All right fellas, I have a debate with my wife and need to hear your input

Question: Is it better to buy a boat or charter a boat for deep sea fishing?

I'm curious which is cheaper, more fun, and what do the majority of you do.

With the price of gas going up, insurance, storage for your boat, electronics and maintenance . A purchase of a boat is getting really hard. You can see in the classified ads in most forums that there are a lot of boats up for sale.
If you deceide to "Charter" a good boat you will have some say so on what style of fishing your group wants to do. Just drive to the landing and load your gear. With a charter you will have fisherman you know on the boat. That always is nice.
Just my .02

I have owned 4 offshore and 3 inshore boats and still own one fresh water boat. I dont regret owning any of them and sometimes wish I still had them it was the price I payed for some great memories The word cheaper and boats just dont go together they are a lot of work and are always in need of something that usally involves $$$$$ but as I said definetly worth it.
You know what they say if it floats,flies or ..... rent it it's cheaper

I've owned offshore boats for the past 25 years. It's not cheap. Working on them is therapy in the off season. Just knowing you can go anytime and anywhere you please is a plus. You can stay out late if the bite is on, or come in early if it's off. If you only fish a few times a year, go the charter route. Otherwise, join the group that just wouldn't know what to do without owning a boat. Think of a boat as a second wife.

i've own bay & offshore at the same time and currently have none. there are days when i'd kick myself for selling the boats cuz the weather is perfect. as therapy, my friend would leave his boat in my garage and tell me i can take it out as often as i like with or without them, i just have to perform needed maintenance.
i now own a kayak

Its been said that the best two days in a boat owners life is the day he buys his new boat....followed by the day he sells it. HaHa. Yeah...it is an investment that quickly depreciates. but its YOUR boat. You dont have to work around charter boat schedules and weekend availability. You take it where ever and whenever you like.

I love owning my own Boat. I am on my third (23'Polar 2007)and I could not imagin being without it. you just have to accept the good with the bad. BOAT (Break Out Another Thousand)But it is my life style. Don't play golf,ride motorcycles,or reboild hot rod's.Just be sure before you commit to it. Good Luck

It all depends on how often you want to fish. If you just want to go 2 or 3 times a year then charter fishing is the best because it is a lot cheaper and the boat Captain will know where to fish. If you want to fish a lot then even though it cost more it is more convenient and you can fish how and when you want to. I am going to start doing charters again real soon. Getting boat ready now. PM me if you decide to book a trip.
PFD

Well I prefer to own even at the price of gas. I love to be on the water if I fish or just ride on the water I just love the water. Its ironic I got in the navy got into a rate that did not go on the water, cause I did not like the ocean. Then went out on the big water and loved it. Know I cant do with out getting out on the water. Wife recently got into it also and it makes it even better. We have 10' aluminim, a super real old cajun bass that is not longer working and its at brotherinlaw house and we have a 19' well craft. Granted it is true a boat is a money pit but hell we could not do with out that pit. Maintenance it take care of it and it will take care of you and give you many days of pleasure.......

I just bought a 21ft wellcraft and I'm lovin every minute of it so far. I havent had to repair anything yet on it but when it comes time I'm sure I'll be hating it. Gas prices are a real drag when it takes 250 doallars to fill it up not to mention the price of oil for the 2 stroke. But just have a few friends chip in on gas and it makes it a lot more barable. But nothing beats being on the water being on your own schedule and not having to deal with 20-30 other people on a party boat. But like everyone else said, if u just go a few times a year stick with the charter but if u go a lot more like most of us its well worth it.

... and you wanna catch YFT's out of that thing?
is there an asian term for Big Brass Gonads?
"cause if there is, you got 'em!
Hey we can put your Kayak on my boat when we go to Venice next time, and launch the 'yak when the bite turns on.
C'mon Tony, I'll bet it'll strap down to my T-top just fine.....


For the record, I fought my Dad, My friends, my wife, and myself over the purchase of my little offshore rig, after owning 3 boats previously. But I must say this: the old "buy/sell a boat" saying only applies if you're not an angler, that's a person who will get their time/money back out of their investment
It took 5 years of searching & educating myself thru almost-bad deals before I even knew what I was looking for.
This is the real test; how many times have you watched your buddies(and all of THEM have boats) roll out with already-full
crews and were land-bound thinking "if only"?
If it happens more than 5 times in 1 summer, you need your own boat. I'm not a wealthy person by any stretch of the imagination,
but if there was only one material thing I COULD keep to sustain my happiness, it would be my boat.
search long and buy wisely, grasshopper

tight lines
-Brian

Tru Dat Tru dat. Couldnt have said it better myself.

In my opinion, the knowledge and sense of accomplishment that you gain out of going out in your own rig and catching fish on your own is worth more than what you pay to have your own rig. Charter fishing is fun, but the first time you hear that drag screaming on your own boat with your own bait that you rigged, you will never forget it. Then take someone else out and share that with them, and it just gets better.

WORD!

I'm on my second boat and I take it out every chance I get. Probably 70% of the time I wake up in the morning, look outside and then tell my wife I will be back in 6 or so hours. You just can't do that with a guide. To make it worth it, you have to use it. I try to go to the lake at least once a month, but I normally go every other week. Starting in April, I'm at the coast with the boat once a month, through Sept.

It is a lot of money and up keep for a boat. But you are not paying for the fish, you are paying for the memories. There is nothing better than to take a first timer to a rig and let them bring in a King or a Shark! I have a picture of my nephew with the biggest smile I have ever seen as he is holding a 35 lb King that was longer than he is tall! You can't put a price on that.

Unless you charter a boat out for yourself, you will be fighting the other customers. I will not go on one of those cattle charter boats any more (Scat Cat).

So my vote would be to own if you have the time and money.

I have been the Charter route for several years,and I now own my boat. Searched long and hard for it but it finally appeared one day. Had to go to Miami to get it and sail it back to Texas. What a Haul that was. Now my wife and the family have one to do as we please, when we please. Wouldn't have it any other way. Any of you guys down there at Port Aransas want to go sometime just give me a shout and we will fire that Puppy Up. Oh by the way the boat is a 46 ft Ocean Yacht, Kept at the Island Mooring Yacht Club, Port Aransas.

a sailboat? now how are we gonna fish off a sailboat!

Easy Ronnie, I fish off the back while you do all the work on the sails. Wife is getting to old for all the work anymore. HE HE