Fuel prices leave boaters docked

The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline is rising fast. How has the price affected you? Join the discussion at USA TODAY's Fuel Forum to swap stories and money-saving tips with fellow readers. Growing up in Ohio, Bill Higgins had a life-long dream of owning a boat. Higgins, now 66 and retired, was enchanted by the challenge that awaited him on the water. Now, rising gasoline prices are forcing him to cut back on his dream. Higgins, who says he purchased his 56-foot power boat in 2002, says he cruised about 7,000 miles in it last year. This year, because it costs him about $4,000 to fill up the boat's 800-gallon tank, he says he plans to cut his trips to about 2,500 miles. "The price of fuel has really changed our outlook," Higgins says. High gas prices are hitting recreational boaters and the boating industry across... [read full story]