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I'm interested in your essay, but not sure how to comment.

If I'm understanding correctly though, fuel prices are not that high historically, once inflation is taken into account. 'Course, with Venezuela and Iran in the picture, they may be shortly.

So, I have the feeling that during the last 20 years or so, the problem is more that boats have been built heavier, wider, larger, and with lots more horsepower, rather than that fuel has gotten overy pricey. These days, for instance, Bimini is filled with weekend warriors, all of them owning 25-35 footers, deep vees, easily suitable for short ocean passages, even in fairly rough conditions, with from 400 to 600 horsepower outboard packages, and having minimum fuel cap'y of 200 gallons. And those are just the "small" boats, as you know. And a lot of 'em are "blue collar" boats. My plumber owns a 28' deep vee with 400 hp, aluminum tower, fancy outriggers, the whole deal.

Anyway, go back 25 years, and everyone (going offshore of the reef) had 20 footers, pretty much, and with a max of 200 hp, usually considerably less, and 60-80 gallon fuel cap'y. Lots less expensive to run, still good enough to cross the Stream.

Go back another 40 years, there weren't large outboards, only 4 stroke gas engines, boats were much narrower, cut through the water nicely, burned less gas. IMO, excessive beam isn't so seaworthy anyhow, better to make it longer than wider if you want more room.

I have noticed that waterfront land is getting too expensive to be used for marinas or boat yards. Those things are dwindling, the ones that remain will get very high prices for their services.

My opinion is though, that most municipalities will keep dock space available for charter boats and visiting yachtsmen, there's still money in it, plus they can rent space for stores, restaurants, etc. Same goes for hotels, they'll want those services for their guests, plus they get a share of the take.

So I'm not sure how the boating future is for the ordinary guy, but I think it'll be OK, most of 'em keep their boats on trailers anyway, while I think space will probably be provided for the commercial guys if only for the reason that it's in the interest of other businesses to have 'em around.

Interesting question anyhow - I'm a believer in the free market, but confess that I have mixed feelings about it all, just as I do when I see farms being developed for housing, or wilderness disappearing.