Have you ever considered a boat swap?

[FlyWright]

I am interested in your thoughts about swapping boats with experienced boaters like those of you on TF.* There are areas of the country I'd love to boat in, but couldn't afford the charter rates.* I'm sure there are folks like us who would love to boat in my home waters in the CA Delta, but couldn't find trawlers available for charter.*

I got to thinking...why not do a boat swap, not unlike a house swap, where I let one of you guys use my boat for a week in my local waters.* In return, I get to use your boat in your local waters.* I would think I'd want to be in town when you borrow mine so I can familiarize you with my systems and local waters and vice versa.*

I'm sure there are liability and insurance issues that would need to be addresses in advance.* SeaTow or Vessel Assist coverage would also be a requirement. Other caveats or pitfalls?

I'm thinking similar sized vessels being swapped here to keep the costs and required skills matched.* What do you guys think?*


-- Edited by FlyWright on Sunday 3rd of July 2011 08:27:46 AM

 

[Forkliftt]

Interesting. I suppose that the swap would include suggestions on favorite destinations/ anchorages. Would it include a fridge stocked with beer?

 

[Steve]

Sorry, I wouldn't recommend swapping boats with anyone I wanted to remain friends with.
Steve W.

 

[Codger2]

Steve wrote:
Sorry, I wouldn't recommend swapping boats with anyone I wanted to remain friends with.

******* Ditto

 

[Nomad Willy]

Does this include wife swapping?* No kinky first mates for me.!

If my car was worth $60K I'd consider that much sooner than the boat but you can't borrow my Silver Cloud either. Great idea though. If you want to just loan me your boat I'd be all for it**** .....I'd even pay for half the fuel.

 

[Old_Salt]

FlyWright:

You said, "I am interested in your thoughts about swapping boats ... "

Well, I'm gonna' take you seriously!* Wanna" kick it around a bit and see what we can come up with in the way of refinements to your suggestion?

It would seem to me that the first thing you would want to know is "Where am I going to go boating?".* We know we are headed to San Francisco Bay and the California Delta, if we are swapping tubs with you.*

How do you feel about heading up to Canader, eh?* I live in Sechelt, about 30 miles NW of Vancouver, and the boat resides in Porpoise Bay, at the S end of Sechelt Inlet, and to get anywhere o/s of Sechelt Inlet you are gonna' take on the Sechelt Rapids, the fastest salt water rapids in North America.

... over ...

OS

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[Giggitoni]

-- Edited by Giggitoni on Sunday 3rd of July 2011 07:07:53 PM

 

[healhustler]

I'd settle for just a stateroom and the fridge full of beer.

 

[Peter B]

Interesting concept. I was a part owner of a boat in commercial hire once in the 90s, and it worked well, was a good tax write off, and I was surprised how little trouble there was, especially as most hiring were relative novices to boating, and not current owners with greater experience. In the whole time the only 'damage' was one anchor unable to be freed and had to be sacrificed. However, the hiring, instruction, and maintenance, was all done by a commercial hire company. I'm not sure how I would handle a swap, but it is one of those things that could go incredibly well - or incredibly badly.* Would one be ready to accept the risk of the latter, in order to enjoy the benefits of the former - I don't know...? I think I would be more nervous borrowing a friend's boat than I would letting a friend borrow mine to be honest.


-- Edited by Peter B on Sunday 3rd of July 2011 09:05:05 PM

 

[Peter B]

PS I voted for number 4 in the end.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Now that's a good idea Mike. I'd even go for it. But my boat's too small. Also the door to the head got in the way so I took it off. Many are too modest for that. A very good Idea though. Almost everyone else has a big enough boat. I think many things should be decided ahead of time also. Think of all the exotic places*** ....Bahamas, FL Keys, Maine and the Ohio River.

 

[markpierce]

My boat discourages overnight guests.* While the saloon can sleep up to three, the bathroom is accessed*via the master bedroom.* On the other hand, Ray "next door" has a Grand Banks with two bathrooms.

("We" sleep two; feed/entertain four more.)

 

[Edelweiss]

Yes, but Tiger Woods never got back too me? **

 

[JohnP]

It makes a lot of sense, but in reality it would be hard to do.

People with simular size boats would probably fit best.

Than there is the problem of some boats being worth a lot more than others.*

Not really a practical idea.

JohnP*

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[Capn Craig]

Sounds like an interesting idea.* In the right situation it might work out quite well.* I could see the chance of the thing going south to be pretty large in the wrong situation.* In my case, I would want more experience with my own boat to search out the gremlins and kill them before I trusted it with someone else.* I fully expect there to issues and challenges that I need to learn about and fix as I shakeout the 'new' boat.* My first cruise a couple weeks ago, down the Tennessee, Cumberland,and Ohio rivers and up the Mississippe River showed me I have issues to address.** After I have more familiarity and experience with the boat I think I could help a handy captain thru about anything over the phone.

The cruising waters would make a difference,* In my case, the Mississippi river between Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota are very nice cruise waters but there are real hazards for the unfamiliar.* River charts don't have depth on them.* On the other hand, the scenery is good to very good, the sandbar beaches are pretty wonderful, and the small towns along the way are very friendly

I wouldn't want to borrow a marina queen of a boat.* Stuff does happen.* I find that really fussy people don't leave the marina very often.* I try to keep my boat nice but not pristine.* It gets used.

I voted number three.* It would really depend on the boat, person, place and situation.* I would enetertain the idea, in the end you could always respectfuly say no.** But the idea of exploring new water is appealing.


-- Edited by Capn Craig on Thursday 7th of July 2011 03:52:42 AM

 

[skipperdude]

I voted for the last one. Heck it's only a boat. Not your S/O.

If you break it you bought it.

It's insured right? Mine is.

If she sinks I get a new. (Well in my case.)**Another boat to work on.

Anybody coming up to the real Alaska.

SD

 

[Old_Salt]

Skipperdude:

You asked, "Anybody coming up to the real Alaska."

Prince William Sound looks like/sounds like some great boating, but my insurance runs out at Cape Spencer, and the premium for that is already too high.* I'll take my own Commander 30 as far as Glacier Bay, Elfin Cove, Pelican and Sitka when the time available to me presents an opportunity.

Yakutat was shut down a while back because their fuel tank farm was pronounced to be inadequate.* Has that been rectified?

Keep us posted on "the real Alaska" as you are able.

OS

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[skipperdude]

Sorry about the real Alaska Quip. It is just that I consider Souheast to be real touristy. Lots of towns and cruise ships.

Prince William Sound is not a destination for the faint of heart. Only 3 towns on the whole Sound. Valdez, Cordova and Whittier.

When you are out on the Sound the only help is another boat and the Coast Guard. Both are a long way away. Hence My signature If you can't fix it you do without.

There is another small village about 12 hours at Trawler speed. Cheniga in Sawmill Bay.

But Man is it a beautiful Trip.

The Time Bandit of Deadliest catch fame.

*** The other pic is when I traded some shrimp for a nice silver.

My sis and said Silver.

College Glacier.

Squire passage*

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-- Edited by skipperdude on Thursday 7th of July 2011 11:10:38 AM



-- Edited by skipperdude on Thursday 7th of July 2011 11:14:04 AM


-- Edited by skipperdude on Thursday 7th of July 2011 11:15:59 AM

 

[Old_Salt]

Skipperdude:* Thanks for the pics from PWS.* Mebbe' some day...

Best I can do is offer you some pics from another site (I hesitate to do that, but I got a favourable comment from Woodsong, so maybe I can sneak it by the new moderator... there is too much to copy here) showing you what I like about the BC part of the IP.

http://www.boatered.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=138579&whichpage=1

We will have to swap boats for 6 weeks to get this done.*

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OS

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[Woodsong]

Old_Salt wrote:
Skipperdude:* Thanks for the pics from PWS.* Mebbe' some day...

Best I can do is offer you some pics from another site (I hesitate to do that, but I got a favourable comment from Woodsong, so maybe I can sneak it by the new moderator... there is too much to copy here) showing you what I like about the BC part of the IP.

http://www.boatered.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=138579&whichpage=1

We will have to swap boats for 6 weeks to get this done.*

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OS

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*SWEET!! *FINALLY something that I can "moderate"! *

Just kidding...your link is ok I think- I don't see a bunch of TF jumping ship over to BE though that could be entertaining to watch. *:cowboy:

 

[koliver]

Boat swap is a lot like house swap.

For years now we have been registered on Homeexchange.com. We have had some wonderful swaps, and no disasters. We have noticed that one side usually gets a better deal on the other person's home, and it is always nice to be the winner on that comparison. Some people will trade a fabulous home in a mediocre location for a mediocre home in a fabulous location, and both will feel they got a good deal. on Home exchanges, we have been to Yorkshire, England; southwest France; Costa Rica; Los Ayala, Mexico; Whistler, BC.

We have also been registered on VRBO.com (vacation rentals by owner) and have had many revenue producing rentals of our vacation home. In turn, we have done vacations in places we never would have considered, either renting or swapping. On Vacation rentals we have been to Provence, France; Palm Springs, CA; and to Paris, France; We had a booking in Carcasonne, France, and received a full refund when the trip was cancelled due to the Iceland Volcanic eruption. That is still on our "to do" list.

We have rented our Vacation home to folks from BC, Alberta, Pennsylvania, Ottawa, Washington DC, England, Kansas and a few I have forgotten. Each has opened up to us on email and phone calls before we book their trip, so we have felt comfortable with them in our home. Likewise, the Exchangers are people we get to know as much as we can over the internet and phone before confriming an exchange. It is a process that takes time and will only work out as well as the effort you put into it alllows.

We are now able to compare the two ways of getting to a vacation site. If the place we are going to is generally less expensive, it is better to rent from a VRBO than to swap, as we will get our revenue from an equivalent amount of time, and spend less there. If the place is more expensinve, we try to do the home exchange, and will swap cars too if that is offered.

In both, the owners have universally kept their places up to a high standard, are respectful of our place, and we have no bad experiences to relate.

Boats, however, are very personal. When I was still in school, (1977 to 1980) I had a 30 ft sailboat and the only way I could avoid selling it to pay tuition, was to put it in a charter fleet. I cringed every time I sent it out on charter, but in the first year it always came back to me in perfect condition. In the second year, I got burned by a charter group that had no respect for my baby, and the charter broker didn't help me at all, so that ended. My present 44 ft trawler is much more complicated and much more personal. I can not conceive of turning it over to a stranger and expecting no trouble. There are far too many things that are unique about this boat to show someone in less than several hours. I doubt that a single showing would adequately acquaint a new skipper with its features. Rather than set yourself up for failure, save enough to charter in those remote locations. If you are comfortable renting your boat out, do it through a charter Company. They will give you the guidelines for getting your systems organized in a way that they can train the charterer. You won't need to do it.

 

[Peter B]

"If you are comfortable renting your boat out, do it through a charter Company. They will give you the guidelines for getting your systems organized in a way that they can train the charterer. You won't need to do it."

Koliver is right about most he says, the only propblem with the above proposition, and one of the reasons I don't hire out my present boat, (but as posted above, have had a boat in a charter arrangement), is the survey requirements imposed.* That is, most countries, if for commercial hire,*enforce survey requirements re construction and equipping of the vessel which are higher than*most of our boat would meet, and therefore expensive, especially if not constructed from the outset to meet those scantlings etc.* They are even more expensive,*if not nigh impossible to do retrospectively.* It is a pity, but it otherwise kills off what would be a great way to mitigate boating expenses, and let's face it, most of us use our boats "as much as we can, but less than we'd like to".** (My stock answer to those who ask.."how's the boating going?").*

So that is why this boat swapping concept is not a crazy idea.* Most people do take extra care of someone else's boat, as while they are on it they tend to treat it as if it was their own anyway, because*they are living and sleeping on it and their lives are depending on it..!* That is where it does differ from almost any other possession.... food for thought..?

 

[Jay N]

Keith shares most of my concerns about boat swap/charters.

If it takes me a number of years to*become comfortable with knowing my boat (which includes all of the machinery, deck equipment, safety and navigation equipment, etc.), how can I expect others to enjoy the boat with the same level of safety and reliability.

However, there are some*mainstream boats with very simple systems, easily understood by experienced (but not novice) boaters.* For these boats and boaters,*swapping/chartering is viable.