Why own?
- Thread starter Havalina
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birdsnest
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
Pro....I pay about $900 for a seven day trip twice a year. $1800 for all inclusive 2 weeks. That wouldn't even cover maintenance for your own boat. Something breaks...no problem, they own it. Con I've got to have the boat fairly filled to get that cheap of a deal but these are all friends that I look forward to fishing with. Con....Can't just go when I want. Pro....No storage, slip or buoy fees.
I'll weigh in on owning. I've never rented, though I started with an 18 owner boat and now have a 2 owner partnership.
First unless you are renting a high end boat, even an older houseboat (ours is 1990) can have a nicer interior, with more amenities. From more fridge space, and grill, stereo systems, onboard ice chest/ice makers, toy tanks, interior furniture.... Plus we never have to lobby with staff to provide additional anchor ropes. The toy tank makes a world of difference for us, I'm not sure if the rentals include a toy tank.
Renting, from calls on the radio and reports on this board, does not equate to a given that everything on the boat will be functioning; that includes the engines and generator, to the fridges. If you own, you do have a better chance of having everything working, or knowing in advance what isn't working so you can be prepared. Also most owned boats are pretty well stocked with tools so that you have some hope of doing a quick repair yourself - if you rent you either have to do without or return to the marina for repair.
Our boat also has a nice supply of sleeping pads that allow us to sleep under the stars whenever possible.
A nice benefit, if you only have a few owners, is the ability to leave supplies on board, limiting what you need to bring down. With 2 owners, we stock trash bags, paper products, cleaning supplies at the start of each season. We each also leave "toys" on board - kayaks, paddle boards, decorative lights.
Finally there is more freedom about when we arrive, depart the marina and return.
First unless you are renting a high end boat, even an older houseboat (ours is 1990) can have a nicer interior, with more amenities. From more fridge space, and grill, stereo systems, onboard ice chest/ice makers, toy tanks, interior furniture.... Plus we never have to lobby with staff to provide additional anchor ropes. The toy tank makes a world of difference for us, I'm not sure if the rentals include a toy tank.
Renting, from calls on the radio and reports on this board, does not equate to a given that everything on the boat will be functioning; that includes the engines and generator, to the fridges. If you own, you do have a better chance of having everything working, or knowing in advance what isn't working so you can be prepared. Also most owned boats are pretty well stocked with tools so that you have some hope of doing a quick repair yourself - if you rent you either have to do without or return to the marina for repair.
Our boat also has a nice supply of sleeping pads that allow us to sleep under the stars whenever possible.
A nice benefit, if you only have a few owners, is the ability to leave supplies on board, limiting what you need to bring down. With 2 owners, we stock trash bags, paper products, cleaning supplies at the start of each season. We each also leave "toys" on board - kayaks, paddle boards, decorative lights.
Finally there is more freedom about when we arrive, depart the marina and return.
sphoppie
Active Member
Buying a share in a boat is definitely cheaper in the long run from my experience. The first year is usually a bit more with up front cost then after that its about half the cost of renting each year. If you start looking at boats to buy ask for a copy of the financials and the latest survey to make sure there are no hidden problems.
If you look to buy, avoid any boat with a steel hull as insurers are dropping them. Right now there is some limited coverage for steel hill with 2-3 owners. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before that also disappears
RYCO13
Active Member
I have never rented but have owned shares on 2 different houseboats. One was less that to buy in and about 3000 a year for dues. It was a small older boat that I spent most of the time fixing it when I was out on the trip. There were like 16 or 18 shares. I got one off week and one prime week each year. I had my weeks scheduled the same each year. It was on a bouy ball at Stateline.
It was great untill I went on a buddy's boat one year. It had private rooms with closeable doors and was way better.
So, the next one bought into was much more to buy in(about 5 times more) and about the same in dues yearly. There are 8 owners, so a much smaller group. I get 3 weeks a year and I pick my weeks each year at the annual meeting, in order of share, in rotation each year with the other owners. It has 3 levels, 4 private rooms (with closeable doors) and is in way better shape and better maintained. And stored in a slip at Antelope.
I would recommend if you get one, getting one that is better cared for, has a slightly higher buy in (the higher buy in, within reason, the better people see it as an investment and take care of it better. The cheaper one, people literally just walked away from when things went wrong and wrote off their buy in, but left the boat in bad shape). You can usually sell the boat when you are done and recoup the buy in fees.
Bad timing I know, but I am actually selling my share if anyone is interested. Our family is getting smaller and it's hard to find people to go with us. That big of a boat is hard to manage with just my family now. I am looking for a nice smaller boat to buy into.
It was great untill I went on a buddy's boat one year. It had private rooms with closeable doors and was way better.
So, the next one bought into was much more to buy in(about 5 times more) and about the same in dues yearly. There are 8 owners, so a much smaller group. I get 3 weeks a year and I pick my weeks each year at the annual meeting, in order of share, in rotation each year with the other owners. It has 3 levels, 4 private rooms (with closeable doors) and is in way better shape and better maintained. And stored in a slip at Antelope.
I would recommend if you get one, getting one that is better cared for, has a slightly higher buy in (the higher buy in, within reason, the better people see it as an investment and take care of it better. The cheaper one, people literally just walked away from when things went wrong and wrote off their buy in, but left the boat in bad shape). You can usually sell the boat when you are done and recoup the buy in fees.
Bad timing I know, but I am actually selling my share if anyone is interested. Our family is getting smaller and it's hard to find people to go with us. That big of a boat is hard to manage with just my family now. I am looking for a nice smaller boat to buy into.
Lake Powell House Boat 1/8th Share- 3 weeks per share PRICE REDUCED...
The boat has been a great boat for our family. You will get 3 Weeks per year, 2 weeks prime and...
phoenix.craigslist.org
Ryan
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
We rented boats growing up. They were first the old Kayots, then Boatels to give you an idea of the timeframe.
My wife and I decided probably 15 years ago that we wanted to be owners not renters. Since then, we have been on four different houseboats. Everything from a small 47' where there were only four partners, to a 60' with 24 partners. Our current boat is 75' with 5 owners.
Learned a lot on the different boats. No boat is perfect. No ownership group is either (although our group of 4 was close). You need to balance the boat with the ownership group. If either is questionable, your overall experience will suffer.
The advantage of the rentals is you show up, board, and go. Return it, and walk away. If something breaks during your trip it is someone else's problem, and you don't feel guilty about how the next owner will deal with it.
Lots of advantages of owning. I know what I am going to get. Every time. I found a boat that I like the layout to. If we want to do upgrades, we can. The engines have been mostly reliable. The fridge and freezer are residential, and consistently work. Big fuel tanks, big toy tank, ample fresh water and black water storage. And a slip to use if we want to go with a smaller group (or just the two of us), and just have a floating condo.
As for costs, I really don't think you should consider the upfront cost. Unless you buy into a really new boat, I think you will be able to sell several years later for about what you bought it for. At least it worked that way for my first three boats.
Our annual maintenance fee is around $2300/year. Much cheaper than anything that would be comparable in a rental. And we can use off season weeks for something like $350.
My wife and I decided probably 15 years ago that we wanted to be owners not renters. Since then, we have been on four different houseboats. Everything from a small 47' where there were only four partners, to a 60' with 24 partners. Our current boat is 75' with 5 owners.
Learned a lot on the different boats. No boat is perfect. No ownership group is either (although our group of 4 was close). You need to balance the boat with the ownership group. If either is questionable, your overall experience will suffer.
The advantage of the rentals is you show up, board, and go. Return it, and walk away. If something breaks during your trip it is someone else's problem, and you don't feel guilty about how the next owner will deal with it.
Lots of advantages of owning. I know what I am going to get. Every time. I found a boat that I like the layout to. If we want to do upgrades, we can. The engines have been mostly reliable. The fridge and freezer are residential, and consistently work. Big fuel tanks, big toy tank, ample fresh water and black water storage. And a slip to use if we want to go with a smaller group (or just the two of us), and just have a floating condo.
As for costs, I really don't think you should consider the upfront cost. Unless you buy into a really new boat, I think you will be able to sell several years later for about what you bought it for. At least it worked that way for my first three boats.
Our annual maintenance fee is around $2300/year. Much cheaper than anything that would be comparable in a rental. And we can use off season weeks for something like $350.
I would never rent again after owning a Shared Ownership. I have had two shared ownerships (currently none at the moment). One I owned for 10 years, in 10 years it lost about 15k in value (it was brand new when I bought in). 15k / 10 yrs =$1500 year in equity lost. Yearly cost roughly $2500 so it cost me to use $4k a year overall. I got one week in season and another week off season. You can't get a rental for that price for a fully loaded 75' houseboat. And it never broke down.
One thing to look into is how the ownership handles annual maintenance. Do they hire it out or are you required to show up every year for a "work week." And what are the annual maintenance demands on your time, in addition to the yearly payment. Some of these older boats require mucho annual work to stay afloat.
VanillaIceCream
Well-Known Member
My dad and a buddy bought a two year old houseboat in the mid 70’s, a ex-Bullfrog rental houseboat. We went down all the time for fifteen years and it was a blast, just take your food down, all our other stuff was already there. I should know as it was my duty as a kid to pack for the trip, my dad would get off work Friday evening and we’d all jump in the van and head for the lake arriving in the dark at Bullfrog.
Having just two owners seems they way to go, it’s the best of both worlds.
Erik
Having just two owners seems they way to go, it’s the best of both worlds.
Erik
Bill Sampson
Escalante-Class Member
I have been involved with a 14 owner timeshare through Laketime in Page since 2001. We had some bumpy spots in the beginning, as far as launch dates go, but that all smoothed out. The boat is launched and retrieved, so the gas fill after the trip is done on land, which saves $1.00 per gallon. Since I usually travel from Wahweap launch ramp to the Great Bend on the San Juan, including the toy tank that is about 450 to 500 gallons of fuel used. Since the boat is stored off the water, insurance on the hull is less. When I return the boat, Laketime services the boat, cleans it, pumps the tanks, etc. I can also offload everything and stay on board the night before. This is very convenient for me and my entire party. After renting from 1979 to 2001, with a 2 year stint on a friends on the buoy timeshare boat, Laketime has been a good choice for me. I know there are a few other posters on this site who are also Laketime members, and hopefully they will chime in.
Double Dittos for Laketime and their system for maintaining and turning around houseboats. Usually several sizes and configurations to choose from when contemplating purchase. We've been on 3 other slip moored houseboats and the Laketime system is by far the most convenient and their maintenance system provides reliability of onboard systems....pretty much seamless. Chuck
Keith Stockman
Well-Known Member
Does anyone know if there's a similar service on the north end of the lake? We're in the middle of a multi-owner, steel pontoon, buoy renter, insurance quandry.
I think OffShore is offering Turn Services for multi-owner boats; including launch and retrieve. If I had to guess your biggest challenge will be your turn dates. I'm sure weekends are booked
I've never used the service myself, but have a friend who used the service 3-4 years ago
Keith Stockman
Well-Known Member
I'm sure you're right about the weekends. Still.....we may have to look into it. There are fifteen owners (this goes all the way back to 1983 with some of the current owners having been on board for 30 years) and about half of them/us are still working so the turn dates will probably be a problem.
I don’t know if JNB can launch & retrieve on a regular schedule. Dont think he’s offering turn service, but maybe the launch & retrieve.
Bill Sampson
Escalante-Class Member
In the early 2000's I had issues with the owner regarding them changing my launch and retrieve dates, when their contract said they wouldn't. Since then we settled on new dates and everything has been running well. Bill West has been much easier to deal with.
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