Gas Money

[gride]

First and foremost a true friend will happily pay you or bring a 5 gallon of your choice of fuel(I ask for receipts since I only use eth free). I'm the only one with a boat so it's me or nothing. Im on an upfront cash only system. This isn't UNICEF. I don't buy my friends longboards or pay for their other hobbies. I mean seriously.

[Laketexoma]

We have 2 boys 8-10. They are always wanting to have friends out. I have no problems as long as the kids behave like they should. I have never ask for gas money, but I do make all the kids pick up their trash and help clean/wipe down the boat. But the parents act like I'm slave driving the kids. One time I heard the father offer me some money for pulling his kids on a tube for 3hrs. The mom smarted off and said the kids do enough work that they dont need to pay. Needless to say they have not been back on the boat. Now that the g23 is about here I think I'm going to be more selective of who we invite.

[1sicknautique]

i leave the boat on empty and meet them at the pump and tell them "put in whatever you wanna ride" no complaints.

I pay for the boat, storge, gas to and from the lake in my truck, insurance, the time after riding cleaning,registration and maintaing the boat throughout the yr. and i also pull them all day. filling up the tank is a steal for them my buddies say.

[rutwad]

I recently hinted through facebook. I posted a pic of a life jacket and said Rent is $25/day, 4 jacket minimun, discounts for more.

Loading the boat, gear, etc. is usually something I do the night before a trip. Then 70 miles one way to the lake. So it's definitely dark when I get home. That leaves the next day for cleaning the boat and putting everything in it's place. Yes, there is a lot of work involved almost like having to unpack after a vacation. But riders do not even consider this, nor the fact that you are paying for their "vacation".

Maybe with tact, being blunt shouldn't seem rude.

[IDSkier]

While I have been lucky with my circle of freinds, almost everyone reciprocates in one way or another, one of my buddies has a plaque placed prominently in his boat that reads in large letters, "THIS BOAT DOSEN'T RUN ON THANKS". I think it gets the point across nicely.

[gride]

I'm having my buddy make a few Marine vinyl stickers that say,"this boat runs on gas, not thanks." if there's no infringement issues I'd be glad to make up a bunch of them. I plan to put 1 on the transom and possibly the windshield.

[CradGen2]

When I was a partner in a barefoot boat, we pulled the money at the beginning of the season. Actually it was a detailed spread sheet I came up with, but pulling the money was key. The three of us would through in 600.00 (1800.00 total) at the beginning of the season. In august we would see what was left and decide how much more to get us through the year. The money was used of gas and regular main, oil and trann fliud changes.

Two of us owned the boat together, but we had a thrid footer that shared in fuel and main. The key is riding with the same group very time. You can't think of this as a per trip fund, but a yearly fund. Meaning, if you buddy gets a new job and can't ski as much he is still on the hook for the 600.00. Example is the other 2 would ski one or two mornings a week, but I couldn't go during the week, didn't matter everything was split 3 ways.

[Nordicron]

I think the doesnt run on thanks sticker is tacky and would never put that on my boat. If your taking people out to do board sports and they arent offering up gas money then they are using you and shouldn't be invited back, simple. But I do have a Bare-feet only sticker on the boat so people understand no shoe rule!

Its one thing to have a group of family and friends out for cruising/lounging and entertaining out on the water which I'd never expect or take money for. But with a crew that is boarding only then yes they should chip in to pay for their sets.

[SamHamm]

I picked up my boat about a month before season ended so i have only got to ride twice. With that being said i had a buddy go pick up the boat for me and tow it home when i bought it. I did pay gas but for his time and mileage on truck I let him ride for free thise two times. Now im running into the problem of buying equiptment. Me and my girlfriend are very small so i have only bought two small nice life jackets and also my one board i have had works for both of us. My friends are bigger sobmy jackets will not work for them I did pick up a board with more universal bindings so if anyone else wants to try they can but should i have ti buy larger life jackets and just keep for future riders or just tell them if they want to ride buy a jacket.

[dmiracle]

Sorry to be blunt here guys but in my opinion, don't buy the boat if you can't afford to operate it. Inviting people to go out with you should be no different than inviting people over for dinner, or having the fellas over to watch the game. Do you expect them to help pay the mortgage or your electricity bill?

While I agree that gas can get expensive, don't let the ownership of a boat ruin your relationship with your friends by expecting or demanding that they "pay" to spend an afternoon with you.

[sc8tt]

+1^

[gride]

I can afford to operate the boat. especially since its 100% paid. what i can't afford is moochers. im 27 years old. we do things differently here in alabama than what i feel ya'll do in other places. we have game day parties on the dock and who knows who is going to show up. also, if you own a 196 or 200 you can't comment in this thread.
p.s. if someone lived with me they'd be paying rent. and i'm gracious enough to have a the full line of 2011 system murrays and 2012 boards to accomadate guests, as well as vests and lines.

[81nautique]

I can afford to operate the boat. especially since its 100% paid. what i can't afford is moochers. im 27 years old. we do things differently here in alabama than what i feel ya'll do in other places. we have game day parties on the dock and who knows who is going to show up. also, if you own a 196 or 200 you can't comment in this thread.
p.s. if someone lived with me they'd be paying rent. and i'm gracious enough to have a the full line of 2011 system murrays and 2012 boards to accomadate guests, as well as vests and lines.

gride, if you're providing gear then I would assume your guests are not regulars since they don't have their own gear. Personally I never ask a guest for money, now if you are taking regular weekly riders out I would expect a little help. We only have 1 regular and his girlfriend every other week so when they can come out we never expect any gas money. He has offered a couple times but we've refused because we'd be out anyway. After refusing money 2-3 times he showed up the next week with a pair of locker sacks, a sunumi pump a new pair of ski gloves and vest for the boat. Those are friends.

[gride]

[migs]

My boys hand me $40 each when they come out to ride. I do the same when i jump on someone else's boat.