Shared Boats

[JayD]

Hi,

Does anyone on the forum share a boat, or want to share a boat?

It's something I'm thinking of for next season and I would be interested in hearing how you arrange this, with storage costs, maintenance, running costs. etc.

It sounds like the ideal way to go 'cos I can't use a boat every weekend. It seems like you could have twice the boat for your money (or half the cost). Or is it more hassle than it's worth??

I guess it's all easier if you share with good friends but my mates don't want to or can't afford to. So maybe I need some kind of contract??

So can it work out if you share with someone you don't really know?

If anyone has done this, with good or bad results, please tell.

Is anyone in the UK North-West also considering doing this? Maybe we could go riding together sometime and discuss over beer?

Cheers

Jason

[munkymush]

i used to run my own boats for 10years or so. then after a change of circumstances.i sold half my boat to a guy who works at nottingham uni near me .
the bad bit with sole ownership is obviously u bear the full cost of everything cos you find people only think its only fuel u need to keep it going.
as soon as they have done skiing or playing they go +u are left to pack up +it seems that its always u doin the cleaning, servicing etc.
also you find that people with no financial comittment tend to turn up more on sunny days ....+heatwaves...
but joint ownership i find works ok if all owners are like minded.. you both have to want to keep the boat in the same condition.. ie no good u cleaning it if ya mate treats it like **** .. you just get frustrated then u have conflict.
the costs are equally shared+ it makes a huge difference believe me..
its also nicer to have someone who is genuinly interested in the boat etc ..
it requires a partnership of people who have exactly the same ideas on usage care + comitment .. the only way your going to know though is by trying it .. for me it works brilliantly as we share the cost, the work everything.. but i have seen co- ownership go wrong +the only way out out is a sell out cos usually the other one partner cant afford to buy the other out .

[andy900uk]

i share a boat with two other guys and it works great we each pay a set amount by dd into a bank acc and this pretty much covers all our expences apart from fuel, it is a hell of a lot easier dividing costs by 3 and i always have 2 buddies to hit the water with.