How many of you also have a motorhome

[Ka_sea_ta]

Well I guess it was bound to happen, My wife and I are starting to look at motor homes. Can a boat and motor home co-exist in the same family? Does one get ignored or do they compliment each other? What experiences does the TF brain trust have?

 

[DavidM]

In my case the sale of our last cruising boat (a Pilot 34) came when my wife didn't want to boat anymore and I got tired of maintaining a boat requiring twisted, awkward positions. Now I can maintain a MH in awkward positions, but at least fixed on land.

David

 

[rgano]

It's all in your attitude. My attitude was that it would just be like another boat to maintain, which I did not want.

 

[READY]

My short answer is yes.

I have a class A (38 ft) and a vintage 1966 airstream trailer (26 ft). Before one jumps to any conclusions all were purchased at very low pricing so I am not rich nor have I sunk a lot of money into them. Since I live on a large property I can keep them at home so the maintenance cost and effort are minimal compared to the boat. I am not yet retired and I wish I had more time to use them but none are neglected or unused.

There are many places in the US where we still want to explore that are not accessible by boat. The land vehicles often serve some practical purposes like lodging for guests or as an option to take the dog vs. boarding (happy wife). I also find the stress with the land based vehicles is a little lower vs. exploring on the boat.

Boats and RVs both share the common trait that they are not financially sound decisions. You could charter or fly and rent hotels and probably save a lot of money (and headaches). We all know this but we chose to boat for other reasons. Similar comment would apply to RVs. You could certainly drive a car or take a plane to most any land based destination and get there faster and probably lower cost (factoring the ownership costs of the RV). But it is special to bring your home with you and if that matters then you overlook the cost differential.

I find that if you and your spouse enjoy boats you probably will find a lot of the same enjoyment from an RV. Just like boats the acquisition and operational costs of RVs varies dramatically. Determining how you plan to use the RV is important in your selection process just as it would be with boats. Happy to share from my experience if you have any specific questions.

 

[rsn48]

I knew a couple that did significant sailing in many parts of the world. When the boat became too much of a hassle due to age related issues, they switched to a motorhome. This philosophy struck a cord with me.

I too have a motorhome, Winnebago 32. But I haven't used it that much but I will be changing that shortly. The pandemic hasn't hit Vancouver Island like it has much of North America, including Vancouver, so I don't mind travelling North to experience what the Island has to offer there.

 

[Comodave]

We bought a Class A diesel pusher when we lived in Arizona to tow our 22’ center console since there weren’t anyplace to stay at the lakes. Since we moved to Michigan and live on the water and sold the center console we have not used the RV, maybe some day we will sell it...

 

[rgano]

While I can see the appeal in RVs, I find hotels and motels better for our particular travel methods. No time lost to finding RV "marinas" and caring for said land yacht will seeing more of what we want to see. We just aren't "campers."

 

[Larry M]

We have a Class B on a sprinter. We’re trying to figure out how many depreciating assets we can have at one time.

 

[psneeld]

So far....all good advice...short answer from me...it depends on YOU and what YOU do and/or LIKE TO DO............


My situation. Full time liveaboard and no dirt even rental units. Prior to RV purchase.... not even a car.


So, with one boy in Texas, one boy in Jersey, one liveaboard in FL and tired of ICW travel.....


Bought a 24.5 inch Class C. 1.5 feet longer than a 4 door, 8' bed pickup so it's small enough to be my daily driver so to speak (though I don't use it but once or twice a week). I fit into regular spaces if I can back in which so far in 2 years I have always made it in where I wanted to go. When I have a new appointment...I google map it in satellite view and see if there are appropriate spots and a backup spot or two.



My logic was....


1. Need something to get to DR appointments and such...grocery, parts run...etc.


2. Wanted to have fun traveling to son's homes (dislike flying hassels) and place to stay and wheels when I get there (though I do stay in the house sometimes).


3. Wanted a place to stay if the boat crapped out and needed hauling with no stay aboard rule at yard.


So far it has earned it's keep and cost only a little more than a big pickup.


But that's just me.


If I start to seriously RV...something bigger will come into the equation...but as it has been said...at some point the time and effort into one, comes off the other. If I go bigger on RV, will go smaller on boat.



If I had a dirt home that I had to take care of...I wouldn't have the liveaboard and would go back to a pickup and a trailer style RV (not sure if 5th wheel like I used to have or small TT).

 

[MurrayM]

We're small goldfish in a small bowl...have a 5'x8' Swiss Army knife of a cargo trailer to carry lumber, plywood, etc. that's also tricked out to camp in with a side door, egress window, insulation, and a house battery.

 

[Ken E.]

We have a Class B on a sprinter. We’re trying to figure out how many depreciating assets we can have at one time.

I'm with Larry and have Sprinter camper van on order. I think a boat and an RV can co-exist. In my case, we'll leave for Alaska earlier than usual, probably April, return in August and jump in the van for a.couple months....Idaho and Montana look attractive for fly fishing. Makes me wonder what we need a house for...probably don't.

 

[Fletcher500]

We are also looking to purchase an RV at some point in the future. I initially started with Class B, but I am starting to think a Class C with a cab over may work better for us. A fun way to travel more throughout the US, and hopefully up to Canada and AK at some point. I recently passed the know enough to be dangerous stage, but learning more about the RV world mostly on website's and YT.

 

[koliver]

My boat and Motorhome are both: 44', 44,000#, 400 hp.

The Boat follows others, as I have been boating all of my life. I expect that pattern to continue.
The motorhome is #2, the first was purchased in 2011, 2 months before I retired. It was replaced in 2014 as it wasn't big enough for our style of Motorhome usage, as we had by then purchased a lot in ORI, a high end park in California.
As we have now sold that small investment in the American experiment, the motorhome may see little enough use to need selling. Time will tell.
As for co-existence, the Snowbird lifestyle saw us in the Motorhome for up to 5 months each year, from late October to mid April. The boat was abandoned for that time. From May to September, the boat got its full share of usage and the Motorhome sat, plugged in, behind the house.
This winter, due to Covid, we are learning to absorb the Saltspring Island ambiance. We may learn to love it in the winter, as we do the rest of the year, though if travel south can resume in a year or two, a month or two of winter in the sun each year may put our motorhome in the "keep for now" column.

 

[FF]

Folks look for "bigger" and think it will be more comfortable , this is not always true.

We have has 35 ft bus conversions , and there ability to tow or carry stuff is a delight.

The downside is the bride is never comfortable driving , she can, but prefers not to.

Our current ride is an Isata MB sprinter class C with a full wall slide out.

More comfortable living than the bus , tho volumes and weight carried is less.

No problem with the bride driving 75 or 80 on cruise control towing our 13ft snowbird trailer.

2 summers ago we had our cottage in CT knocked down and spent the summer living aboard the 24 ft Isata .

We would have been more comfortable if we tossed the dinette and stuck in 2 reclining theater seats , which is a task for the future. Cost is only a boat buck.

Of all the RV we have owned in the past I would suggest a SUPERIOR brand unit.

These are inexpensive , and were built in the 70's by a skool bus company , so are far safer than the usual "sticks and staples" class A or class C .As the chassis was the backbone of UPS type delivery services then parts are easy to locate.
A new truck rated crate engine with new truck rated tranny is an easy swop as the engine is in the front.Depending on power $5,000 will have a new current , air police legal engine for another 150,000 miles of fun.

Boat cruising, folks seldom see what is outside the waterfront area , the RV is a whole different deal.

 

[Fletcher500]

FF, or anyone else who has a slide, how reliable are these on the newer models?

Do you hear of many breaking down?

My understanding is you can manually crank them in, if the motor or some other electrical part of the system is inoperable?

They sure add a lot of interior space when out.

 

[Arc]

I won’t own a house with a pool. It distracts from using the boats. A MH would be worse.

 

[MurrayM]

Our rig has to be nimble, as in able to do a u-turn on a two lane (empty) highway to go back for a photograph. Parking lots/streets in strange towns can get weird as well.

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

I'm in the market for a fiberglass RV, not really large and 1/2 ton truck towable. The Escape 5.0 5th wheel is on my short list right now. Made in BC, not many around and they sell within 24 hrs on the market. I don't want leaks , slides, staples or cheesy looking construction.
I can keep it at my house, plenty of really fun destinations within 5 hr drive of home. Maintenance will be similar to boats with the exception of engine. Other systems are similar to boats.
Full disclosure: I have never been camping in my life,lol!

 

[Pura Vida]

We have a class A that can go places the boat can't. We love the RV and the people at the campground.

 

[Ka_sea_ta]

Thanks everyone for the opinions and information. Our current plan is a small class A (under 30'). There are a lot of state and national parks we want to visit and my wife would like to be comfortable driving. A few years ago we had planned on a fifth wheel, but after towing a boat over a thousand miles this fall the idea of hauling a fifth wheel around lost most of its appeal. The other question is that I have been told that the shorter wheel base class A's can be squirrelly in a cross wind. Thanks

 

[koliver]

FF, or anyone else who has a slide, how reliable are these on the newer models?

Do you hear of many breaking down?

My understanding is you can manually crank them in, if the motor or some other electrical part of the system is inoperable?

They sure add a lot of interior space when out.

Ours has slides. Two are hydraulically operated, one is electrically operated. I know the electrically operated one can be manually cranked in, as the fitting is obvious. I don't know about the hydraulically operated ones, but I haven't had to know.
Our first MH was built in 98 by a well known Oregon Co. We bought it at 13 yrs old. In 14 we replaced that one with an 07 from a different manufacturer, one with no better reputation than the first, but the quality and reliability is many times better. That was likely due to the maturing of the industry, requiring better quality and far better reliability. In 3 yrs using the 98 and 6 yrs using the 07, we had far fewer systems requiring attention in the newer MH, none of which were as serious as the failures in the older unit.

 

[Bacchus]

Thanks everyone for the opinions and information. Our current plan is a small class A (under 30'). There are a lot of state and national parks we want to visit and my wife would like to be comfortable driving. A few years ago we had planned on a fifth wheel, but after towing a boat over a thousand miles this fall the idea of hauling a fifth wheel around lost most of its appeal. The other question is that I have been told that the shorter wheel base class A's can be squirrelly in a cross wind. Thanks

We have both and both are 34 ft. Many consider a 34 ft diesel pusher unwieldy to handle but i find it a dream to drive. Newmars Comfort Drive puts it in a class by itself IMO.
We split seasons and boat in the NE during summer and head for warm in winter. Some will say with the right boat and attitude we could do that with one or the other. True but we like both... boating wins as our #1 passion.

 

[koliver]

Thanks everyone for the opinions and information. Our current plan is a small class A (under 30'). There are a lot of state and national parks we want to visit and my wife would like to be comfortable driving. A few years ago we had planned on a fifth wheel, but after towing a boat over a thousand miles this fall the idea of hauling a fifth wheel around lost most of its appeal. The other question is that I have been told that the shorter wheel base class A's can be squirrelly in a cross wind. Thanks

Squirrels simply don't weigh enough.

The difference in driving comfort, with or without a cross wind, is huge between a lightweight and a heavyweight.
I say this with no experience other than a 38'diesel pusher v a 44' DP weighing 1/3 more and having a tag axle.

 

[H2O_Doc]

We currently have a Sprinter van built out for a few days on the road and looking at Trawlers, interestingly enough!

It seems to me that we are attracted to a Trawler for the same benefits that the Sprinter has: flexibility to travel where we want with our own "stuff" and comforts. I always say that I prefer the Sprinter because if I'm going to sleep on a pillow that's been drooled on, it might as well be my drool.

I don't like hotels.

 

[Art]

We love boats [currently have 3] and really enjoy class A RV's [1 at a time].

We purchase used boats and RVs made by really good builders and coming under our ownership being already in great condition with low hours.

Size of either is always kept within reason for easy fun and ease of use/maintenance.

No debt on our toys. Boat costs more to own than RV... mostly due to dock fees.

Being "boondockers" while on the water and land = low cost for useage and great times. We are married best friends!

 

[Baker]

I won’t own a house with a pool. It distracts from using the boats. A MH would be worse.

BINGO!!!! Nailed it!!!!

 

[magna 6882]

We are active with the motorhome and should be heading south in December for a few months. 45ft 600hp motorhome with 4 slides. Come spring will be back to the boat. Maintenance is about the same with most time doing upgrades and tinkering.Currently getting the boat set for the first winter. Great people in both groups.

 

[markpierce]

Not concurrently.

 

[jleonard]

We just sold our boat in June and bought a 26 foot travel trailer in August.
didn't want both.

 

[Fletcher500]

Squirrels simply don't weigh enough.

The difference in driving comfort, with or without a cross wind, is huge between a lightweight and a heavyweight.
I say this with no experience other than a 38'diesel pusher v a 44' DP weighing 1/3 more and having a tag axle.

I have watched the smaller rigs on the highway do the shimmy when windy, but I figured they were all prone to it. Do you think a Class C + with a Dodge 5500 chassis/Diesel with a 28 to 32 ft LOA would do better in the wind? My wife also feels better about driving the truck chassis RV and I figured the handling would be pretty good with these, as compared to small Class A’s.