In these and many other instances, you're using your boat but the engine isn't running. Studies indicate the engines in power boats average about 40 hours of actual running time per year because so much of boating's enjoyment comes at anchor or dockside or at the beach. Items to consider are insurance, dockage, fuel, maintenance and winter storage. As the boat size goes up, so does the annual cost of using it, of course. But since the average size boat owned by Ohioans is 18 feet long, we'll use it for an example.
Premiums are much lower here in the Great Lakes region than on the east or west coasts.
Remember, major repairs are usually covered by warranty for at least the first year and the warranty from some builders nowadays is good for a much longer period of Certainly families with avid teenage water skiers may use more fuel than the average while devoted fishermen will likely use less. Our kids are grown, but our boat still plays a central role in our lives.