We had a boat at the narrows in Orillia. If we had friends up for the day we would motor over to Orillia and buy groceries including a cooked chicken. Then off to Chief's for the day eating, swimming, wading and hanging out. At the end of the day we motored back to the marina. Cost = a couple of gallons of gas and groceries, cheap as borscht but priceless.
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At what point is it not a hobby anymore?
- Thread starter LePhillou
- Start date
We had a boat at the narrows in Orillia. If we had friends up for the day we would motor over to Orillia and buy groceries including a cooked chicken. Then off to Chief's for the day eating, swimming, wading and hanging out. At the end of the day we motored back to the marina. Cost = a couple of gallons of gas and groceries, cheap as borscht but priceless.
Re the bike thing, another lesson from boating:
A lady I knew had a large cruiser and used it all the time in the summer with the kids. When September came around the kids were back into school, extra curricular activities took up the weekends and the boat sat until storage time. She said she began to resent it until it was put up on blocks. Is an unused bike the same?
A lady I knew had a large cruiser and used it all the time in the summer with the kids. When September came around the kids were back into school, extra curricular activities took up the weekends and the boat sat until storage time. She said she began to resent it until it was put up on blocks. Is an unused bike the same?
Slono
Well-known member
I don’t think a project bike is the way to go unless you love fixing broken things that don’t work. I went through this recently, sold my bike then bought another and it brought the excitement back immediately. I’ve actually gone through a few bikes this season and it’s definitely made things interesting.
But...have you ever done one?
I love riding...but daytrips and such are just....OK to me. I went out the last 2 days and spent 3-4 hours just tooling around here and there, enjoying the colours and the smells and all that good stuff. But perhaps a little like yourself, the passion for those sorts of rides is less. Sure, I still enjoy it, don't get me wrong, but....
What really cranks my gears is long trips.
I'm leaving tomorrow for the beginning of a trip down to the tail of the dragon (along with another forum member here), Cherohala skyway, and then wereever the wind takes me after the fact.
I can't wait to go. I actually had trouble getting to sleep last night because my mind was racing through things to pack, routes, things to see along the way, photos I want to get with my drone, camping, etc etc etc.
It was the same for several other big trips I did this summer.
So if it's not the kids, or the wife, or any guilt about time away from both...maybe it's not just riding, maybe it's the kind of riding you're doing.
Try a road trip. A big one.
Sea-Doo Spark is claimed to be the most fuel efficient personal watercraft currently on the market.
obviously that comparison does not include sailboats.
They're quite miserly. Not all are. I owned 2 PWC's previous to getting back into bikes. My wifes was miserly, burning about 15L/hour at fast cruise. With a 60L tank in the thing it seemed like it went forever before the fuel gauge started beeping, and then there was reserve.
Mine on the other hand was a high performance lake missile. It sounded great, it went like a scared rabbit, and it was hella fun. But I could burn through it's entire 40L tank in a hour if I was riding hard.
In comparison, my sister and BIL's big cruiser only burns about 15L/hour running at a slow cruise on both engines. Now, when you push the throttles forward and put it up on plane, it'll do 50KPH (impressive for a big boat) but it uses just a little more fuel.
I keep telling my BIL that a boat is cheaper than a cottage. He thinks it's a joke, but in reality, unless you're using $1000/weekend in gas (and even then, it'd still be arguable) even a big boat wins out handily.
Nah, the closest i've gotten to that is going to quebec city back
(went to montreal a few days, attended a wedding, then went to quebec city, stayed a few days visiting friends and then rode back, equipped with a 40L dry bag on the bag lol)
So longest i've done for day trip is 1000km (to quyon ferry through backroads and back) and that ride from qc city to toronto, which was a dreadful 8-10 hours of riding in 5 degree temps with the wrong gear on.
I did like the quebec one minus the straight ride back. Breaking it up in smaller pieces wouldve been nice. Probably won't get to do any roadtrip like that, unless we get some friend(s) to go to see the inlaws in NFLD but that's a huge one
Mad Mike
Well-known member
15l/hr on a big cruiser with both engines running is a feat. I can get that with a clean hull running 1 engine and slipping the other prop. A 30' cruiser running at 50KPH is gonna be calling on 500 or more ponies --she's gonna drink 80+l/hr!...In comparison, my sister and BIL's big cruiser only burns about 15L/hour running at a slow cruise on both engines. Now, when you push the throttles forward and put it up on plane, it'll do 50KPH (impressive for a big boat) but it uses just a little more fuel.
It's definitely cheaper than owning a cottage. The cheapest cottage you will find within 3 hours of the GTA will be at least $250K, you can get a really nice lake cruiser for less than $40K , this time of year you can get an older well looked after boat for less than $10K. 12mo Slip/Storage including power and Internet approx $5000. Maintenance -- ??? --- could be lots or little, but comparable to the cost of maintaining a cottage. Fuel - that's the biggie. A 32' FG cruiser will drink 20-80l/hr depending on how hard you run, AL drops that by about about 20%.
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Deleted member 50930
Guest
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Could you not rent out or do short term (airbnb) deals with the cottage on months you won't use it?
Could you not rent out or do short term (airbnb) deals with the cottage on months you won't use it?
The little Neptune Mighty Mite motor i posted pics of would push my 12ft square stern Sportspal canoe at about 5kph,2kph with two people aboard. A tank of premix (2l i think) would last about 2 hours trolling. I had a mini downrigger and Eagle fishfinder for use up in the Temagami area.
I should get a chunk of rope (mice ate the original years ago) and see if it will run in a pail of water. Lol.
I should get a chunk of rope (mice ate the original years ago) and see if it will run in a pail of water. Lol.
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Yes. Many people do.
But it's not without risk. Get only one bunch of people who decide to host a 100 person shindig (even though the booking was made for "just 4 quiet family members") and your cottage and it's property can get trashed, not to mention irking all your neighbours.
Unless you actually live on the property (IE, you live in the main cottage whilst renting the bunkie or something like that) it's a whole different ball of wax getting a mortgage as well. Banks aren't fancy financing income properties via normal residential channels.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
Put a 30+' boat in a Toronto Marina and you can do same. -- $150-300/night.
Try something completely different next year - plan a trip down to one of the many mountain ranges in NY/PA and do a 3-4 day trip. It was one of the small trips I did this summer - started at Lake Placid (Cool if you've never been there, and a nice ride as well once you get clear of the 401, and you really only have to go as far as Colborne before you can skip down and take the ferry's and such across to NY, so it's really not even that much slab), went down through the Adirondacks, eventually west towards the Pocono's, etc. It's amazing riding and you're really never more than 3-5 hours from home at any point but hardly ANY slab - all state highways and little backroads through the mountains.
Poke along, enjoy the scenery, stop and smell the roses and see the interesting little towns and tourist stuff.
You may find it's a whole different kind of enjoyment on 2 wheels.
Thanks for the suggestion, i have an uncle who lives in the poconos too! and placid might be a triathlon i might want to do in the future so i'd get to see what it's all about! Do you usually lone wolf it or bring someone along for full enjoyment
Typically with friends, but I belong to an RC so I have no shortage of good friends that I can not only share the trip with, but can also trust as safe riders - I've ridden tens of thousands of KM with some of them and we've done countless trips together.
3-4 others is a nice sized group and always makes for fun evenings once you're checked into your campsite/motel/hotel/AirB&B/whatever.
Speaking of an RC...you could consider joining one as well. Best decision we ever made when we got back into riding - a whole new circle of friends opened up who all enjoy riding as well of course, not to mention the social aspect through the winter months when the bikes are away and such. Typically lots of different rides posted as well ranging from evening coffee get togethers all the way up to the multi-day adventures.
I could be what's needed to reignite the spark. And new friends is never a bad thing either.
Me too...no matter how much I've travelled...both motorcycle and not, the night before a big trip is dire for sleep.
In the case of the motorcycle I just leave at first light and put in some mileage.
But OP, you need to get off the slab ( except perhaps to get to PA ) and wander around PA and south. Different experience altogether and PA 144 might just get your juices going....you can push the envelope with no fear of cops and mostly fine road surfaces.
There are hundreds of good roads between Coudersport and North Carolina. As relaxing or as intense as you like.
I enjoy intermediate trips 3-5 days almost any time of year even deep into the season like now going south ...just pick your weather window and some reasonable layers.
June is the favourite for longer jaunts....I flew the bike to Calgary and then rode around the mountains and rode home.
Long stretches I use audio books and the combination keeps my stress down. Toronto traffic is soul destroying ....even just getting the few blocks to get out of Sauga is a pain.
Out riding away from traffic and in good interesting roads knocks years off me.
Not while it's stored in my shed. Probably where 99 percent of those old motors are.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
I love the camaraderie and safety of an RC. There is one thing to be aware of when riding in the US as a group - Liability.
In many states a loosely organized RC (meaning a bunch of riders travelling together) might share liability for an accident. That means if one of your brothers goes down, all riders might be liable for a portion of accident costs if they can prove the ride itself was negligent -- that could take the form of something as simple as a route that is too challenging for the riders or the group exceeding speedlimits, . Ontario accident lawyers are starting to figure this out, a good friend of mine had a rider in his group ride off a mountainside this spring while riding thru the Smokeys. The helicopter recovery off the mountainside, medivac, and med bills far exceeded the rider's insurance so his lawyer is attempting to leverage the group rider's insurance to make up the shortfall. Messy.
Sad to see how ambulance chasing lawyers can take the fun out of things.
Agree wholeheartedly with this.
Tooling around the area where I live (Waterloo region) is okay, but I've realized that I get the most enjoyment out of my bike on longer trips.
Seeing new things, eating different food, trying new (to me) beers - as well as riding on roads I haven't ever been on - or ones that I have that are memorable (someone mentioned PA 144) are what floats my boat these days. The camaraderie and hanging out with good friends and enjoying one another's company while in vacation mode is priceless.
Just sitting around with a cold beer after a long days' ride and admiring the bikes, knowing that you get to do it all over again, but slightly differently the next day is a lot of fun.
I was out briefly yesterday afternoon - and while the weather was fantastic, I was just thinking that I used to really enjoy just going out for 1-2 hours for a quick jaunt. That was enough to "scratch the itch" - but it really isn't true for me any more.
Rob
blackcamaro
Well-known member
I would throw Georgian Bay into the mix as well. When I did the boat thing I kept mine in rack storage at Bay Port in Midland. Lots of good boating leaving out of there with the different islands you can camp at, sand bars, restaurants on the water, day trips and lots of option for further trips. The facilities are great at Bay Port but I believe the others in the area are just as comparable.
If your the kind to never leave the marina then Lake Ontario would be alright but I always found it pretty boring to cruise around.
[QUOTE="PrivatePilot, post: 2638818, member: 48498"
I keep telling my BIL that a boat is cheaper than a cottage. He thinks it's a joke, but in reality, unless you're using $1000/weekend in gas (and even then, it'd still be arguable) even a big boat wins out handily.
[/QUOTE]
I budgeted about $5,000 a year for everything. Some years I used a bit more and some less. You can buy a decent older boat for a tenth the price of a cottage.
Boats are unlikely to gain in value, cottages do, subject to fluctuation.
In Ontario the boating season is Mid-May to Mid-October, 5 months.
A cottage can be used all year if you're into sledding, skiing, ice fishing etc.
If you like having friends visit you'll have more room at a cottage
If you end up with unlikeable neighbours you're stuck with them at a cottage. With a boat you lift anchor.
A used boat is definitely easier on the cash flow but a new decent sized cruiser blasts into cottage pricing pretty fast and goes downhill just as fast.
Lots to consider. The main one is what is fun for the individual.
I keep telling my BIL that a boat is cheaper than a cottage. He thinks it's a joke, but in reality, unless you're using $1000/weekend in gas (and even then, it'd still be arguable) even a big boat wins out handily.
[/QUOTE]
I budgeted about $5,000 a year for everything. Some years I used a bit more and some less. You can buy a decent older boat for a tenth the price of a cottage.
Boats are unlikely to gain in value, cottages do, subject to fluctuation.
In Ontario the boating season is Mid-May to Mid-October, 5 months.
A cottage can be used all year if you're into sledding, skiing, ice fishing etc.
If you like having friends visit you'll have more room at a cottage
If you end up with unlikeable neighbours you're stuck with them at a cottage. With a boat you lift anchor.
A used boat is definitely easier on the cash flow but a new decent sized cruiser blasts into cottage pricing pretty fast and goes downhill just as fast.
Lots to consider. The main one is what is fun for the individual.
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