Slip Availability
 

Are there any thoughts out there about whether Winnipesaukee slips will open up a bit this year in light of high gas prices (my guess is that we are looking at $4.00 a gallon at most marinas) and falling economic activity? Clearly, there is a lot of money on the lake willing to pay high prices for a scarce resource, but is it possible we are approaching a break point. I'd be curious to hear about any recent information regarding availability/pricing.

Thanks in advance..

I've been a valet customer at Meredith Marina for 5 years. Great service and fair prices. The only problem I've had is valet prices have increased every year since I've been there! Well I just got my reservation request for valet this coming summer and they sent there cost sheet along. This is the first year it didn't go up. All prices are the same as 2007. I'm a happy boater so far this year and as long as gas prices stay under $3.50, it will be a good summer.

gas prices
 

I think your prices for gas on the water will be about a dollar short. I think if you have an outboard you best take your gas tanks to a shore station

I know, Its just wishfull thinking :), 60 gallon tank would be a bit much to fuel with cans, plus then there is the so called ethanol factor!

There was no shortage of open slips from what I saw last year. Even WAM was advertising openings for most of the season. There were plenty for rent at Gilford YC and Mountainview. Parker always has openings too.

masssteve, most gas stations around the lake don't have ethanol. I buy my gas from them(top of lake) and a lot of them don't have it. They are geared for boaters especially when its ~.70 cents cheaper. I have a 40 gallon tank and I fill two 5 gallon jugs. Works OK for me because gas station isn't very far from me and I go by there regularly. I don't let it get to low before I refill. I use the gravity fed gas hoses(Overtron).
I think I posted this somewhere else on forum. I found this out last year. If gas stations gets their gas from Boston, it has ethanol, if they get from Portland, it doesn't. The gas stations I visit get it from Portland, I asked.
If gas stations have ethanol they would have to have a ethanol sticker on the pump. Can't wait until spring.

Dave M

Gas Prices Not Commensurate With Fun...
 

I think you won't see much difference in slip availability... There is and there will always be some sort of turnover (just like the housing/real estate market)... It is supply and demand... Yes there are some slips available now, but who knows if this will be the case in July... Most people will realize that it may be easier on your wallet to rent a slip rather than to trailer back and forth every weekend using a lot of gas in your vehicle... Also, boat show season is upon us and the Boston Boat Show was quite busy when I was there... I think there will always be people buying boats no matter what the gas prices are... The gas prices don't affect people who want to go boating too much... Most of what I see is people complaining about gas prices for their cars because it is a necessary evil and you have to fill up your car because you have to use it to go to work and to get you around... People who go boating make a conscious choice to spend their time and money participating in this recreational past time... I think the RV industry is taking a bigger hit than the boating industry... So the majority of people who go boating, although may pay higher prices for boat gas, won't complain about it too much because it is a quality of life issue... You want to be out there using your boat having fun in the sun because it gets you away from work and all your other daily pressures... Think about it in these terms: "How may hours of fun per gallon are you having" spending time with your family/kids/relatives/friends etc... versus the cost per gallon... You can't put a price on it!!! Yes, the cost of gas on the lake is more than for cars which means that you may spend more time anchored at a sand bar rather than blowing around the lake, but I doubt that it will ever get to $4.00/gallon. Even if it does, that won't scare me away... The subprime real estate market is a bigger problem and if you drive around the lakes region currently, you will see far more house/condos/cottages on the market for sale than you will see boat slips. Hope my .02 cents was worth it :)

Dave, I am up on the north part of the Lake, and last year I boated so little I didn't worry about buy my gas on the lake, I just sucked it up. But next year I hope to be out on the water a little more, so I am curious what gas station do you go too, that doesn't have ethanol?

Ethanol At Lake Gas Stations
 

Over the past few weeks I've been seeing new stickers appearing on pumps at gas stations all around the lakes Region:

They aren't saying the gas does contain ethanol, only that it may contain it. It's going to be a crapshoot whether the gas has ethanol or not.

Slip Availability vs. Gas Prices
 

I don't know about availability at some of the yacht clubs or marinas, but a few people I know that rent out slips have said they're not getting the response they normally see when it comes to rent notifications from past renters. The folks in Lakeport where I'll be docking my boat this summer say at least half of their past renters either haven't responded or told them they won't be renting a slip this coming season. For what they're charging I'd expect them to have every slip rented. I'll be paying them $1000 less for a slip than I would have paid Fay's Boat Yard.

Of course that $1000 I saved will go into my boat's gas tank instead, meaning far more time out on the lake!

Slips
 

I just bought a 24' Bayliner at Fay's. They had only 5 slips to choose from from what they tell me is over 100 slips. They said that the only open slips were for boat buyers/new customers.

Anyway, I can't wait to launch it!

TG

Weekend P,

if you don't mind me asking, where are you getting your great rates from? you can email me if you don't want everyone to know.

Steve

Ethanol gas stations
 

Just to follow up on previous post. I was up last Monday and checked some of the gas stations I visted last year that didn't have ethanol and they now have ethanol although some didn't have a sticker on the pumps. Talked to a owner and he mentioned it was cheaper with the ethanol. The prices we pay would be even more than what it is now without it.

Dave M

well
 

I do not care about price when it boils down to gas milage, I get over 30mph when I used to get ethanol free gas in my 2006 accord. WHen I purchased in the lakes region over the past years, down in RI and MA i get about 28-29 with ethanol gas which also means I spend more money and by the way burn more gas worse for teh earth, so who is kidding who that ethanol is better for the environment.

The Village Store in Alton has a notice at the counter that their gas does not contain ethanol. :D

I just came back from the lake and was told by my neighbor at the marina that there is 12 slips open at ours, and 41 open at MVYC!!!

Was up again yesterday and found a gas station in Center Harbor that "doesn't" have ethanol. Also checked a couple of gas stations in Meredith and they "do" have ethanol. I'm a little suspicious of the one in Center Harbor because the brand was the same as one of the ones I checked in Meredith. The person at Center Harbor did mention about having a sticker on the pump without me asking which the one in Meredith did have. He also mentioned that it was a state law. Will follow up.
Interesting enough the station that I visited before said the ethanol gas was cheaper was charging 4 cents more than the one without.

The lake looked awesome yesterday, enjoy.

Dave M