A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

[Splat]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

And just to clarify my previous post, I expect to front the bill for the boat or camping weekend. You are my guest and its my treat to take you for a boat ride, or have you as my guest for the weekend. I expect to pay for the fuel, and Already have the camper site paid for the year. As a host its my responsibility to have safety gear, maybe some cold refreshments, if were camping things like propane in the tanks, firewood, and blankets.

With my group of friends it all works out. Maybe someone brings a cooler of drinks, someone else brings sammiches, maybe during the day we run out of propane and someone offers to run up to the corner and get it filled. Maybe were all piled in the truck and stop for gas, as I'm filling the truck maybe someone offers to swipe their. ard and throw $20 in the boat. Maybe someone buysa few pizzas when we get back. Its even simpler stuff that I really appreciate, maybe a few guys wipe down the boat, maybe while were camping a few of the ladies do the food prep. My friends just take it upon them selves to take care of each other.

The only time I "expect" help and its more of a joke than anything on fourth if July weeks we all get together and camp and boat for about 5 days. The joke for the new people is the "price of admission" is to clean, and wax the boat and the camper. Since there's usually about 10 of us there we scrub down the camper and the boat then wax them both right there. With that many people its takes about a whopping hour to do both depending on how many water fights we get into. It works out well, the women can take the kids in the camper, turn on the ac and the tv for them, keeps the kids out of our way and they can do some sprucing up inside.

All I'm saying is helping to pay for the fun doesn't always mean money.

Bill

 

[merlin696]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

I guess since its my thread ill add in my 2 cents,

I always provide gas its not even a question or even brought up. I also figure my boat I am the one responsible for safety so I have all the appropriate gear and PFD's, with one exception if your bringing a child you have to bring a PFD for them.

As far as everything else, people usually offer, I dont bring it up unless the trip is planned well in advance, but then everyone starts throwing in what they will bring before it even gets to that.

I have one more way to get added to the no invite list and that actually happened Saturday, don't commit to hitting the lake and then not show up when we are getting ready to leave, then when we call and wake you up say you changed your mind your not going. I will only wait once...

 

[2ndtry]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

...Most of them have no idea how much it costs to operate a boat.

This is very true, and I have to admit I never did before I owned a boat. My family and I were fairly frequent guests on a friends boat before I owned a boat, and I actually thought if I bought the beer we would be "even". I had NO idea how much gas a boat drank and he always had it gassed up beforehand. I feel kinda guilty about it now, but we are still good friends and now we usually take MY boat (and you use my gas).

 

[DJ]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

$20-$40.00... and up is no problem for me.

When I am a guest, on aboat, I know what I'm not paying to float my own.

 

[RMasters]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

If I own a boat, I better have the funds to maintain and operate it. If not, I better stop spending money I apparently don't have or ask people to support me, how embarrassing is that?

So friends are welcome for a ride if I was going anyhow. But they better take care of themselves. I am not their mother, so they have to bring whatever they need. I recommend something to drink, towels and sun-lotion.

And I always ask everyone if they have everything they need, at least what they can think of.

If someone wants to go on a ride by request, I am satisfied with having enough to drink and eat.

Ahoy!

 

[lncoop]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

I have one more way to get added to the no invite list and that actually happened Saturday, don't commit to hitting the lake and then not show up when we are getting ready to leave, then when we call and wake you up say you changed your mind your not going. I will only wait once...

Roger that, and it seems to be an ever increasing phenomenon. I'll never understand how people can be so nonchalant about standing someone up, especially without a good reason. Very disheartening.

 

[Robbabob]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

We are going out already, we have PFD's for everyone (max in boat is 5 total), we are on our schedule, etc. It's our call to invite and we don't expect payment of any kind. Sure it takes more gas to haul more people, but that is the fun of it... being with friends

We have them BYOB as our cooler has "limited" space. It's only a few times per year, so they see it as a real treat when they are invited;-) They also know we are unpredictable; meaning, we may stay the night or may just leave early... it depends on the weather and what's happening.

I like the part about them being there when the gas bill is announced at the dock. Their jaws drop and the appreciation is never ending. it's all good, we're friends and it gets spread out eventually.

 

[captainzac]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

I never ask for anything (and would not except anyway) with my friends I don't have too
After taking them out I always find an extra 2 or 3 cases of beer, goody bags, hats,
They always fight me for the tab at the lake watering hole

AND MOST OF ALL THEY RESPECT MY BOAT

Harry

 

[sschefer]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

Merlin696 you've got it right. No shows that don't let you know until the last minute after you've already spent time and money making it possible to include them in your generousity is grounds for amneisia next time.

You also have it right that the fuel, etc., is your responsibility. If you ask others to join you and don't stipulate that a contribution will be necesscary then it is all on you. That's just good upbringing and has nothing to do with being the captian. I often have friends offer to help pay but I usually turn them down, it depends.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

You guys are too generous. Last time out I rousted my kid for $30 of gas money before I let him aboard, and he's only 10 years old! Break out the piggy bank kid, no one rides for free!!!

(Nah I'm just kidding,,, it was only $20 )

In college I was broke and got to go out skiing for free with my boss and his friends, they wouldn't let me pay for anything as they knew I was broke. Later I payed it forward with another guy I knew liked to go fishing, but didn't have the money. I was well enough off that filling the boat wasn't a big deal, heck I was going out anyway.

Times have changed and now all the people I know just split up the gas bill, food, drinks, etc. I only go out with a few people and it's the same thing for everyone, split it up and no one feels taken advantage of. When I go on their boat I expect to pay part of the bill, just the way it is. The sharing of responsibility does not stop at food and gas, everyone cleans up the boat, wipes it down, stows gear when we get home.

 

[wbc1957]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

I prefer to cover the costs due to wishing to have the final say on the usage. A buddy of mine has a tip jar he attached to the dash! I have also seen the old bumper stick of "Gas, Grass, or *****, nobody rides for free. River boaters have a wide range of opinions, obviously.

 

[Art Bernard]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

For a regular outing I usually provide the gas and the boat, they handle the drink/snacks, if fishing we combine on bait. Bring your own towel and any stuff your kid needs(if I already have a lifejacket that will fit the kid they can use it). If it's something I specificaly invited them to than I do gas and food.

Art

 

[sublauxation]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

Lately I've seen adds on Craigslist where people who know an area pretty well will take others along for the price of gas for the truck and boat. Sort of like guiding but for the love of the game instead of for profit. Kind of a cool idea. A friend of a friend knows a lake really well that's about 90 miles away. It's a big body of water. He's offered the same thing, he's pretty broke right now and can't get there on his own but will "guide us" even up for dragging him up there. Everybody wins.

 

[Beefer]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

I hope this applies to boating in bodies of water other than lakes...

I pay for the fuel. I supply adult PFDs. You supply your own towels, food, drinks, etc. I would pay for my own bait and food, but my friends will bring/buy that for me, and some will even chip in for the fuel, without being asked. If it's your first time, I don't expect you to pay for anything. Usually, a guest will say something like "that was so much fun, I'd love to do it again!" to which I tell them "Anytime", and they usually say they'll bring/pay for the 'X' next time, and they do.

I think it's kind of rude for a guest not to show appreciation in some form, whether it be monetary or with treats.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

Mostly family goes out with us, but wether it is family or friends the boat is full of gas and whoever is along usually brings some frosty beverages or buys a round at the lakeside bar. If we're out in the boat we were going with or without the extra people, so the fuel is not an issue.

 

[444]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

I expect my friends/guests to chip in, but I will often take the largest share of the fuel bill. Food/drinks are split evenly between everyone. Depends who it is though. A couple of my friends I know are quite poor so sometimes I will just cover the fuel bill if they chip in for their share of the food and drinks. Or if it's a friend that I owe a favor to I will take them for a nice day out at the lake and cover the fuel. If it's a friend that I know has no problem coughing up the $, they will pay their fair share or close to it or they will pay it forward in some other way. Now if it's a guest that I'm taking out, like a friend of a friend or someone I don't know that well, I will tell them before they go that they would have to chip in for fuel and how much $ it will be. My FRIENDS get special consideration, my guests do not.

 

[WINTERSUX]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

i don't have a problem paying for gas because i would be going out with or without guest. if my vests fit their kids that's great if not they better bring some for them along with their own towels but i usually bring extra. bring me a few beers and I'm happy but don't expected to drink all of mine.

 

[jeremy_nash]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

On my boat, 90% of the time there are a few friends with me and my son, fuel is split evenly at the pump, I pay for my sons and mine food at the marina, and if they are hungry, they pay for theirs, I of course have pfd's and safety gear, other than that, the only thing shared is the price of gas, everything else they are on their own. it works out well, I am by no means rich, nor am I poor, but everybody pays their own way. exception being if I specifically invite someone, or you are immediate family. thats the rules, and if you complain about them you dont go next time. there also isn't a case of since you are going, I'll jump in for free, as when we(my son and me) go, we just idle over to the cove, play some music and splash in the water.

 

[roscoe]

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

Wow, can't believe no one has brought up the legal and liability repercussions of accepting any compensation/contribution toward expenses.

Anyway, its been covered here several times, just surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: A Day at the Lake, Do you Foot the Bill?

I was thinking the same thing, with the post about people advertising gas for rides. The bottom line is, if you make any compensation a condition of going on the boat, and there is a serious accident, you may have voided your insurance. Plus taking strangers out exposes you to a long list of risks. It's a serious issue here where commercial charter captains and guides pay a lot to be licensed and frown on the competition.

On the other hand, we have a system among an on-line fishing community called being a HO (pun intended, I'm sure). Stands for Help Out. A guy with a boat who would like some company says, "going tuna fishing Thursday need a HO." A guy who want to go, jumps on. Or a guy without a boat, or better, who wants to learn from someone, says, "I'd like to HO for stripers any night this week." So it's a great system for guys who don't have the boat for a certain type of fishing, or particularly an older guy who really can use the help docking, landing fish, working the anchor and lines, etc. Great way to learn from the masters, and to have a fun trip with a few other people.

But here's the key--there is never any talk of paying for anything in advance. A HO might say, "can I pick up some ice?" or whatever. Like the discussion above, being considerate. When I did it, the owner at the end of the trip said, "well I guess I used about $150 gas tonight" so each of us three HO's gave him $50. he also supplied all the gear and even live eels.

Wow, can't believe no one has brought up the legal and liability repercussions of accepting any compensation/contribution toward expenses.

Anyway, its been covered here several times, just surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet.