Boaters Set To Wince At Hefty Memorial Day Gas Prices
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Traveling to the lake this Memorial Day weekend will not be cheap.
AAA says gas prices in the Twin Cities have jumped 30 cents in the past month to $2.85 a gallon.
And it is even more expensive to fill up a boat.
Carl Rindelaub and his son, Brody, are getting ready for a long holiday weekend.
"Hitting some golf balls, working up a little sweat, and now we're going to go out on the lake, hit the lake," Rindelaub said.
Just like many who will hit the road for the holiday, they are spending lots of money up front just to gas up.
"Fifteen gallons and this will get my boat about half full," he said.
Rindelaub said by filling up his boat, he will spend just about as much as he will on food for the family. He is taking an extra step in hopes of saving money.
"Filling up with some premium gas that I'm going to put in my boat so I don't have to spend as much money if I go directly to the marina and fill up," he said. "It's a lot more expensive."
It costs more to gas up at area marinas than at your neighborhood gas station.
"I'm paying $3.44," Rindelaub said. "I think they're at about $5 a gallon or maybe a little bit more."
It takes lots of gas to move these boats around, unless you can find another way to enjoy the lake. If you still want to beat the heat and hit the water, you can go to Tally's Dockside on White Bear Lake. There, you can rent a boat and save big bucks.
"You are right on the water and yes, you don't have to own lake-front property, you don't have to own a boat," Tally's co-owner Jan Dehnert.
And you don't have to worry about gas prices at Tally's. The cost of gas is included in the rental, taking the sting out of enjoying the holiday.
"You can rent pontoon boats, fishing boats," Dehnert said. "It's nice to get out on the water especially on a hot day because its definitely much cooler than your backyard."
