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Gas Prices Could Keep Boaters From Making a Splash

May 21, 2008 - SEBAGO LAKES REGION -- Dan Allen, owner of Causeway Marina in Naples for 20 years, is worried about the effect high gas prices will have on boating this summer.

"I think the gas prices on the lake are going to kill boating," said Allen.

Allen is not alone, as some other Lakes Region marina owners and business people worry that gas prices could harm an activity that is the backbone of summer tourism.


Last summer Allen sold much less gas than previous years, and he expects the same thing to happen this year, saying that people are taking fewer and shorter trips in their boats. "It affects everything," said Allen. "Anything you do goes back to gas."

Allen has cut back on his own boat excursions as well. He used to take his children tubing, an activity which can burn 50 gallons of gas. Now with gas at $4.50 a gallon, it would cost him over $200 dollars for one day on the water. Instead, Allen said he is more likely to go out on the lake, sit in his boat and have a barbecue.

Jim Davenport, president and owner of Long Lake Marina in Naples said the gas situation and the possibility of a fixed bridge at the Naples causeway are his two biggest concerns for the season.

Long Lake Marina is the only marina in Naples open year round, switching from fueling boats to snowmobiles when the lakes freeze. Davenport said that while conditions were great for snowmobiling this past winter, he only sold 2,000 gallons of gasoline, down from 10,000 gallons in a typical year. This meant less servicing and sales of snowmobiles as well. "The market is pretty flooded with snowmobiles," Davenport said.

The outlook may not be all doom and gloom, according to University of Maine at Orono economics professor James Breece, who said that with an economic slowdown, the southern New England upper middle class is more likely to skip their trips to Europe and stay closer to home, while the lower middle class will have a harder time with high gas prices. "Tourism will be okay, but there will be this transformation," Breece said.

Davenport said that so far boat rentals and sales are on par with last year, adding that $40,000 boats are selling better than the $15-20,000 boats. Personal watercraft are also selling well. "That industry continues to grow because they're fuel efficient and you can ski behind them and tube behind them," Davenport said. "The market has shifted and continues to be unpredictable."

"I'd say we are cautiously optimistic about the summer tourist season," said state economist Catherine Reilly, adding that Maine is at an advantage for being within driving distance of a large population. "We've seen this winter that higher gas prices don't prevent people from coming to Maine if there's a good reason to come," said Reilly.

"People are going to be more cautious about where they spend their money," said Barbara Clark, executive director of the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce. Clark said that she anticipates people visiting the area, but they may plan different kinds of vacations to use less gasoline.

Renate and Robert Rackliffe of Owls Head, near Rockland, decided not to return to Sebago lake this year after visiting the region for more than a decade. For the last three to five years, they stored their boat for the summer season at Kettle Cove Marina in Casco.

"Due to the fact that the gas prices are going to be so ridiculous, we decided we're going to go kayaking and use our zodiac," Renate Rackliffe said. A zodiac is a small inflatable boat. "We're going to leave the boat sitting in the yard." The 26-foot boat that will sit in their yard this summer uses 12 gallons of gas per hour, driving at cruising speed. The zodiac can run all day on five gallons of gas.

On top of the gasoline needed to power the boat was the expense of the 2.5-hour drive from Owls Head to Casco and back. The retired couple decided to stay closer to home this summer. "That is a sad story but we've enjoyed all the years we've come down to Kettle Cove and Sebago," Rackliffe said.

Merrill Rollins, president of Kettle Cove Marina, said that though it is still early in the season, his seasonal dock rentals are off considerably. While in a typical year he is already booked by the first week of May, this year the bookings were down by 20 percent.

Rollins said that it's hard to predict the effect of gas prices, saying that the quality of the tourist season also depends on the weather and the economy. "People who spend a lot of money on a big boat, people will use it regardless," Rollins said.

A decline in boating would have an effect beyond marinas. Darryl Murray is the owner of Mr. Butcher and Freedom Cafe, both on the causeway in Naples. Murray said that tourists provide 75 percent of his business and his parking area is partially on the water. He is planning a new outdoor grill and seating area with eight picnic tables on Long Lake. "The lake crowd is what we're trying to get," Murray said.

Economic concerns are felt onshore as well. Beth Brown and Andrew Van Der Zee own Four Seasons Family Camping Area in Naples with their parents.

Van Der Zee said that half of their business comes from visitors who rent a spot for the whole summer for $2,600 plus electric. Many of the seasonal campers return year after year, some into the third generation. After having a waiting list for years, seven seasonal rental spots remained unfilled at the beginning of May. "We lost five over the winter for economic reasons," Brown said.

Brown and Van Der Zee have been involved in the campground since their parents bought it when they were teenagers. It's a challenge to keep up the long hours during the 150 days that they are open. Van Der Zee has a job in the winter and this year Brown will look for a winter job as well.

"Right now we're cautiously optimistic," Van Der Zee said. "Camping is still an inexpensive vacation."

Harry Hewes, owner of Sun Sports in Naples also said he was cautiously optimistic. In his business selling gear for water sports, he had to gauge how much he would sell last fall, when he put in his orders. "I have to role the dice and hope for the best," Hewes said. "It's such a short season that you don't have a gauge on it until it's over."

By Julia Davis at keepmecurrent.com
May 16, 2008


Lakes: Brandy Pond, Long Lake, Sebago Lake
Regions: Sebago


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