing power?
Plus there gas is FREE!

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2005 Horizon 200 LE - Volvo Penta 5.0GXi 270

Absolutely it does. There will be a lot more anchoring and a lot less long cruising.

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"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz

We are lucky we are on a small lake so gas is not as big a factor. We do a lot of slow cruising but to answer your question, No as of now we bought the boat to use and we will only be young once as will the kids. We only get 3 good months a year to boat so average that out and gas isnt so bad for the whole year......but it sure does piss me off, there is no need for gas to be so high....

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Guns kill people like spoons make people fat.
2007 Horizon 190 Gxi
97 Pathfinder SE 4x4
73 International Scout II

We have never worried about the price of gas in previous years, but with gas costing close to $4.00 already, we do have a gas budget for this summer. The planned budget will give us alot of run time, but it will stop us from going out on marginal weather days.

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07 Tiara Sovran 4300
07 338 Vista - SOLD

Being in SC we haven't seen that high of prices that everyone else is talking about. But, NO, the increase won't change our outings. Like others have said, I bought it to enjoy it. And we went even as far in getting a Tahoe so we can travel to other lakes.

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2007 200 Horizon- 4.3GXi/SX 225hp
2007 Tahoe LT

yep - less trips for sure this year. Glad the boat is paid for -would hate to be making payments and not afforing going out at all.

Still scratching my head on the price of gas, first it is tied to oil prices, oil drops, now it's supply and demand - oh wait we control the supply... not a monoply but might as well be.

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2006 FW 203 FS
2005 Dodge Laramie 1500
2003 CRF 247F SuperMoto racer
2001 CBR1100XX

No, since I got the 310 Horizon, I have been putting on the hours.

I love the twin 6.2L Mercrusiers and Bravo 3 drives.

I've put on 30 hours in about 2 months. Fun, Fun, Fun .... just like I expected.

The heck with the gas price, Let 'er RIP !!!!!

Tom

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The only way to mix Golf and boating is by keeping them both a one minute walk away!