By Scott Wright

CENTRE — Recent articles in newspapers across the nation have detailed drivers' disgust with the ever-rising cost of gasoline. But unlike automobile owners, most boating enthusiasts don't care too much about what it costs to fill their tanks.

Statewide, gas prices are hovering around $2.77 for a gallon of regular unleaded, according to a survey conducted Monday by AAA-Alabama. The nationwide average, according to the Lundberg Survey, is $2.89. Analyst Trilby Lundberg, who conducted the survey, told the AP gas prices might even begin falling soon, assuming nothing extreme happens to the price of crude oil or to U.S. refineries.

Gas prices are 40 percent higher than this time last year in some other states, and the financial squeeze is being felt across the nation, according to recent stories by the Associated Press. For example, delivery services from Raleigh, N.C. to Tacoma, Wash., are being forced to cut back the number of vans they dispatch, the Chicago Tribune reported last week. And after weeks of declines, gas prices are climbing sharply in Michigan, Texas and several other states as the summer driving season approaches, according to the June 13 edition of the Herald Democrat in Sherman, Texas.

Not that the price of gasoline matters to most boaters, regardless of which state they're in. A study conducted by the Recreational Marine Research Center found 94 percent of boaters nationwide plan to hit the water regularly this summer, even if gas climbs another full $1 per gallon.

A day-long survey in Cherokee County found most local boat owners feel the same way as the rest of the country when it comes to spending time on Weiss Lake.

“You won't stop the bass fishermen with gas prices,” said Brad Hurley, a recreational bass fisherman who owns and operates H&H Marine, a boat repair shop in Cedar Bluff. “It hurts every time I fill up, but I can fish plenty of times of one tank of gas.”

Hurley said when he's fishing on Weiss Lake, he'll usually maneuver his sleek bass boat, with its high-powered outboard engine, to the spot where he plans to wet his hook and then stay put, especially if he's reeling in the bass.

“I get there pretty quick, so it doesn't take much gas,” he said with a grin.

Hurley, whose shop is located across Highway 68 from Harton's Grocery and Nursery, said despite high prices he still sees plenty of pickups carrying five-gallon jugs to the gas pumps over at Harton's on the weekends.

“That's the people with wave runners and other personal watercraft,” he said. “They probably use a lot more gas in a weekend than fishermen.”

Hurley said if higher gas prices are keeping any segment of the boating fraternity off the lake, it's probably the people who own larger recreational craft such as ski boats and pontoon boats.

“I think there are probably fewer skiers on the lake this year,” he said.

Curt Tucker, who operates J.R.'s Marina Outboard Service in Cedar Bluff, said he has definitely noticed a drop-off in the number of recreational boaters this spring.

“I'd say our general traffic has been off,” said Tucker. “Usually, we've done about 75 carburetor jobs by this time of year, and I'd guess we've done about 25 so far this year.”

Tucker explained the number of carburetor jobs is a good indication of how many boaters are taking their boats back into the water after letting them sit idle all winter. Tucker also said he's sold fewer pontoon boats than by this time in 2005.

“I've got five new pontoon boats sitting out here -- we've had a lot of lookers but so far we haven't sold any,” he said.

He said there's usually a brisk local market for used pontoons, but so far this season no one has even approached him about buying, selling or trading for a party barge.

Dave Armstrong, who works with Curt's brother Jason Tucker at J.R.'s Guide Service, said gas prices are forcing a hike in the fees they charge to take clients to the best fishing spots.

“We're charging $225 per day per customer right now, and that's going to go up to $250 apiece in 2007 because of gas prices,” Armstrong said.

Another local man who operates a guide service said his business is feeling the effects from rising costs, as well. But he said he won't let gas prices keep him off the water.

“Yeah, it hurts,” said Centre resident Kelly Matthews, who operates a part-time crappie and bass guide service (www.weisslakeguides.com). “Usually, we fish the upper end of the lake and I used to put in at Pruett's Fish Camp. But with gas prices higher, we usually drive up to Leesburg and put in there so we don't spend so much time on the water.”

Matthews, who's seen the cost for a fill-up in his bass boat climb from around $45 to $65-$70, said he thinks gasoline prices have gotten “ridiculous.” Still, he has no plans to raise his $250-per-day guide fee. Instead, he said he will simply absorb the extra cost in order to remain competitive with other local guide services.

J.R.'s Marina owner Geraldine Tucker said she's still selling as much gasoline as ever from here pump down on the shore of the lake.

“We're about the only place that sells gasoline on the water, so we haven't really seen any drop-off in the number of customers,” she said.

Sandra Johnson, owner of Rooster's Service Station on County Road 22 in Centre, said she hasn't noticed any slowdown in the amount of gasoline the boaters are buying at her waterside pump, either.

“I don't think the higher prices have affected any of the boaters,” she said. “We sell more gas than ever down by the water.”

Alfred Reagan, who lives in Cartersville, Ga., owns a recreational lot next door at Rooster's Campground. He said his family still spends three or four weekends per month in their camper beside Weiss Lake. So far, he said, higher pas prices haven't had much of any effect on his family's boating habits.

“We still use both our boats about the same,” he said. “We have a bass boat for fishing and a pontoon for recreation.”

Since insurance, storage, repairs and maintenance costs can already serve to make boating an expensive hobby, perhaps it's accurate to assume most boaters don't mind forking over a few dollars more to fill their tanks so they can play with their toys?

Hurley said he believes that's an accurate assessment. He said boaters invest a lot of time and money in their machines, and he believes it will take a lot more than high gas prices to keep them and their watercraft off Weiss Lake or any other body of water.

“Hey, a bad day fishing is still better than a good day at work,” Hurley said with a laugh.