Interesting story and a cool fun lifestyle idea but I'm dubious on the real savings...time savings yes, cost...not so sure. Do today's high powered waverunners get "hundreds of miles per gallon"?...I've never heard of anything on the water getting that or anywhere close to it! I suspect they get less mpg than their truck, but travel less miles...if you don't count play time. I would think they would need to haul tools and materials too, but as the owners maybe that is only on occaision.

http://www.charlotte.com/business/story/727288.html (with picture)

Friday, Jul 25, 2008

They're soaked at the gas pump no more

Homebuilders Joe La Monica and his son once spent $100 a week and hours of their time driving around Lake Norman visiting building sites.
In June, as gas prices continued to rise, the men ditched their gas-guzzling diesel pickup and SUV and switched to Sea Doos. The younger La Monica, Joe Jr., suggested the change to cut costs.

The family-owned custom homebuilder, La Monica Builders, operates out of La Monica's home on the lake. When the men need to visit work sites, they now head to the backyard and hop on their personal watercraft.

It used to take them 20 minutes to travel from one side of the lake to the other. Now, it's a four-minute trip. Instead of getting 18 miles per gallon, they get “several hundred.” What was once a $120 or so monthly gas bill has been cut by more than half.

The family-owned company typically builds eight to 12 homes a year, most on the water and priced from $800,000 to $2.5 million. This year, it expects to build slightly fewer and has to advertise more for business.

The La Monicas plan to stick with the Sea Doos through October, when it gets colder.

They've also started taking prospective homebuyers on tours via the water. With clients, they use a 28-foot Bowrider. They tell clients to wear shorts; children can bring swimsuits.

“It's a great way to help people feel more at ease with looking for a home,” Joe Sr. said. “It's good for us, regardless of where the gas prices are.”

Kerry Hall: 704-358-5085, khall@charlotteobserver.com

I suspect the 'several hundred' figure includes the road miles that they are able to bipass by travelling the more direct route across the lake.

That would make sense...they probably meant they saved "several hundred" miles of driving, but it got jumbled in the writing or editing. I love the idea, there are numerous areas around the lake where land travel is long and sometimes congested, but a water route is pretty direct.

First sentence says they spend $100 a week. A few paragraphs later their $120 per month gas bill has been cut in half. I thought $100 a week would be more than $120 for a month. I guess they're on that ancient Celtic calendar or something.

They are definately using some creative math to arrive at the numbers they claim. Don't get me wrong if I could find a way to ride a seadoo to work i'd be all over it.

How does the compressor and nail gun fit on the jetski let alone the table saw???

Semper Fi 75

I think that it would be really cool to go check on my jobs by jumping on a PWC. I would spend a liitle more for gas if needed. Them taking clients to visits sites in a boat is pretty classy IMHO.

I have dealt with "writers" a lot over the years (including a big part of my job with a financial institution) and I can say with a little bit of authority that accuracy and fact checking is a secondary concern with many writers.