The number of Charters are dropping as prices rise too and also the number of charter fishermen are increasing to subsidise their fishing/boating habit with easy license courses.
Most guys don't make any money running 6 pack charters, if they do it ain't very much and it is a lot of work and hassle. You can only write off to the extent you make, I don't think you can carry the loss into other earned income....I would like to hear if you guys do that. even so, Do the numbers this is not a good business and it looks to get worse before it gets better.
Even at today's prices 5-700 half-day 9-1200/full day overnight canyon around 3K or more it is hard to justify it as a consumer who wants to take his kid fluke fishing for a few hours, no less . The guys that are making some money are taking charters during the SB comm season and taking 30fish/day and selling them + the charter fee. This lasts for about a month and is viewed by many as wrong almost immoral.
While fueling up one day I spoke to a big boat owner who fish's the edge fairly often, he said last season that he burns $3000 in fuel ALONE for a single canyon trip. OK it was a big boat, (50' I think) but still, 3K for a single trip just for fuel? I guess since Spizer spent more then that for 4 hours with a hooker it doesn't seem that bad to people with that kind of cash.
The end of boating as we know it is in sight. The industry will collapse, there is no way they can find a short term fix to this. Mark my words I would estimate 50-70% of boating companies around today will be gone in the next 10 years.
...Actually there IS a short term fix but I don't hear anyone talking about it. DRILL FOR OIL IN THE US!!!! NOW
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