Originally Posted by
ranmar850
It cannot be a purely financial consideration. If it was, and you were justifying it by fish consumed, you'd be better off buying that fish, as you said. We've proably all worked that out by now. Of course, the actual value of the boat used comes into that. If it's a dinghy you paid $4k for s/h, and can use to catch a feed of flathead, bream, blackfish, whatever, in a nearby estuary, with only 5 litres of fuel used, it more than stacks up when you add the enjoyment factor.
When you start spending more and more, of course, that subsides into irrelevance. It is about the enjoyment, and the feed of fish is a bonus. Everyones' use is different--I know of blokes who have the work arrangements to enable them to get out in their old Swiftcraft Dominator at least once a week, weather permitting, and absolutely slay it on the seafood side--if they can only get out into the Sound, it's a full quota of squid. Or big pinks in open season. Or Mulloway. Go outside, they kill it on the Dhu. Or dive for occies. Then you get the boat that only seems to move a few times a year. That's when you start to question the sense of it.
The analogy of boat to caravan is a good one. Although caravans seem to cost somewhat less to maintain than boats. I may be wrong on this, haven't owned one since the 70's. My boat gets used regularly--start of December through into January, I'm on the water each morning most days, although the actual boat used rotates between mine and a mates'--pulling the craypots and having a fish if conditions and time allow. Daily distances travelled get longer as you get weather windows in late January / February, then you get busy, work permitting, through April-May. Or have a longer trip away in May, we went out to the Montebellos late May, intending to spend 2 weeks, had to run for it after 6 days when an unseasonal low came in. Spent two days on Shark Bay on the way home, which was a bonus. It won't move this month, between work and cleaning out the storage rental shed. But, In July/August, it will spend a solid month in the water up north at our favorite spot, moored out the front of the camp. After that, a few day trips, or maybe living aboard 3-4 days at Shark bay if we get a September weather window. Then back to the odd day trip until we start on pulling pots in December, etc.
I justified the purchase of this boat--" you want to spend HOW much!!!" with the liveaboard for two scenario, and she is happy with it, loves it. It has gotten us to places you just can't comfortably do do, or enjoy properly, in a day trip. There is nothing like waking up in the morning in a good anchorage, no-one else in sight, with a light offshore blowing and the sun just rising. So, with the mix of uses I have, I can fully justify the $100K-plus I spent on this boat new. It was a LOT of money to me, had to sell a lot of stuff and pull out some super ( the moment I turned 65) , and I've never regretted it. You've got to live while you're alive.
In my experience, you sell a boat when you fall out of love with it. Or your needs change. Once you start to simply view it as a cost, it may as well be gone.
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Now that opens up destinations that would be of real interest that I'm not likely to tow my boat to . A return trip to Weipa ( being considered for next year) , Darwin , NZ etc ..... A week away which will cost between $3-5K ( split cost with a mate or two) 
appreciate your sharing . 
That even shocks me. By comparison I've probably spent close to 50 days at Evans Head (800km away) & 25 days in NQ in the last 5 years ....... get the picture ? The obvious is that I should be living in Brisbane - Unfortunately work (& family) is here in Sydney at this point of time . 
and all those helped enjoy your reef Boat are