My partner (JigandPig) and I have fished the CFT Mercury Series for 2 years now and the Quinte Fishing Series for 5 years before the CFT. We have split things 50/50 from day one. If I pay the entry fee's up front, he pays me back later and then he will usually grab oil or pay for a hotel room etc. or grab something that he knows I need for the boat and I pay him back later. In the 7 or 8 years we have fished together we have had no problems or hard feelings about money. As far as putting money back to the boat we don't do that. If we aren't running my boat then we would be running his boat. Plus due to the fact that we are both shift workers, we pre-fish different days. So he pays his own gas and oil pre-fishing. However if only one partner had the boat, then the 20% is an interesting idea. One thing to note is, always try and keep spare parts and stuff you need for the boat with you on tournament day. Your partner could ask what you need and grab something for you saving you a few bucks. ie. spare tolling motor plug, spare trolling motor prop etc. Just an idea.
After a full season you should know how much gas/oil you have burned as well as gas in your tow vehicle. Use that in your estimating for the next season. Those numbers are very surprising and they are usually a lot more than your entry and membership fee's. I set all my odometers and hour recorders on my GPS at the start of the Bass season. I have run over 1200 miles on the water and spent 35+ days on the water since the beginning of July.
Pete Thompson the former Tournament Director of the Chevy Mercury Bass Tour told me once that anglers competing on the CMBT would spend approx. 4-6 thousand dollars per teammate, for the season. That covered entry fee's, gas, meals, hotels, repairs etc. etc.
Whew, that was too much typing!!!
