Fair price to charge and/or pay for a run?

[Phil2360]

Never ceases to amaze me, how so many of the potential crew members we meet

consider $5 or $10 to be a quite generous offering if anything.

 

Quite often it's 3 or 4 laps of they lake for some children & these people quite often consider that

hardly worth offering money for, al if it's like a 10 minute vehicle trip across town in terms of fuel usage.

 

Was interesting attending the local show a few weeks back; my boys & I had about 4 or 5 rides in sideshow alley. $200.00 gone in the space of a couple of hours; longest ride was about 3 1/2 minutes.

 

Put an interesting perspective on those who would like you to always take little Johnny for "Just a couple of quick runs", .....For free.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a super tight arse, but I just can't understand how some of the potential ski partners out there can't see the absolute value in even just offering up for fuel costs plus a bit.

 

 

[SkiJay]

@OB I wish it wasn't! I got a used 2005 cheap and hopped it up myself. My other car is a seven year old Mini Cooper, and it was a Smart Car before that (pretty pathetic really)! I probably have about the same money into the Viper as the average daily driver on this site. Besides, what racecar driver is complete without a serious track day car?

 

But that's not the point. My point is that anyone who can own and operate a ski boat, and I mean any ski boat from hot to humble, can afford to share the joy with a few others a few times. It's just part of the deal. Of course for some, owning and operating a boat is a lot tighter than for others, so they need to be open and honest right up front with how much help they expect from their guests. Longer term ski boat relationships also require an understanding among all participants. Good accounts foster good friendships, and that's what this thread is really about.

 

In fact, I think how much we charge or pay per set has nothing to do with anyone's ability to pay; some of the richest people I know are also the cheapest most petty people I know.

[LeSkiAvantTout]

As a London based skier I've just been running the numbers for me to ski 50 sets as a member and my wife 10 as a non-member at various clubs, looking at between £1250 ($1900) and £1640 ($2500)...having skied all the clubs you generally get what you pay for in terms of quality of boat/coaching. Do prefer an 8 pass set though, 6 too short if you're not running short-line/dropping end every pass IMO. Rock up to most clubs as a non-member and if you can get a set it'll cost around £30/$45 which I guess is fair.

[Skoot1123]

From my own experience where we use a private lake (2 of them) and pay a very in-expensive fee for use of the lake. If one of the owner's would like a pull we gladly offer to pull them and always thank them for use of the ski lake. Never ask them for money - keep them happy. The grass needs mowed through the summer, so naturally we help with that and any building maintenance that they ask for. Common courtesy in my mind. If we get a pull from another member, I always offer money/gas for the rides. Most often they decline, so I just drop the money in their car window. Haven't had any problems getting ski rides. The commeraderie is great and we all just enjoy skiing together and having fun on the lake. (Typically a twenty is dropped in the window)

[Jody_Seal]

I think it is a case by case basis. I ski a lot of places and have helped a number of my fellow skiers with parts and technical information and have been invited to come anytime and ski however that does not mean I am going to show up twice a week and do 2 sets each time on the invite. With me I ski a number of skiers with my boat very common they give far more then they took either by gas or money . If they do not bring something to the table they are weeded out!

[RichardDoane]

having a capable driver is worth way more that than getting $$$ or gas, ski partners are priceless

[Brady]

@SkiJay What vehicle do you pull your boat with, the Viper or Mini? :)

 

For me, the issue is completely one of intent. We all know if someone is trying to take advantage or if they are clueless. My attitude is that I am on a mission to convert people to our sport. The more Ballers out there, the more boat and ski manufacturers will produce product that suit us better. If taking little or no money for a run to a potential slalom skier, then it is money well spent. If I can make a difference in someones life who appreciates but doesn't understand the true cost, then it is money well spent. If I know the person is simply using me for a lift, then I chalk that up to a bad experience, and I will not take them again.

[SkiJay]

Hahaha! Good catch @Brady. My wife has a nine year old 4-Runner.

[danbirch]

@Brady good points! One thing is, that it is sort of an embarrassing/unfortunate subject to talk about. It sort of spoils the fun occasion. I am guilty of not mentioning it, in hopes that a person/person's would have the common sense enough to say, "here, let me help you out a little"..., but when that doesn't happen, there is a sour memory left behind.

 

I think the best way to prevent that from happening, is to fit into an EARLY conversation with the person wanting to "go skiing", a mention that (something like), "people who come ski with us usually offer $xx for the expenses we incur to ski, like gas and boat maintenance".

 

BTW, one "invisible" expense of boat ownership, is the hour meter running up. You don't think much about it, until you go to SELL your boat, then all the boats with only 20 hrs. are competing with yours, so down your price goes....

 

 

[jdarwin]

@danbirch - a friend who develops ski sites told me $39/hour (plus fuel) is a good benchmark for cost of ownership over a 5-7yr period. Obviously, the first couple of years would be higher but it's a good average to work with.

[Kelvin]

And that $39/hour charge is exactly the cost to use the club boat at San Marcos River Ranch.

[MattP]

So if a guest were to come and ski a set. Approx 20min tops. $20/5gal would be the correct amount.

[NEO]

A friend of mine figured it out: 8-10 passes at 34 mph uses 1.25 gallons of gas. So if you bring 5 gallons and ski 2 sets, that is very fair.

[danbirch]

@NEO If the gas that the boat uses is the ONLY expense for the ski day, then you can think that. Unfortunately, there are other costs associated, as mentioned previously.

[BraceMaker]

@danbirch - but its not your job to pay someone for their boat, and their lake, and their house.

 

If they want to make money on their investment, then they should run a business. If they want to hang out with other skiers, and have a good time (which perhaps is why so many people turn to boarding?) then they shouldn't be too picky on the break even point/loss/gain point.

 

Again, clubs are different than private users and their guests.

[SkiJay]

I hear that for two sets of boarding, plowing around with full ballast, it's $30 or 10 gallons of gas or two spliffs =)

[BraceMaker]

two spliffs must have depreciated. That's the old gas, ... or grass

[danbirch]

@BraceMaker I agree. That is why I said I don't agree completely with Schnitz's analysis that adding all of those costs up would be appropriate. After all, a ski rider isn't responsible for my boat-buying decisions.

[Brady]

When I am running my go-fast boat with its 496 with a blower, cruising at 70 mph is equivalent to throwing 20 dollar bills out of my wallet as fast as I can grab them. And the thrill for me and for my guests is FAR less than the thrill of skiing behind my 197....which, btw, tops out at around 38 mph. Let's see, less gas, more thrills = common sense

[BraceMaker]

@brady - I used to work at a marina when I was not old enough to: we had a gas dock, and the folks with the dual and triple engined offshore boats were the CHEAPEST.

 

You'd be there pumping gas for an hour while they went to buy beer, A few hundred gallons of marked up cost fuel, and they would tip you a couple lousy bucks!

 

I laughed my nuts off when one of those guys didn't pay to have his boat winterized, then he forgot to put his coolant hose clamps on and sank his boat.

[Brady]

@BraceMaker I have decided that for the most part, the go-fast group is definitely compensating!!! I however was NOT compensating.... :) I just said, "this is stupid" and started skiing again.

[Dacon62]

We have a weekly guys ski night. It's light till 10ish at the peak of summer up here in BC. I tow the boat to the lake, have it fueled and ready to go.

Usually everyone will go 2 sets. 1 slalom/1surf and at the end of the evening each person will help wipe down, clean up and hand me a $20 and someone in the group, other than myself, will bring the 'beerverages' and the ice. I'm happy with that!

I made the decision to buy a boat because I like to own one. It is sure nice though if your friends appreciate the experience you are offering them.

[dave2ball]

I personally just trade gas with the people I ski with. I have never given much thought of how much to charge somebody who does not have a boat I haven't run in that situation much. . 20 sound fair. A five gallon jug of gas is not that far from $20 here in Florida.

[Mrs_MS]

The scoop here:

$100 per month association dues

$500 per season/per household club boat usage

$5 per set for lot owners/members (6 passes)

$5 guest...unless its been raised.

When we owned our own boat we were grateful for anything! Some were more than generous, some fair, some stiffed us...probably all evened out! idk

[GregDavis]

Usually, the first time a guest, it's on us, glad to give someone a pull. If people come and ski more frequently, I like gas, rather than $$. We keep boat in boat house, therefore I transport gas. ( kind of a pain in the butt ), gas is way better than $$ for me. It's also nice when people are apprecitive and help wipe boat down etc.

[Mrs_MS]

To add:

Some of our guests have offered/paid more...we take it...as a few throughout the season do not pay (or remember to pay). In the end, we have to pay the bill at the end of the season.

[ForrestGump]

Most everyone I know on private ski lakes would prefer gas over money.

[WBLskier]

I bought a boat because I wanted a boat. I don't think it makes sense to pass on the cost of anything but gas and I can say no one has offered me gas $ in several years and im not upset about it. Cost if doing business I think. Most of us in our group have boats but we only ski behind 3 or so bc of wakes. I choose to ski with mine more often because I like it and it seems like a waste of money not to use it. Plenty of good boats out there for way less than 70k and if you need your friends to chip in to cover the cost of the boat, insurance, storage, maintenance, etc then you either bought too expensive of a boat or should have bought it with them. Just my 2 cents.

[jimskiboy]

We have never asked a guest for anything. They usually end up either feeding us, getting us drunk and leave us with anything from $5 to $20. We just love sharing the sport and our awesome site. I'v never felt that anyone has taken advantage. In most cases I feel like I got the better end of the deal, especially if the guest is a good driver.

[slalomboy96]

In New Zealand we pay double gas, 15.00 behind malibus and mastercraft and 35.00 behind a sn200 lol