Oil $$$

[Slowmo]

I recall a decade ago (2010-2013) when oil was pushing up to $120/bbl and fuel prices were high, that I didn't see much reduction in summer traffic in the PNW! Maybe people stayed closer to home.

 

[SaltyDogg]

This is called statistical cherry picking.

A year ago the economy had ground to a halt. The fact that we are using more oil now than last year is not a matter of policy, its a matter of economics. The country is coming back to life and needs fuel to do it.

Last year was the first time that the US was a net exporter of oil since 1949 when the EIA started keeping records.

The high prices are caused from a supply chain issue, the early causes were the hackers, the more current is the Hurricanes.

 

[AquaDestiny]

Koom-ba Yahhhh Lord Koom ba yahhhh!!!!!! Hey look.... a boat!!!!

 

[lwarden]

Just to put this whole boating thing in perspective I did a little comparison pricing of our favorite long weekend vacation of going to Catalina Island the other day, and was pretty surprised at the outcome.
Before we had a boat that could make the crossing we would drive to Dana Point, take the ferry over, stay at a hotel and eat out all meals. Hotels are expensive there for anything decent and good food isn't cheap either.

A typical Catalina trip for 5 days would run a minimum of $2,500-3,000 for three all-in the old fashioned way. Last trip over we burned $650 worth of diesel @3.75/gallon going 20 knots, moorage was another $170 and we cooked (and drank) almost exclusively on the boat. So we did that trip for nearly 1/3 of a traditional trip, had our own little place and didn't have to drive, park, schlep our stuff back and forth on a ferry and overpay for a hotel and food. Oh, and we had the best view possible from our flybridge.

So, if fuel went up another dollar a gallon that trip would be two hundred dollars more expensive. Big deal....

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to see higher fuel prices, but considering the enjoyment we get from boating I just don't see it affecting how we boat.

 

[Seevee]

Just to put this whole boating thing in perspective I did a little comparison pricing of our favorite long weekend vacation of going to Catalina Island the other day, and was pretty surprised at the outcome.
Before we had a boat that could make the crossing we would drive to Dana Point, take the ferry over, stay at a hotel and eat out all meals. Hotels are expensive there for anything decent and good food isn't cheap either.

A typical Catalina trip for 5 days would run a minimum of $2,500-3,000 for three all-in the old fashioned way. Last trip over we burned $650 worth of diesel @3.75/gallon going 20 knots, moorage was another $170 and we cooked (and drank) almost exclusively on the boat. So we did that trip for nearly 1/3 of a traditional trip, had our own little place and didn't have to drive, park, schlep our stuff back and forth on a ferry and overpay for a hotel and food. Oh, and we had the best view possible from our flybridge.

So, if fuel went up another dollar a gallon that trip would be two hundred dollars more expensive. Big deal....

Don't get me wrong, I'd don't want to see higher fuel prices, but considering the enjoyment we get from boating I just don't see it affecting how I boat.

Great example, but there might be a lot of folks that wouldn't do either. They'll say in the bay and eat on the boat.

 

[Comodave]

Guys,
Janet posted a reminder to keep politics out of this, and all threads for that matter, or the thread will be removed. This thread is on the verge. Please don’t make the moderators be the bad guys.

 

[BandB]

Just to put this whole boating thing in perspective I did a little comparison pricing of our favorite long weekend vacation of going to Catalina Island the other day, and was pretty surprised at the outcome.
Before we had a boat that could make the crossing we would drive to Dana Point, take the ferry over, stay at a hotel and eat out all meals. Hotels are expensive there for anything decent and food isn't cheap either.

A typical Catalina trip for 5 days would run a minimum of $2,500-3,000 for three all-in the old fashioned way. Last trip over we burned $650 worth of diesel @3.75/gallon going 20 knots, moorage was another $170 and we cooked (and drank) almost exclusively on the boat. So we did that trip for nearly 1/3 of a traditional trip, had our own little place and didn't have to drive, park, schlep our stuff back and forth on a ferry and overpay for a hotel and food. Oh, and we had the best view possible from our flybridge.

So, if fuel went up another dollar a gallon that trip would be two hundred dollars more expensive. Big deal....

Don't get me wrong, I'd don't want to see higher fuel prices, but considering the enjoyment we get from boating I just don't see it affecting how I boat.

You're so right as it made me think how much our summer in Europe would have cost in Hotel rooms. While fuel in Europe is rather expensive, marinas were less expensive than comparable marinas in Florida, the Bahamas, on the East Coast or in the Caribbean.

 

[Comodave]

You're so right as it made me think how much our summer in Europe would have cost in Hotel rooms. While fuel in Europe is rather expensive, marinas were less expensive than comparable marinas in Florida, the Bahamas, on the East Coast or in the Caribbean.

Interesting, I would have thought that marinas there would be wildly expensive.

 

[BandB]

Interesting, I would have thought that marinas there would be wildly expensive.

They think they are and when they first quote the price you are startled until you realize they're talking per meter instead of foot.

 

[FF]

"Baloney. Why would anyone wish for $10 oil. Kool-aid anyone"

The Green movement believes the that the change over to battery or hydrogen or flywheel power will come faster if there are high prices for conventional fuel.

The basic cost of fuel is mostly future supply and demand as most is bought and sold a year or two in advance. Ask any airline.

Much of the difference in fuel cost from country to country is TAX differences, so leaving "politics " out of fuel cost is almost impossible.

There are still nations that subsidize fuel ,not tax it,but few of us would wish to live there.

 

[FWT]

Just to put this whole boating thing in perspective I did a little comparison pricing of our favorite long weekend vacation of going to Catalina Island the other day, and was pretty surprised at the outcome.
Before we had a boat that could make the crossing we would drive to Dana Point, take the ferry over, stay at a hotel and eat out all meals. Hotels are expensive there for anything decent and good food isn't cheap either.

A typical Catalina trip for 5 days would run a minimum of $2,500-3,000 for three all-in the old fashioned way. Last trip over we burned $650 worth of diesel @3.75/gallon going 20 knots, moorage was another $170 and we cooked (and drank) almost exclusively on the boat. So we did that trip for nearly 1/3 of a traditional trip, had our own little place and didn't have to drive, park, schlep our stuff back and forth on a ferry and overpay for a hotel and food. Oh, and we had the best view possible from our flybridge.

So, if fuel went up another dollar a gallon that trip would be two hundred dollars more expensive. Big deal....

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to see higher fuel prices, but considering the enjoyment we get from boating I just don't see it affecting how we boat.

Hmmm. How to express this well?

I agree with your point but maybe not the math.

Its like the hunter who brags to his wife he filled with freezer with a year's worth of venison for the price of one bullet. Ignoring the cost of the gun, specialized garb, permits, the truck bought to make hunting a better experience, a blind, rented hunting lands, and so forth.

If a boater is the sort that makes 2-3 big trips a year the whole cost needs to be attributed to the 2-3 trips. If you constantly use it the cost per trip tumbles. Your cost and the cost to the next guy will be different. One guy can do it in a used $100k boat and the next a $2 million boat, and might burn similar enough fuel to make the difference in fuel cost minimal. A picture of a beautiful sunset over a marina will be cheaper paying for a hotel room balcony than the annual cost of a million dollar yacht.

But by definition, a hotel room overlooking a secluded cove, or watching dolphins play alongside your bow isn't an alternative. The cost of that isn't cheap, but the value is priceless.

 

[Easternshore]

A year ago America was energy independent, a certain pipeline was being built and South Dakota was producing AMERICAN energy. Today a pipeline for Russia is OK and OPEC controls the supply.

Localboy, you are right on the money. USA is going from energy exporter to energy importer.

 

[Easternshore]

Baloney. Why would anyone wish for $10 oil. Kool-aid anyone.

I would certainly go for a good $10 single malt or bourbon!

 

[Easternshore]

So, how could or does the government control the supply and demand, perhaps supply in some small, insignificant way but certainly not demand. 8t is not at all clear to me.

The government can control supply and demand of any product such as oil by pressuring where and to whom financial institutions lend $. We are seeing this occurring now with fossil fuels vs. “green power alternatives” which sound nice but can’t provide sufficient energy for our needs.