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Catalina 25 Specific Forum

New Catalina ????

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/22/2006 : 08:29:26

OK folks, as most of you recall, my wife, after many years of tolerating my scowering various boat sites and advertisements for the ideal thirty footer, finaly gave the go ahead to purchase. Surprised the heck out of me.

So the fateful day arrived. Which of the several potential Cat 30's avalable should I shoot for? Frankly, the more I thought about it, the less enthusiastic about buying a bigger boat I became. I am thoroughly enjoying the fruits of all the equipment I've installed over the years on my C25. It'payed for, I have no storage costs - it sits in my yard in the off season, or slip fees - it sits on a mooring in front of my house. All of this translates into a big monthly/annual bill with a bigger boat. A bigger boat means a bigger hole to funnel boat bucks into. Although i feel confident that I could single-hand a thrity footer, a larger crew is needed for racing. Finally, I still have not fulfilled a goal of sailing in the C25 nationals.

It was a tough decison, especially with all my friends in our yacht club encouraging me to buy a thirty footer. When all was said and done though, I like my C25. So, I bought a new GMC 2500HD to haul my boat to the nationals and to trailer sail in the lower Great Lakes. I hope the price of gas doesn't prove me wrong but, for now I am content.

Al Eckhart
GALLIVANT #5801
'88TR

Edited by - on

Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1768 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2006 : 08:55:29

Way to go Al!

I can understand the attachment you have to your boat ... I'm keeping mine even after I win the lotto.

BTW, best of luck at the National Regatta this year ... I hope you have a great time!

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2006 : 11:47:26

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by aeckhart
 So, I bought a new GMC 2500HD to haul my boat to the nationals and to trailer sail in the lower Great Lakes. I hope the price of gas doesn't prove me wrong but, for now I am content.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Gas is now $3.25/gallon locally, diesel fuel as much as $3.50, and it's still 4 weeks to Memorial day! I wonder how high it will get by mid-summer? $4.00? $5.00? Right now, a single round trip to Folsom Lake from my house takes $22 worth of fuel in the truck (I have to drive the truck since the boat is in dry storage and has to be ramp-launched every time). If, as some analysts are saying, the long-term stable price of gas will settle at around $4.50/gallon ($5.00 for diesel), I will probably have to give up the truck, and maybe the boat too. Our household budget won't stand an expense like that for non-work related driving. When I bought the truck in June of '98, diesel fuel was 95 cents a gallon, gas about $1.10~$1.20. So they are talking about a 500% increase in fuel prices, but my salary sure hasn't kept up with that kind of inflation. At best, I might be able to move the boat back to a slip in the Delta, so that it would not need to be ramp-launched every time I want to go sailing, and I could then drive to it in something other than a 3/4 ton pickup truck that gets 15 mpg (in a tailwind, downhill). I am on the waiting list for a slip at Folsom Lake, but still 6 years out. I had hoped to make a trip to the San Juans next year, but that looks like it will be out of the question now. No one thinks we will ever see gas at or below $2.50 a gallon again, and even when it was at that price last summer, I could barely afford it.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2006 : 15:00:24

I dream of 15mpg!

We're paying $3.00++ (changes daily upwards) for regular.
(Thankfully our Ford F150 recommends regular fuel)

It cost us $100 to take the boat down to long key last weekend.

I figured if we wanted to go to the nationals this year it would cost us close to $1,000 in fuel (we have relatives in Dayton and Cinnci so would need to detour a little)

Paul

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2006 : 18:15:10

Here's a link to an interesting (and informative) map that shows fuel prices nationwide.

http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_gastemperaturemap.aspx

Roll the cursor over a county and right-click for the average price and an option for complete 'by station' details.

Exploring the map leads to some questions...

Note that California seems to be literally taking it in the shorts.
Is this another 'Enron' in progress?
Why is gas a full dollar cheaper in Wyoming?
Aren't the stations/distributors making a profit there?
What does that mean about the profits being made elsewhere in the nation?

Wait till this hits the shelf prices at the stores, brace yourself for 15% inflation this year. (virtually everything in the USA is delivered by diesel).

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2006 : 19:19:01

Al, I bought the bigger boat and am loving it, but regretted selling my C25 within a few weeks after I sold it. The big one is faster and more comfortable, but the C25 was pure fun! See you at the Nationals!

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2006 : 09:17:39

I've put SO MUCH time, money and backbreaking WORK into Indiscipline III it would kill me to sell her.

If my family wanted to overnight cruise everyweekend, I'd do it otherwise this boat fits me like a glove (although a tight one).

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Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3321 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2006 : 16:20:42

I wish that some honest politician (now that's the ultimate oxymoron!) would answer the question: if the oil companies are not making more profit per gallon, and gasoline usage has dropped 6% over the last year, why are the oil barons making obscene profits???
Derek

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2006 : 16:56:43

Like you Al, I'm constantly looking for my next boat (my daily ritual

), and everytime I come across a possibility, I weigh all the pros and cons of a bigger boat (more room vs higher slip/yard fees, higher maintenance costs, more expensive sails/rigging, more work,...etc), and soon discover the perfect boat for this singlehanded daysailor is my C25.

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2006 : 16:58:07

So Al, does this mean you are back to actually racing - or are you still going to be on John's Boat?

dw

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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2006 : 19:34:50

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Derek Crawford
 I wish that some honest politician (now that's the ultimate oxymoron!) would answer the question: if the oil companies are not making more profit per gallon, and gasoline usage has dropped 6% over the last year, why are the oil barons making obscene profits???
Derek
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The record profits are only in terms of dollars . . . if you look at the profits as a percentage of sales - they're really not doing very well. Any moron can make more profit when prices go up. Investors and analysts want to see an increase in the gross margin and net profit before tax as a percentage of sales which would in turn increase their dividend and/or push the stock price up. Exxon got pretty low marks by analysts at the end of their last fiscal year - even with record $$$ profits.

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2006 : 20:17:05

I have decided that unless I move to some coastal place, I'll just be happy with my trailerable C25. It wouldn't make sense for me to have a larger boat which I couldn't trailer on our small lakes in Knoxville, TN.
Then if I moved to a coastal place I couldn't afford a slip and insurance for a larger boat anyways.

Just keep on thinking of that line in the Cheryl Crow song which goes something like "Happiness is wanting what you have, not having what you want" or something like that.

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2006 : 22:21:58

I've gone through all the mental contortions of boat and trailerability and size of truck and cost of gas. I've come to realize that any way I slice it, it costs money to drive and every boat is a compromise.

Edited by - on

gnorgan
Admiral

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USA
563 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2006 : 23:44:13

(1) Looking at bigger boats is fun.
(2) Can't afford a bigger boat with 2 kids in college.
(3) Looking at bigger boats is still fun.
(4) I'm quite happy sailing the boat we already own and put lots of care and money into.
(5) By not buying a bigger boat we can afford to drive down to San Diego often and go sailing.
(6) I finally reached 450 posts!!!
(7) Jim, I'll sail out Friday evening and try to raise you on VHF 71 as you are sailing south on the Newport-Ensenada race!

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