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High marine fuel costs alter boaters' July 4th weekend plans

Marine fuel pump on Upper Saranac Lake
WAMC
/
Jill Hupfl
Marine fuel pump on Upper Saranac Lake

The Fourth of July holiday is one of the most popular boating weekends of the year, but the high cost of gas has boaters changing their behavior on the water.

According to WaterwayGuide.com, marine fuel costs along the Hudson River in New York currently range from about $5.50 to $7.00. BoatUS’s Scott Croft says while boating is a discretionary budget item, people do what they can to maintain the lifestyle:

"They'll cut back on the time they run the motor, so a (week-long) cruise, they will go maybe for a long weekend. Instead of going, you know, 10 miles down the river to a town and having lunch, they'll they'll stay closer to home and maybe anchor up in a cove and have lunch that way," he said.

Croft says its also one of the busiest weekends for towing. He reminds boaters to use caution when out on the water at night for fireworks.

"You know, take time getting home, don't take shortcuts. If you're going to a launch ramp, be prepared to be patient."

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