| What are we doing? Where are fuel costs heading? | | | | have to bid on an item, but I always, always, always |
| $5.00 a gallon, $7.00 a gallon? Where will it end. All | | | | get what I'm looking for at a price that allows me to |
| boaters are praying, "soon, I hope". As a liveaboard | | | | keep putting fuel in the tank and do my recreational |
| cruiser, this money pit that we all like to refer to as | | | | boating. I'm a sailor and that is very important to me. |
| our yacht, is actually my home. I need to spend | | | | I know what power boat owners are going through |
| extra time and money, of course, to maintain it. As a | | | | as well. |
| cruising vessel, (every boat in some way fits into | | | | I have several friends that own Silvertons in the 34' |
| that category), Maintenance is key to longevity and | | | | to 45' range and I know that filling up those tanks |
| general usability. I tend to go overboard with my | | | | can really take out of the upgrade or even the very |
| maintenance from time to time, you know. I like to | | | | basic maintenance budgets. Frugality is an absolute |
| upgrade electronics packages to the latest and | | | | necessity. That's also why I decided to go into the |
| greatest stuff around. | | | | discount marine supplies business. I purchase name |
| I own a Gulfstar 44Aux sailboat and when I | | | | brand items from the manufacturer, have no |
| purchased it, it had a Garmin GPSMap 162 Gps | | | | storefront to maintain overhead on and I drop ship |
| chartplotter. I took delivery of the boat and sailed it | | | | to my customers. They save up to 30% on |
| to her home in Miami, Florida and the chartplotter | | | | everything they buy. I'll tell you up front, when I |
| performed very well. It has a 4" diagonal black/white | | | | decided to go into the business, I had to look at |
| and grey scale screen and it re-writes charts pretty | | | | what type of business model I wanted to follow. |
| slowly, but it re-writes none the less. I said, "Time to | | | | Would it be a Wal-Mart type model, selling brand |
| upgrade to a newer, bigger, in color, daylight readable | | | | knockoffs or would I go with something like a BJ's |
| with all the gadgets Chartplotter. I didn't need to do | | | | premise of 3-10% over cost of top selling name |
| it but that was on my first day with the boat. You | | | | brand products. I decided that the BJ's approach was |
| get the picture. Well, if fuel prices were what they | | | | what I preferred and so do my customers. |
| were a couple of years ago, the cost of the | | | | I am currently expanding my store from 4500 items |
| chartplotter wouldn't have been such a stretch. Even | | | | to over 7000 items and plan on continuing the |
| for the people who "have" money to throw away, it | | | | growth until I cover every type of item that a frugal |
| makes no sense to spend unnecessary cash on | | | | captain could want in their Yacht or home. This has |
| fancy gadgets. Why did I do it? (Other than the | | | | certainly been an exciting learning experience for me |
| obvious--I wanted to). | | | | and a very helpful one to my boating family, friends |
| I have learned as a cruiser that all boat owners need | | | | and customers. So what is the future of boating in |
| to get a frugal streak in them. I have made myself | | | | this economy? I hope that with the lessons that we |
| an expert at being frugal. I buy what I want, after | | | | can all learn, even at 57, and developing that streak |
| considerable research on the internet and at every | | | | of frugality, we'll all continue boating just like our dad's |
| conceivable money saving source that I can find. I | | | | did? |
| may have to wait 5-7 days for shipping, or I might | | | | |