Boat or Boat Club

We have been having serious discussions about buying a boat. I literally grew up on boats (my grandfather worked for Lykes Shipping and operated a shrimp boat when he retired, which I worked on during summers from the age of about 10) and have always wanted one of my own. Motor boat for wake boarding and water skiing, not a sailboat or pontoon boat.

I didn't realize boats were SO expensive. I knew they weren't cheap, but the prices online are more than the cost of either of our vehicles. We both drive Hondas, so were not talking about stratospherically priced cars, but they aren't buckets-o-bolts, either.

Basically, you start at $30-$40k, and go up from there. The boats I REALLY want are all well upwards of $50k. What were we thinking? Ski Nautique? Fugetaboutit. Tige (made in Abilene, TX), you can't get the good stuff for under $40-$45k.

Even used boats aren't cheap, nor easy to come by. There are several in Austin on CraigsList, but you don't really know what you're getting b/c the pricing is so varied for very similar boats.

Suddenly, the Volente Beach Club has alot more appeal than actually owning a boat. Not to mention that it's 10 miles from the house and we'd have access to the water park and private marina.