How do you fill up your tank?

urinal mint · Outlaw Joined: 07 Jun 2005 Posts: 212 City: Texarkana

I have a seadoo 06 wake and was curious how you guys split up the gas bill. Gas is around $2.85 here and climbing.

Usually 3-5 of us go out and ride. I always carry my rope/handle and a few jackets. Also a few people have been using my wakeboard every time we go out but two of them finally got their own boards(they're in the mail).

I usually try to get $10 a person. However, almost every time there is one douche nozzle that doesn't pay or even offer. I'm not rich but don't mind pulling people at all but it's not free.

I hate asking for money when it SHOULD be offered. It's wear and tear on my vehicle/jet ski/boards/etc. Also, I let very few people tow the ski because I take excellent care of my stuff so I'm very picky. I'm not trying to make money off a trip to the lake but also don't like footing the bill more than I have to.

How do you guys work it out?

edit- to clarify the lake we ride at is 20+ minutes away.

jhilly8982 · Addict Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 782 City: Northville

do a search, there was a good thread on etiquette a couple months ago

jlaws · Addict Joined: 16 Sep 2006 Posts: 832 City: NC

you should just tell them up front 10 bucks a person to go out

kmagnuss · Posted: Apr 29, 2007 11:42 am Post subject:

I always let people ride the first time for free. After that, it's $20. If they don't pay, they don't ride next time. If they get up and start gearing up to go out for a set...tell them to sit back down because everyone else paid for the gas. If there's any left, maybe they can go last. That'll usually get their attention. If they think that's not fair/nice/cool whatever...then they would have just kept stiffing you anyway.

-Keith

devon · Posted: Apr 29, 2007 2:12 pm Post subject:

it my grampas boat and he pays for the gas Mr. Green

_________________
Honda NSR500V

Craig-R · Guest

kmag layin down the LAW Idea

i always give 10 and sometimes 20 if i felt i rode a lot....when i rode with keith we would ride a shitload and he had to tow his boat 30 minutes each way so that's where he's comin from with the 20 spot

(keith i'd pay 40 a set to ride behind the bu again Sad

)

King of the Tigers · Posted: Apr 29, 2007 2:50 pm Post subject:

urinal mint, There are some good threads about this that may be worth searching. You'll have to figure what works the best with your friends.

I have two friends that I totally trust and that I regularly go to the lake with. We take turns filling the tank. Sometimes I pay a little more and sometimes I pay less but we're all cool with each other so no-one really feels screwed. I trust them so much that I let them take the boat out without me. That's been a blessing becasue they've paid for boat improvements themselves. I don't charge them or anyone else anything for maintenance or insurance because I just think it's lame to do.

For other people coming one of my bro's will say, "Hey, here's $10 for gas." (even though I'll give it back to him.) And that usually gets the ball rolling. (Whoever filled up gets the gas cash) Deadbeats, I just don't take again. If they ask if they can come I explain that I'd really love for them to come but it's not fair to the people that are paying gas money to be on the boat.

Some people will charge per each set taken and I think that's nuts. It just ruins the fun.

I recommend talking to your friends and say that you'd love to pay for them all but you need the help if you guys are going to keep enjoying your hobby.

ontrider · Ladies Man Joined: 30 Jul 2003 Posts: 16491 City: Russia

Yeah, I think some people who have never ridden before don't even think about gas money. I can understand that, and at the same time I don't really feel comfortable saying "hey, pay up." So it's always good to have another friend along that will say, "here's $10" and then others should follow suit... if not, they don't get invited back.

HHI Dave · Posted: Apr 29, 2007 10:10 pm Post subject:

My friends are all really good about kicking in for gas. They almost always slip me cash for gas. At the very least, they pay for dinner and drinks at the end of the day. That usually ends up being about as much as I spent on gas anyway. Laughing

Today, one of my friends gave me a hundred bucks after we got back to the landing. I didn't want to take it but he said he was paying for some future pulls too. Laughing

I got no problem with that.

And like kmag said, if I invite someone out on the boat, the first time's free. I've even had some first-timers recently insist on giving me gas money despite my protests.

I guess it all boils down to the class of people you hang with. Wink

jdmcivicman · Soul Rider Joined: 29 Jul 2006 Posts: 362 City: las vegas

we split the gas between how many people go out on the boat. even if they don't wakeboard. so far only one guy has had a problem with that. we no longer tell him we are going.

T2Ride · Posted: Apr 30, 2007 8:16 am Post subject:

Well if one of the first places you are going on the way to the lake if you are trailering is the gas station your friends should get the hint and why should I pay for you.

Make a large sign that reads:

"MY BOAT RUNS ON GAS NOT THANKS!!!!!"

bmartin · Addict Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 794

I kind of think about this with 2 sorts of boat guests. First are the ones that do not wakeboard for sport. These will be you friends, co-workers, and family and generally I do not expect or accept money from them. They really do not ride that much behind the boat and are way more into hanging or tubing and tend to be your occasional guests.

The other group are the 'wakeboarders' who go out a fair amount and will form your crew. I expect them to pay more or less proportionately to how much they ride. If all you do is sit in the boat, I do not charge. How you ask or hint at this is up to you, but I would communciate a set of expectations early on in the season to set the carma for the rest of the year.

eastcoastsurfer · Newbie Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 16 City: Mount Pleasant

Hang with a better class of friends. Kick off the cheap a$$ and replace him with a hot chick. Very Happy

Boom, problem solved!

I think the main problem is that a lot of people don't understand how much boats in general cost. I don't own one atm, but have in the past so I always chip in for gas and try to give a little extra just because. With closer friends we usually take turns filling up the boat. When I go out with new people I make sure to give them enough money so that they'll want to take me again. Pretty simple really.

BTW, $10 to wakeboard all day is a steal. When we go offshore, figure we use ~200 gallons of gas for the day Shocked

carcrz · Newbie Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 32

T2Ride · Posted: May 01, 2007 3:51 pm Post subject:

Chipping in for gas should be done by even the person that sits on their ass and looks pretty all day because to me it is a cost of entertainment and I don't mean getting to watch everyone else. I pay for the insurance, the boat, toys, maintenance, cleaning, you can give me some $$$$ for gas to come out on my boat. If you don't atleast offer to give me some money you won't be coming next time. It's up to me to refuse anyones money. All my wakeboarding friends know the deal it's the randoms that don't seem to get it or think of it. Being hot got you a free ride in the past but now that I have a girlfriend it doesn't work anymore.

kmagnuss · Posted: May 01, 2007 5:56 pm Post subject:

did you just call me hot? Thanks man. Embarassed