Who's done a boat share with another family? Looking for the good / bad and what to think about to make sure it works well.

smokedvw

smokedvw

Active Member
Hi

So I have found a possible boat for a 2 family boat share. I'm looking for inputs on the good / bad and what to think about to make sure it works.

Here is how I see it

50/50 share of all maintenance
50/50 share on yearly moorage

Upgrades may be split but I can see some as one person wanting something the other does not need or want.

Gas can be done through a in line gas meter

The 2 issues I see are the buyout of someone no longer wants to be in the share and the biggest I see is scheduling and how the boat is shared. We can setup a calendar online but the scheduling to me is probably the biggest thing.

I'm used to just heading to the dock and hitting the water. I'm curious if people have tried various scheduling and what's works. I know for the larger boat shares have a limit on how many days you can reserve and you have to use one of those before you can rebook. So lets say you get 8 reservation days and you book way in advance you then can't book until you start using some up.

Now this may be too complicated for just 2 families but I'm just curious to see what people have tried, what works avd what didn't work.

Overall I think a boat share is great for shared costs and the amount my boat sits unused in the water. I'd also love to use it all year vs just 6 months.

Have a wonderful weekend!
 
Who’s gonna pull the boat out and take it to the place to get fixed or for the maintenance to be completed.

Splitting costs is one thing but there is lots of things that require your or your friends personal labour.
 
wildmanyeah said:
Who’s gonna pull the boat out and take it to the place to get fixed or for the maintenance to be completed.

Splitting costs is one thing but there is lots of things that require your or your friends personal labour.
Click to expand...
Well I own 2 boats currently and put a lot of time into both. I get the pulling it out to deal with it but ideally that's once a year, drop it off and get it back out. Yes that requires 2 people but ideally we can meet to do that. In my opinion that's a small item vs the scheduling which is where I currently think the biggest issue is.

I enjoy working on the boat here and there but it's so much easier when the cost is shared to drop it off and winterize or do a particular service. I share one of my current 2 boats with my brother but I will say I have to do all the work. Pull it, tow it, take it for maintenance but honestly that isn't the biggest deal breaker to me. That's 1 day to the lake, one day home (which equals a boys weekend so it's actually prerty good haha) and then winterizing it at a local shop and store it.

I'd say on that share I do the most of the work but the cost is shared just my time that goes into the 1 launch, 1 pull and 1 service of the year.

What other issues do you guys see. I'm looking to use this thread as a open and honest options on boat sharing and things I may not be considering.
 
#1 talk lots and don't sweat about spending a boat nickel (1k). If money is that tight important, don't get a boat. We didn't sweat it if gas was a little unequal. Just having someone to do half the work, we got engine maintenance done professionally, was worth a ton since I value my time.

I added autopilot which he wasn't keen on so I just paid extra on the buy out. A survey and some negotiation back and forth was used on buy out price. You can always look into a shotgun clause, google it.

On scheduling we put about 1000 hours on the boat over 2 years and never really had a conflict. Most people use their boats less than their gym memberships, but think they use it a ton. Helps if you like to fish together once in a while. Scheduling we just talked it out but you can always do a shared google calendar.

I was keen on making things really right and he was "it's" fine. Some conflict over that but we worked it out usually. Electrical investment I just made should have been done before but he wasn't up to spending much money. We should have put $500-600 in and didn't, I ended up spending 2k, over kill but I've been adrift in current with no power, never again (Would have been 4k with taxes at most shops).

I know another 2 other sets of boat buddies who do it, works out fine, just don't be cheap! A guy on Glanford has a nice boat named Joint Custody....might be a share as well.
 
Haha joint custody @kaelc

Yes that's my goal "don't be cheap" . Maybe my next boats name, haha. I think that's the key. I don't mind paying but having 50% off makes it even easier to go for things you may be unsure of as a single owner in my opinion.

I use my ocean boat every other day april and may to prawn then in June we go out 2 to 3 times a week a very little in summer as I'm at the lake then lots in fall.

I think the fun thing about this new boat is sharing we can use it all year around and having it moored is a must to me so you go to the dock and head out.

As long as it's not raining, a day on the water is always better than on the land :)

"I was keen on making things really right"

This is one area my wife thinks I am more lackadaisical. I use my boat, love my boats but I don't sweat the small stuff.

On my Malibu I try to get people to not to wreck the seats but it get old fast. You always have to remind every kid over and over and sometimes I feel like I should just put a board instead of the seat everyone steps on. Haha

I feel if your too anal you won't have any fun either.
 
kaelc said:
Yeah I cringe when my buddies kids stand on my seats and turn the wheel when autopilot is engaged but everything breaks and wears out someday so I need to chill out :)
Click to expand...
Exactly but this is why I love my current ocean boat. Get sand in it who cares, spill something who cares. Take the hose and flush it evertime we go to the dock. I took out all flooring and painted in a super durable deck coat and you just take the pressure washer to it.

My carpeted Malibu I have to get everyone to take their shoes off, you spill the carpet it is f**ked.

So much more work. But that's how I feel any excellent condition boat is viewed by a owner who loves there boat.

I see others with brand new boats, lots of money and couldn't give a Dam if kids jump on seats and carpets get dirty, just take it to the cleaners ;)
 
Shared sounds great in theory, BUT
As said earlier, no partnership is 50/50. One of you spends more and does more and maybe uses the boat more. One of you sees a maintenance or upgrade needed that the other partner has no interest in doing. One of you is OCD and the other is a slob. You will actually have 4 partners because wives will have something to say, as well. It's a good way to chill a friendship. We had no scheduling issues, though. That was boat #1 with a partner.

#2 has been much better. It's a smaller boat for fishing. My son-in- law owns it and I handle the maintenance, where we share the costs. I also pay half of the insurance cost. However, we get along well and fish together often. We also have similar dispositions toward boat requirements and condition. Neither of us has money concerns and our wives are fully on board. This has been good for 12 years and even more so now that my grandson is older.

Having said that, I own a larger cruising boat - me and my wife. It's just easier.
 
I could do a rough and tough fishing boat with another fisherman. But the thought of getting my wife to agree with someone elses wife about what kind of anchor coat hook to buy and force me to put up sounds like a nightmare.
 
I've kicked this around a couple times in my head in recent years. Especially as my second boat doesn't get used for weeks at a time in the summer as I'm away for work.
The issue I see bothering me with regularity is things on the boat not being as I left them. Example: Go out fishing and drop the balls over the side. Down goes the ball towards 190' when all of the sudden, PING! Everything's gone. Wtf just happened? Look at the spool and realize I hit the knot and broke everything off. Guess your buddy lost 110' of braid last time he used it and forgot to mention that. Go to your rigger parts kit to get your spare spool of braid. Not there... now I'm extra bitter.
These scenarios are endless. Blow a fuse and the replacement fuses are all MIA.
I've decided against it thus far. Decided it's better things are where I left them. Bad enough having my own kiddos rehoming things on board.
 
seabeyond said:
I've kicked this around a couple times in my head in recent years. Especially as my second boat doesn't get used for weeks at a time in the summer as I'm away for work.
The issue I see bothering me with regularity is things on the boat not being as I left them. Example: Go out fishing and drop the balls over the side. Down goes the ball towards 190' when all of the sudden, PING! Everything's gone. Wtf just happened? Look at the spool and realize I hit the knot and broke everything off. Guess your buddy lost 110' of braid last time he used it and forgot to mention that. Go to your rigger parts kit to get your spare spool of braid. Not there... now I'm extra bitter.
These scenarios are endless. Blow a fuse and the replacement fuses are all MIA.
I've decided against it thus far. Decided it's better things are where I left them. Bad enough having my own kiddos rehoming things on board.
Click to expand...
Hey look on the bright side, your wife would be happier maybe and could be a marriage saver , Don't have to blame her or the kids for **** missing or wrong with the boat .......haha , on second thought no, not a good Idea eh (reaching to find something positive about a boat share, just isn't one ).
 
I’ve shared a 19 ft Arima with my fishing partner for the past 11 years. We were fishing partners before we bought the boat so there were no surprises. Scheduling is not a problem, like someone mentioneD, people actually use their boat less than you think you do. We fish together a fair bit and if one of us wants to take someone else out a text to your partner usually does it. Costs are the best part, we split our annual moorage fee(my share is $64/month), insurance and maintenance. We buy our own gear and we keep track of the number of trips without the other partner so as to figure out who owes what in terms of gas. It’s pretty much just used for fishing so the wives do not enter into it.Hmmmm, except for perhaps the original idea of splitting the cost of the boat. 12 years ago my wife told me”Why don’t you and John sell your lousy boats and buy something decent together?” She’s a brilliant woman Except when she pretends to lock me out if I come home skunked!
 
Last edited:
smokedvw said:
Hi

So I have found a possible boat for a 2 family boat share. I'm looking for inputs on the good / bad and what to think about to make sure it works.

Here is how I see it

50/50 share of all maintenance
50/50 share on yearly moorage

Upgrades may be split but I can see some as one person wanting something the other does not need or want.

Gas can be done through a in line gas meter

The 2 issues I see are the buyout of someone no longer wants to be in the share and the biggest I see is scheduling and how the boat is shared. We can setup a calendar online but the scheduling to me is probably the biggest thing.

I'm used to just heading to the dock and hitting the water. I'm curious if people have tried various scheduling and what's works. I know for the larger boat shares have a limit on how many days you can reserve and you have to use one of those before you can rebook. So lets say you get 8 reservation days and you book way in advance you then can't book until you start using some up.

Now this may be too complicated for just 2 families but I'm just curious to see what people have tried, what works avd what didn't work.

Overall I think a boat share is great for shared costs and the amount my boat sits unused in the water. I'd also love to use it all year vs just 6 months.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Click to expand...
I'm going to say it..... "Partnership is a sinking ship"
 
The only way this works is with very close family, and an easy going relationship that doesn't sweat the small stuff. Friends, or should I say former friends, forget about it.
 
I'm reminded of an old quote: "Partnerships will often begin where one partner has most of the experience and the other has most of the money. When partnerships end, the partners discover that they have traded places."
 
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