Boat Gas Money - To Give or Not to Give?

That is the question.

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Is it a moral obligation, a rule of thumb, just plain obvious, or a crock? Most of you have been there. A boat owner, whether a friend or a family member, invites you to join them for a day of skiing/wakeboarding behind their boat. If you've ever owned a boat you know they can certainly burn a lot of fuel in a short amount of time. Are you obligated to give them money to help pay for gas?

Before making a decision consider a few points...

If you are the boat guest:
• Is the boat owner someone who would never expect payment?
• Do you feel, that as a guest, the owner is obligated to pay for the gas?
• How important is it to be invited back?
• Do have an understanding with the owner that other reimbursement arrangements will be made?

Regardless of your answers, perhaps the best way to handle the situation is to simply ask the boat owner how much you owe them at the end of the day, even if you know the answer. This is courteous, and the boat owner will recognize this as an appreciation, and even clue them in that you'd be willing to pay for gas on a future trip.

If you are the boat owner:
• If you do expect money, be sure to tell the invitees up front. This will leave no surprises.
• A lot of people have no idea how much gas it takes to fill up a boat fuel tank. A good way let them know is to make sure guests are around when you fuel the boat, whether it's before or after the boat trip.

What do I do? If I don't ask the boat owner ahead of time how much I should bring for gas, I usually hand them some money when we return to dock. Waiting until afterwards can give you a general feel for how much fuel was burned, depending on the length of the trip, how many pulls you had, how far you drove the boat, etc.

As a boat owner myself, I love to share the boating/skiing experience with lots of people. And in a lot of cases I'll pay for all the gas myself. But I can't think of too many times when I turned down an offer of money.

Sound Off! Take the Poll.

Forever In Your Wake,

Julie Bostian

Waterskiing / Wakeboarding Guide

 

 

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