Price of fuel - Impact on Charter Business

[flatbottom]

when they take the Alaskan pipeline offline for repairs the price will goooooooo higher here again and the west coast that relies more on the pipeline will fell it twice as hard. Are there any sail boats that go deep for marlin?...LOL

pipeline shut down

[AquaholicFishing]

Heard a second hand rumor that a charter boat out of OC will be sold at the end of the year. The captain/owner said it's to hard for him to make a living and at the end of the season the boat will go up for sale. Pretty sad since my boss has used him for a lot of the major tournaments over the past few years.

[frankypettolina]

I beleive you will see several boats "get out of it" in OC after this season. It is a shame. I don't know how some of the newer guys in the business, the ones who still have a boat payment, are making it. We have had the Last Call in OC since 83, and this is one of our slowest years yet. I think I am on track to run 55 to 60 trips. Just 3 years ago it was 87 days, with over 90 booked. What I am seeing is exactly what was implied in the article, less and less blue collar guys. Most of my regulars still fish, but it is 1 or 2 days instead of 4 or 5.

The other thing that people have figured out, is that it is almost the same cost to go to Costa Rica or Guatemala on an all inclusive deal and fish for 3 days somewhere exoitc, as it is to come to OC for 3 days and fish 1.

I charge 1650 a day, and realistically, we are giving it away. I should be at close to 2,000, but the market won't bear it. IMO the future of charter fishing is going to be bluefish and mack trips on the inshore lumps, with an occasional "BIG GAME" expedition to the 100 fathom line.

[flatbottom]

I hope it turns around soon and your bookings are full again.

[cape_fisherman]

Here's a couple of thoughts to ponder.

It's obvious that people who travel to fish shop around a bit. Used to be they would shop around for boats that were at a particular dock or boats that left from a particular inlet. Do you think maybe they are now shopping around in completely different states because of price? A typical day down here is ~$1,200 for a big boat...give or take. A friend of mine said that up until the first of August (a good slowdown period in these parts due to extemely warm water) he was having one of his best years ever. Yes the cost of fuel is certainly hurting, but the flow of business hasn't slowed for sure.

Boat builders...again, around here I don't see any slowdown. One 'backyard' builder I pass on my way to work every day had at least four in the yard the last time I payed attention. Another backyard guy has his tiny lot stuffed with a 60 footer. And a larger builder, but still a small name that most have never heard of, had 15 going last week when I stopped by for a visit. These are all Carolina custom hulls. I don't know how the 'yacht' crowd is fairing, but the guys that build 'fishing' boats are doing very well.

Jay

[Deep C]

Down our way in Florida the fel issue hits the bigger boats. In my case I burn so little that it has minimal impact on me as such. The dockage issue down there though is a problem. With every seat full and no more building of them allowed that price is soaring and forcing our prices up.
Burning little allows me to stay affordable compared to the others but now I see that fuel is an issue for those even wanting to drive down for a vacation. That has bookings slowed some for those of us at the affordable end of things. So yes there is impact all over...

[frankypettolina]

Let me switch hats to the Marine Surveyor for a minute. I have not seen any slow down in pre purchase surveys. If anything, that sideof my business is up. Also, I have not seen any slow down in the big boat market, whether custom or production. What I have seen slow down is the mid 40 foot market. I am not surveying as many 48 Oceans, 45 Vikings etc on the pre purchase end of things. I think this also has a direct correlation with the charter business. The 2 to 300,000 boat market was comprised of alot of the guys that owned the shops that the Blue Collar guys are working at. These were alot of the successful small business operators. TImes are tight for them. Alot of guys are buying smaller boats. The big boat market will not be effected much by fuel. The man that can afford the 1 to 2 or even 3 to 4 million dollar boat will not be phased by burning 500 to 800 dollars a day more in fuel.

[Bonehead]

The man that can afford the 1 to 2 or even 3 to 4 million dollar boat will not be phased by burning 500 to 800 dollars a day more in fuel.

Very true. I have a good friend who works in the Viking Factory. Their below 50 ft boat orders have dried up, but they can't build 74 footers fast enough. They have a 74 foot boat completed ever 28 days. Their orders are filled for 2 years, but no orders for 45 or 48 footers.

They've built boats for celebrities and athletes which all would recognized if I named them. One person ordered a boat with $400,000 worth of baby ostrich skin headliner for the salon.

They have plans to build a 108 foot sportfisher.

[flatbottom]

I work in the new housing industry and this slow down has happened before. The smaller homes are still selling like hotcakes and the 350,000 to 500,000 have completely stopped. Now the 1.5 mil and up are never affected by what you and I adjust to. Matter of fact in the slow down the people buying the most expensive homes find the best deals at this time and can save a mil on new construction. It will turn around soon, its always does. Just sucks it fell on the summer charter season this year instead of the winter and fall of late.