New NJ Boater - Concession Boat!

[Donp1225]

Hi All.

My wife and I just purchased a custom built concession pontoon boat and we are from the Manasquan area. We will be getting out on the water on the weekends to sell hot dogs, ice cream, snacks etc. We are looking for popular boating spots where we can set up our operation. We've heard of a few other boats providing similar services so we don't want to crown them. If anyone frequents certain coves/areas on the Manasquan River or Metedeconk that would enjoy our presence, we would love to know the location so we can get out and see the traffic and serve up some quality food to hungry boaters. Our boat is certified by the health dept, coast guard, and we are servesafe certified as well. Thanks a bunch and happy and safe boating!

Don

 

[subysti]

What did it take to get that done ? My wife and I thought about doing that as there is not a single place up here to get food on the water. There are a few hundred boats in the river up here and the only place for food is an over priced crappy restaurant at a marina with only 2 guest slips. Thought this might be a nice weekend job?!

 

[Julian]

How about some photos of your new floating concession boat??? And add your location to your profile.....

 

[Scottintexas]

Quality food on the lake, that doesn't happen very often! Glad to have you on board,

 

[njmr2fan]

What a great idea!

 

[Wayloncle]

There is an ice cream boat and a hotdog boat that goes out to Shell Island in Panama City on the weekends. I've never partook in the hotdog one, but when my boys hear that ice cream boat coming I start digging for $$$$.

One example is they sell one snickers ice cream bar for $4.
They have an old beat up flat bottom boat with a Honda2000 generator powering a deep freezer on it and one of those long advertising flags.
I don't know what they make $$ wise but I bet it's a good chunk on a busy nice weekend!

 

[Donp1225]

Thanks so much for the warm reception!

@subysti, it just took lots of $$ like anything else. LOL Here is a photo. This was done right with 2 commercial freezers, commercial fridge, health and coast guard inspections, solar power, generators, triple sinks, even a real bathroom If anyone in NJ can weigh in on some hot boating spots we would love to come out and visit!

 

[Topper232]

Hi Don & Welcome,

That looks like the same exact boat that we've seen out on the Delaware River in NJ around Burlington in the last couple of years. Although I don't' recall seeing it last year. We go to Tices Schoal in on the southern tip of Island Beach State Park a lot. It's a giant boat-fest every weekend, but there is some competition there.

 

[Donp1225]

Hi Topper,

Yes that IS the same boat you have seen on the Delaware. The couple that ran it there for a few years have decided to retire and my wife and I are taking over. We've seen that tices shoal is a busy spot, but also saw the Bow Wow Barge and figured that would be too much competition. I appreciate the reply and safe and happy boating. Maybe we will see you out on the waters!

 

[MikeyL]

Thanks so much for the warm reception!

@subysti, it just took lots of $$ like anything else. LOL Here is a photo. This was done right with 2 commercial freezers, commercial fridge, health and coast guard inspections, solar power, generators, triple sinks, even a real bathroom If anyone in NJ can weigh in on some hot boating spots we would love to come out and visit!

You're making us all VERY HUNGRY !!!!!!!!!!
Can ya drive down to Lake Oconee (Georgia), please ? I need something to eat now !
Wishing you the very BEST, Mikey Lulejian - Lake Oconee, GA

 

[Skysurfer2010]

If you ever have any interest in the Delaware river there are a few coves that would definitely welcome your presence!

 

[itsdgm]

Welcome @Donp1225 and good luck with the new business. I wish that we had something like that where we boat. It would save us tons of time preping food every day for our outings on the lake.

 

[Donp1225]

Hi All.

I hope everyone had a great weekend.

Well my wife and I went out today for our maiden voyage on the Manasquan river. We saw and met some awesome people. Made a few sales. Tested out the boat and all the equipment, and everything was going pretty well.

Then unfortunately, the sad reality of what has happened to the Jersey shore kicked in. First of all, I've been boating for 20+ years all over the country. Spent much time sailing north around Sandy hook for many years. In all that time, I have never witnessed the boating ignorance that I witnessed today. It is a real shame how there is such a blatant disregard for rules, safety, and human decency in some people who dare to call themselves boaters. It is a shame how a few turds in the water can turn the whole place into a cesspool. Let's begin with the turd selling hotdogs at treasure island, and the small turd helping him in a dingy. Nobody cares how long you may have been selling bad food to people at treasure island. You have no right racing up to us while we were sitting still like you both owned the place, creating wakes in a clearly marked no-wake zone, and then spewing off at the mouth how you have been selling there for 3 years like it is your personal territory. Guess what? It is not. Never the less, like the mature responsible people we are, we did not engage in your rampant juvenile behavior and kindly moved on. Had no intentions of infringing on your seedy business anyway. My only hope is that the authorities, including the local municipalities, health departments, and coast guards, begin cracking down real soon on your shady operations to protect people buying food on the water. Your boat was far from outfitted properly to meet even the lowest health standards. Karma is a great thing.

Then to the larger turd in the point pleasant canal that almost sank us, you truly deserve to have every single moving vehicle/vessel license permit you own revoked indefinitely. Who knows, maybe hot dog turds sent you out to purposely try to sink us. The canal is a clearly marked no wake zone yet you sped past us swamping us to the point where another boat kindly stopped because they thought we were sinking. Had I not been fearing for my life and doing everything in my power to stay afloat, I would have recorded your numbers and reported you and done everything in my power to see you never get in a boat or any other moving vehicle again.

So folks, that was our maiden voyage. I am so happy to be alive, learned a lot of lessons in a short day. It is a real shame that such beautiful water has been polluted by turds.

I'm sure that some of you will see us again, and when you do, please stop and say hi!

Thanks again for all the great responses and safe and happy boating.

Don

 

[Topper232]

@Donp1225 Sorry to hear about the bad first day. Did you call the CG or the NJ state marine police to report them? You have a right to operate your business just like they do. Besides, competition always benefits the consumer.

We were out this weekend at Tices schoal again, and I noticed that the bow wow barge has a for sale sign on it. Not sure what the reason is, but I can tell you that the hot dogs are about as thin as my pinky. Maybe a better product is needed, like a real hot dog. Also, there has to be hundreds of boats there, and I can't see any reason that a second food boat couldn't set up there. There's no way that anyone can speed past you, because, you just can't.

 

[Big Shasta]

There is an ice cream boat and a hotdog boat that goes out to Shell Island in Panama City on the weekends. I've never partook in the hotdog one, but when my boys hear that ice cream boat coming I start digging for $$$$.

One example is they sell one snickers ice cream bar for $4.
They have an old beat up flat bottom boat with a Honda2000 generator powering a deep freezer on it and one of those long advertising flags.
I don't know what they make $$ wise but I bet it's a good chunk on a busy nice weekend!

You're so right Waylon. I would just reach for a 20. 4 ice creams and the tip....usually just gave up the whole 20. I bet they did pretty well on busy weekends. Nice people too. I think I remember him saying he was a retired marine. I didn't mind giving them money and the kids loved it.

To the OP, sounds like you have a tough territory. I would get a home outdoor camera system set up to monitor all sides of the boat. As well as signs on all sides that say SMILE, you're on camera. You could be in for more bully tactics.

What if you changed to provide something people aren't selling. It's still competition for food but adds variety and might really boost sales. Burgers, philly cheesesteaks, grilled cheese, corn dogs, snow cones....People might be tired of packaged ice cream and hot dogs being the only food available. Sounds like some complaints to the health dept might be necessary too.

 

[Donp1225]

Thanks for the responses. We have a pretty diverse menu in addition to the dogs we have grilled cheese, sausage & peppers, pulled pork, root beer floats etc.
It's unfortunately just the mentality of a few that spoil it for all, but we will keep at it. Just sad to me how some people behave. I like the idea of cameras

Thanks again.

Don

 

[Geiger41]

Thanks so much for the warm reception!

@subysti, it just took lots of $$ like anything else. LOL Here is a photo. This was done right with 2 commercial freezers, commercial fridge, health and coast guard inspections, solar power, generators, triple sinks, even a real bathroom If anyone in NJ can weigh in on some hot boating spots we would love to come out and visit!

View attachment 26001

The Cove in brigantine. About a 1000 ppl on the weekends, a little far from you though.

 

[Topper232]

The Cove in brigantine. About a 1000 ppl on the weekends, a little far from you though.

That's a good idea also. I don't get there too often, as it's a bitter further for me, but it's always busy on the weekends.

I love the fact that you have more than just "small wienie" dogs. I would rather buy this stuff from you at Tices that stop at wawa on the way to beach. Sausage and peppers sounds great. Let me know if you decide to try it as I'll try and make a point of heading out to Tices.

 

[4x15mph]

@Donp1225 . great to see what you are looking to do and please don't give up. Did you call the coast guard and go over the situation? I would ask them for advice and I would expect with food as good as what you are providing, they will be one of your customers. They have to want you there as much as you want to be there. Good luck

 

[Topper232]

@Donp1225 I just realized that there's another, smaller sandbar directly across from the boat ramp that I use in Ship Bottom on LBI. I've put a circle on the below chart to show you. There are always boats there. I was thinking that if you set up your boat N-S on the left side of the sand bar, you could have people walk over to your boat from the west side and boats driving by could tie up to you on the east side as they're passing through the channel. There are tons of wave runners and boats constantly moving through this area, and it's no wake. Just a thought.

Also, here's a link to the chart on the NOAA website. http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/12324.shtml