So what's a boat supposed to cost?

Some interesting facts about the song "America the Beautiful", maybe we should give Carlos Santana a hand, and Buddy Holly fans will be happy campers if they visit one of my favorite music blogs...

In this ever ongoing recession/depression most of us find ourselves in, money is never far from our thoughts on one level or another. Of course, for those with the "I must have a boat" disease it gets worse, as boats and boat stuff are simply silly expensive... So, what's a poor boy to do?

Well, for a start, gaining some knowledge (as opposed to hearsay/opinion) of boats and boat systems would be no bad thing as nothing counters hype like a little science or fact-based common sense...

Where I happen to be anchored I'm a short dinghy ride to a chandlers in a marina who could teach a Wall Street banker a thing or two about obscene profits and ripping off the public. How they stay in business is something of a conundrum as just down the road (a couple of minutes walk) are two hardware stores that sell most of the same items for a lot less. For example, a bolt at the marina will cost you a buck while the hardware stores for the same 304 stainless bolt will sell it to you for fifteen cents... I'm pretty sure you can do the math.

As a rule, I avoid anything that says marine on the label, is sold by a store that is a marine concern, or recommended by a sailing magazine unless there is no other alternative and, I should point out, there is almost always a better alternative.

If you rehab an old boat or build one from the keel up it's not hard to sort out your project so that you'll be buying bolts for fifteen cents as opposed to a buck and if you're careful you can pretty much take that kind of savings through your entire project...

So, what's a boat cost? It all depends on what you spend...

Listening to the Bonzo Dog Band

So it goes...