What a weekend!

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boating_rob

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Went down to the New Jersey Shore (BY CAR) and had a great time. Weather was outstanding. Kids had fun on the beach and the boardwalk at night was allot of fun. Came home and vegged on the back deck on Sunday. Life does go on with out using the boat.

We did look at a few marinas at the shore in the Point Pleasant area (All Full BTW) to look into the idea of moving the boat down there since we use it soooo much now on the Hudson. At least there its like a shore house even if it doesn't move like now. If I could sell the boat now (without loosing everything) I would look into a shore house instead possibly. Times have definitely changed from the days I would not think of going anywhere but the boat. Kids change everything and life has just changed all around I guess.
 
Don't have kids but been tossing around the idea of a second home instead of the boat for a while. Certainly a better investment & I would could rent it out to help it pay for itself. Point Pleasant is tons of fun. Been going there since I was 6 months old...or so my parents told me. Love it.
 
Some points to consider before deciding:
1. You can't sell your boat now without losing everything. In a few years, who knows, but not now.
2. Check the real-estate taxes in New Jersey before commiting to buying shore property. NJ property taxes are very, very high.
3. Children grow up, say "thanks for everything", and move on. I boated before kids, during kids, and after kids. My interest in boating didn't change. Maybe you will be lucky and they will develop your interest in boating; maybe not. Don't put yourself ashore if you want to boat.
4. Those changes in life you mention aren't about to stop or slow down.
None of this is an argument against buying a shore house. Just commentary on the real size of the choice you face.

Safe and Happy Boating!
ColonyCove
 
I hear ya. We dont use the boat anymore and my daughter is only 3. We had so much fun playing on the beach and instead of watching her bored on the boat or having her scared when the boat is moving. My son is only 9 months so this will repeat in a few years. We may even put a pool in the yard next year instead as well.

There is not much left to travel and do on the Hudson either so I really dont know what we are going to do. The resale will suck completely now but I am paying a mortgage on it. I have even thoght of having the boat trailer to my house and let it sit there for a few years to avoid the marina fees. I have only stayed on the boat maybe 6 times this year. That is ridiculous since spending every weekend on the boat for years before.

Lots of decisions to make.
 
Our marina is kind of like a ghost town this year isn't it Rob. Used to be totally full, not even close this year so I guess a lot of people are opting out. I know a number of people who have had good luck selling their boats. It seems the smaller boats, 32 & under sell decent. At least those I know have, but the bigger ones are collecting dust.
 
Yeah - The marina is pretty desolate this year. A good friend of mine did not put his boat in the water this year due to a job/economy. I feel like I am in a different marina now.
 
Penny Bridge is pretty full and is hoping on weekends! It was tough getting a parking space on the 4th of July weekend

Guess we're lucky, our kids, now 17 & 14 have been boating since they were a week old and still love it!
 
ive seen a handful of new arrivals at our marina over the past 2-3 weeks. I found that really interesting. I saw a good number of boats out on the East River and NY Harbor yesterday. Ran into some serious chop during the tide change....got a bit wet!
 
Pat, this is your chance to pick it up cheap
 
We used to go to Pt. Pleasant and Lavalette / area every summer growing up too. Nice there. Remember Sea Side Heights in it's heyday.
 
Kids do change. My kids pretty much grew up on the boat as well. 29 and 27 now and still cant get rid of them. We did go thru the period of them not wanting to go and then the sports took up all our time. We had several years where we only managed an hour or 2...Dont give up that easy. They do come around.
 
Yeah, I was in Seaside in it's heyday too. It went through a pretty bad period in recent times but the last few years it has gotten a little better.
 
rob,
I should be at the marina on sunday, i have a 3 and a 1.5 yr old. My buddy next to me has a 6 month old. We are going through a lot of the same issues, so come on over and we can have a couple laughs about em. Friends only make it easier for the admirals and the little ones.

tony

I can't help but think of Santa Clara when I hear Seaside from a handful of years ago.
 
I was thinking around $80K if it does go.

I should be at the marina on Sunday. Hopefully we will take it out to Croton.
 
Hogan and all - when your kids were young like mine what did they do on the boat? Did you sit in the marina? Mudhole, croton? Or did you travel more with it?
 
My son is seven now and has been boating with me since he was just a few months old. Also, my step daughter who is now 14 has been boating with me since she was three.

Keeping the kids busy and from getting board and whiney on a 24' boat is not always easy. We keep an assortment of boat toys and books on board so they can have things to do and I do not have to schlep it all back and forth. We go for dinghy rides, tubing, fish, anchor out different places, go to the "beach" at the state park, watch the occasional movie (but my philosophy has always been to disconnect them from the electronics while aboard).

I give the kids responsibilities. They set out the fenders, watch for the next buoy or follow a chart. Washing the boats is a favorite, running the little shop vac to clean up all of the dog hair is a great way to keep a seven year old busy, and Ty has gotten his tackle box organized the way that he likes it a few times over now.

There are not a lot of other kids around our marina, but a few. They can bring friends for day trips or tubing and usually it works out great. I get to relax a little and they learn and have their own kind of fun.
 
Ken
Disconnecting from electronics is probably the single biggest thing you can do for a youngster. I know people that it has worked miracles for. Reduce TV, no video games etc.. It sounds austere but it works.
 
We spent alot of time in croton so the kids could swim. As they got older, around 6 or 7 they had there own dingy.
 
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