Owning wins if you go a lot. Clubs and rentals win if you go a little. The buy vs rent calculator makes that boring and numeric.
The three piles
- Own: annual all-in cost × years + down payment − estimated value at year N
- Rent: years × outings × (day rate + fuel). Defaults: $450 day + $80 fuel
- Club: initiation + years × (dues + outings × club fuel). Defaults: $5,000 in + $5,400 dues + $40 fuel
Breakeven days per year
Solve for the outing count where owning costs the same as renting or the club over the horizon (default five years). If you honestly boat fewer days than that, you are paying for a lifestyle you do not use.
Clubs hide the slip and the insurance. That is the product. They also hide peak-Saturday availability. The calculator cannot model “the 24-footer is already booked.” It can model the invoice.
Start on the ownership page, then follow the compare link so the boat, state, and down payment travel with you.