long haul, long boat, short haul short boat
A buddy of mine, (actual also the po of my current boat)is approaching retirement in a few years. He currently drives 5 hours one way to get to his 24 foot fin keel C&C, but is considering moving to his smaller boat (Siren 17) and a closer lake, 1.5 hours one way once he retires, (and letting the big boat go). His rational is time on the road, and fuel costs. It is also compounded by the higher costs of the travel-lift and marina fees where he is now, compared to lower costs at a local marina without travel lift. The largest boat at the smaller marina, (where I am) is 27', but a tongue extender is used for the trailers to ensure that they can be retrieved. It is still a trick at the end of the season however to get the deep keeled boats out. Those trailers and tongue extenders, and the vehicles attached have to back into the lake a long way to be deep enough to retrieve the boats. The lake levels are often lower at the end of the season. We do have a tractor available, and it is used to assist those vehicles that have backed in too far. I find that having my boat 45 minutes away and located within my working district, instead of an hour away in the other direction, has made a positive difference in the amount of times I have been able to get on the water this year. I also find that a smaller marina has some advantages over a larger one in that often there are fewer rules and regulations, fewer but more sociable people, and definately a less crowded lake.
