Boat or RV? EDIT: Decision made!

[madweazl]

We've owned two trailers (36' Alfa and a 30' Weekend Warrior) and are about to purchase our third (another toy hauler like the WW). While I was in the military, we even lived in the Alfa for 3.5 years (very comfortable triple slide 5th wheel). We used the WW pretty much every other weekend; we'd go to the sand dunes, river, lakes, fishing, camping in the Sierras, anything we wanted to do. It was a ton of fun! I've never owned a boat but we did have a Waverunner that we'd put in the WW (toy hauler) and take to the rivers/lake. I haven't gone out in about seven years now and my wife and I cant wait to get back at it! It isnt for everybody but we've had such a good time and have met some amazing people.

 

[Jon Fishman]

Me too... it’s just something I’ve always wanted to do. Have you had a RV or boat?

Haven’t owned either one!

 

[Sod Buster]

I vote boat also, I've had both and still have a boat. I live in NY state and in my bachelor days would winter in GA, FL, AL. Antique tractor shows and dirt racing. You will have to search around for a camper of that size to not have the toilet in the shower stall if that matters to you. Look for one with four tires, not just two. It's a smoother ride for your belongings stored inside. Fuel also, my truck gets 12 miles/gallon if I'm towing anything or not. For exploration trips, my girlfriend and I rent the smaller 6 wheel self propelled motorhomes. Small enough to get into the roadside attraction parking lots, and nice amount of space for a couples week away. A couple apps that off the grid people have made that show free camping spots and free pump out spots also. I lived under the bridge in Appalachicola for 2 weeks one winter. My boat gets used almost year round. My camper sat in the barn 9 months out of the year. If you go on a month camping trip, your fish will miss your company. Both are fun, for me owning a boat and renting a camper makes economic sense. You will also sell a nice used boat faster than a camper, at least in my area.

 

[Lowell Lemon]

Hubby will be retiring soon and we are trying to figure out what we want to be/do. We can’t decide between a small travel trailer and a party party barge (pontoon boat). There are pros and cons that are applicable to both (I will list) but I want to know hat you guys would do.

Boat... we live on the Gulf of Mexico. There are endless bodies of water to explore. We can cruise the Alabama river, fish in the Gulf, or just sit in the bay and watch the sunset. I grew up on the water. I love it. I’m not too fond of lakes and rivers but I’ve swam in (or explored) almost every salt water bayou and inlet near the Gulf. Hubby loves to do the same although he grew up on fresh water ponds and lakes.o_O

RV... we love to travel. I’ve been lots of places but there is so much to see in the great big US of A. I would love to just hook up and go. We could even go to a campground where there is water to fish in. There are lots of those around here. I don’t think we would ever drag a RV to California but who knows? The cool thing is, with an RV you can stop at every little nook and cranny and see stuff.

Btw.... we have a truck that will pull either as long as it’s not too big. And we are looking at stuff not too big. 20’ max for boat (preferably 18’) and about the same for RV. It will likely be just Hubby and I. Both cost about the same, give or take a few $1000.

We really want the opinions of anyone that will give them.... chime in folks!

Buy a boat that is big enough to sleep on then you can explore the waterways like an RV! I love water so that is my choice.

 

[Sod Buster]

If you up the tow behind length to around 25', a few nice couples layouts my girlfriend and I liked.

 

[Sailingeric]

If you up the tow behind length to around 25', a few nice couples layouts my girlfriend and I liked.

I see your floor plan and raise you 20 feet :p

 

[Waters]

I vote Boat, I live in Cleveland and we are on the water almost every day in the summer


This is our little cruiser with a nice cuddly for sleeping

If you tie a raft off the back it’s like having a pontoon boat

Do you actually get out that much in the summer? We have thought about getting a boat but have been afraid due to working all week and only having the weekends.......of which roughly half of them have crappy weather lol. I am in Mentor which has a boat dock within walking distance of my house.

 

[reefwiser]

HaHa I am retiring in two days and starting to build my fish room. I have already had sailboats and RV's would rather enjoy my ultimate fish room. :)

 

[Sod Buster]

I see your floor plan and raise you 20 feet :p

I would pull that into a campground and sleep in it on my way to the water destination for sure. That is very nice. This would be my tow rig.

 

[siggy]

I have both and use the boat way more, I recently sold my 23' boat due to I was the only person maintaining it. I have had up to 28' but costs were getting too much as kids got older (school) and we only have 3-4 months of hot weather, I still have my Lund aluminum thats no maintanace(outboard) and always ready to go. If I lived on the gulf I would ditch the tank and live on the water and maybe get a small camper.

 

[Peace River]

I encourage you to do a YouTube/Google search for “overlanding”. Not the lifestyle choice for everyone, but an effective way to find adventure and pull the boat.

 

[madweazl]

I see your floor plan and raise you 20 feet :p

And a few $100k

 

[hdsoftail1065]

I have owned both and I would go with the RV. We travel with our fur babies and they have traveled enough to where this is their 2nd home. No matter where we go we have our own bed, not living out of a suitcase, have the ability to stop anywhere along the way to our destination. Fridge is fully stocked, meet great folks every campsite. I'll just rent the boat. :)

 

[fish farmer]

A small house boat you could tow. The beasts I saw floating on Lake Powell in Utah looked bigger that my current house.

 

[BestMomEver]

Have Both. 5th wheel and boat. Do your home work on what you want. Don't jump at the first thing you see. Best advise, rent one any try it out first. Worst thing that can be done, is impulse buy the first thing you see, you will never get out of it with out a big loss $ after you find out your do not like it. Walk into the shallow water first, don't do a cannon ball into the deep end of the pool.

Yea... we’re reading and looking. Definitely will know as much as possible before we buy. Since we know what it’s like to own a boat, we’ve considered renting an RV to see if we like it.

 

[BestMomEver]

Why not get both? A small reasonable version of both.

We might do that but not at the same time.

 

[BestMomEver]

I vote boat also, I've had both and still have a boat. I live in NY state and in my bachelor days would winter in GA, FL, AL. Antique tractor shows and dirt racing. You will have to search around for a camper of that size to not have the toilet in the shower stall if that matters to you. Look for one with four tires, not just two. It's a smoother ride for your belongings stored inside. Fuel also, my truck gets 12 miles/gallon if I'm towing anything or not. For exploration trips, my girlfriend and I rent the smaller 6 wheel self propelled motorhomes. Small enough to get into the roadside attraction parking lots, and nice amount of space for a couples week away. A couple apps that off the grid people have made that show free camping spots and free pump out spots also. I lived under the bridge in Appalachicola for 2 weeks one winter. My boat gets used almost year round. My camper sat in the barn 9 months out of the year. If you go on a month camping trip, your fish will miss your company. Both are fun, for me owning a boat and renting a camper makes economic sense. You will also sell a nice used boat faster than a camper, at least in my area.

I agree. But there won’t be any month long trips. Maybe 4-5 days at a time. We have dogs (which can go) and a donkey. My daughter lives at home but she works. We’d have to plan ahead...

 

[BestMomEver]

I have owned both and I would go with the RV. We travel with our fur babies and they have traveled enough to where this is their 2nd home. No matter where we go we have our own bed, not living out of a suitcase, have the ability to stop anywhere along the way to our destination. Fridge is fully stocked, meet great folks every campsite. I'll just rent the boat. :)

Beautiful rig! And what you described is exactly why I want an RV!

 

[BestMomEver]

This is what we have in mind...

 

[AquaDaddy]

My only advice. And I own both, is make it easy to use, make it not a chore. For example, ti use my travel trailer all I do is have ti add food and some changes lof clothes. Everything else is always ready. Battery always charged, TV has its own dishes. Pots, cutting boards, spare DVDs if you cany get a signal, it's own board games, spices, etc. It makes it so much easier and stress free. Keep in mind so many places do require reservations in advance these days.

As for a boat, same thing, everything onboard. Easy to just at the drop if a hat just hook it up and drop it in the water. Consider engines, outboard to be better in salt, cooled not with saltwater, easy to launch and recover, canvas, bimini, easy to stow and retrieve. Consider cost of use. Some boats just guzzle gas, others not so much.