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Bloviating Zeppelin: Building A Boat

Bloviating Zeppelin

(in-ep-toc'-ra-cy) - a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Building A Boat






For the past, say, roughly two years I have watched this boat being built under a shelter directly on Highway 20 leading to Fort Bragg. Yesterday I stopped and began taking photos of the boat still under construction. However, this time, there was a banner in front of the fence, as you can see above.

I went to the indicated website, Chasina Bay Charters, and discovered that this boat is set to launch in May of this year, and is the featured vessel in the Chasina Bay Charters company.

According to the website, the vessel is a 75-foot expedition yacht that will ply the waters in and around Ketchikan, Alaska. One planned itinerary includes 8 days of crabbing, whale watching, kayaking, fishing, nature viewing, beach combing and hiking.

Sounds great, doesn't it? With one small caveat: click on the tab that indicates "rates & reservations." Booking the boat, which can berth 8 persons, is $22,000 for the first four days, and $4,800 each additional day thereafter.

Let's see: for that 8-day trip I mentioned above, your tab would be $41,200.

It seems to me this company might just be trying to pay off their vessel on the backs of those persons making reservations the first year.

Call me crazy, call me wacky, but I don't know of anyone who would pay $41,000 for 8 days on a 75-foot boat in Alaska. Russell Brice's Himex company (Himalayan Experience) will take you to the summit of Mt. Everest for $56,000 and roughly two months' time, in comparison.

Additionally, those able to afford $41,000 for 8 days would surely own a yacht themselves or commission a larger vessel.

So, am I crazy? Would people pay this kind of money for a trip of that nature? Or are you thinking what I'm thinking: the owner, in this economy, is going to have to seriously revamp his rates or find no clients?

BZ

10 Comments:

Blogger Z said...

It looks more like an ark! Should we be scared? :-)

Wed Feb 17, 10:50:00 PM PST  
Blogger mrchuck said...

Looks more like a salmon net boat used up in Bristol Bay, AK.

A long range boat out of San Diego is 1/3 that cost for 14 days.

Thu Feb 18, 07:21:00 AM PST  
Blogger Well Seasoned Fool said...

I do know a few who would pay for that kind of a trip. They have stupid money to spend. I doubt there are enough of them to keep this type of business in business. Boats like that cost about $10,000 per foot to build and outfit.

Thu Feb 18, 07:39:00 AM PST  
Blogger TexasFred said...

Closest I get to open water is driving over the lake here... Screw them AND their over priced boat...

Thu Feb 18, 09:08:00 AM PST  
Blogger Greybeard said...

Dumb ol' me...
I have a couple questions:

-What do the hostesses look like?
-How are they dressed?

Thu Feb 18, 10:00:00 AM PST  
Blogger Bloviating Zeppelin said...

Z: kind of, huh?

Mrchuck: that's what I'm thinking? How can this fee stand?

WSF: okay, then that's a $3/4 million dollar boat. Sure, he's got to pull some serious cash to even begin to get it out of the red. But in THIS economy? He's going to have to be advertising in The Robb Report or Forbes or similar venues ONLY. (Mr Boat Owner: if you haven't thought of that already, I'd like MY cut for the suggestive help.)

TF: man, I just don't know how they'll be able to get back their investment. . .

Greybeard: damn! I completely FORGOT about THAT possible aspect! Or guys, if it's rented by chicks!

BZ

Thu Feb 18, 10:09:00 AM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Are you serious? This charter boat promises to be a GOLD MINE for its' owner.

Face facts, since Obamanomics has replaced capitalism, market economics no longer determine what does and doesn't get done in this country. Eco-tourism and whale watching are the new "green economy jobs" and deserving of multi trillion $$$ subsidies.

The actual rentals charged ecotourists will only be ~$100 a day. The rest of the money will be paid through a government subsidy/grant with money raised from a VAT or carbon tax.

Thu Feb 18, 11:47:00 AM PST  
Blogger Ron Russell said...

That charter does seem on the steep side BZ, however when one breaks it down its comes out roughly to about $700 per day for each person---out of my league, but some my fit this into a budget. Anyways, I always go to the southern latitudes---I like bikinis and not icebergs!

Thu Feb 18, 12:01:00 PM PST  
Blogger A Jacksonian said...

Well the dollar ain't what it used to be... and as it gets less of what it was, the question of a great adventure vacation becomes somewhat problematical.

Just look at the fun in Weimar Germany! You bought all the beers when you walked into an establishment as they would cost more if you waited to order them over the course of a meal... millions of DM for an egg... not a dozen eggs, a single egg. Same for bread. And that is if we print money to cover this spending tear we have been on! If we don't then you dare not spend ANY money as there becomes so little of it left due to the constant tax drain on the system. Deflation is no fun, either.

We could have had modest business tax cuts, cementing the old Bush Tax Cuts into a permanent condition, some modest cuts in government and limping along as a recover takes a few months to appear and get into full swing. I remember Reagan after Carter, Clinton after Bush...hell even JFK knew that.

So when it comes to chartering a nice cruise someplace, well, a drive to the raange is a real good day out for me. Exhausting but enjoyable. Cheaper than a cruise, more fun, and utilitarian. I can reliably select a decent wine from any restaurant, or a good beer if there is any selection at all... I've known 5-star dining and cheap eats at hole-in-the-wall places. If I want to go someplace, I go without the need of a cruise operator... I see more, learn more, experience more and have been reliably sighted as a native from Boston to Toronto to San Francisco and many points in between. I'll give you directions if I know where something is, point you to good eats up and down the scale, and where some good night life can be found. A cruise? I just don't get the point.

Fri Feb 19, 06:35:00 AM PST  
Blogger Osso Bucco Recipe said...

We'll he has no chance of people paying that sort of money, he needs to drop the pirce and shoot for turnover.Best of luck to him, it's a credit to him for taking on such a big scale project, i'll stick to my 14ft.Cheers Grant

Sun Feb 28, 12:41:00 PM PST  

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