Anyone split their time between an RV and boat?

[chuck711]

I met a couple who were doing just that and loved it!
I think its a great idea after we did 2 1/2 years in the Caribbean all at once. Easy to get burned out. It became like a job! One beautiful beach after another...they all began to look alike.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by CSG

As an RVer and former sailor looking to get back into sailing and cruising in the Pacific Northwest, I've got this notion about spending about 6 and 6 between my RV and a boat yet to be purchased.

Just curious if anyone else does this and what your experiences are. Thinking of putting a boat in at Port Angeles where the rates are reasonable and liveaboard slips are not an issue.

My father sort of does this in Europe, but only for part of the year - effectively he does a few months a year travelling around Europe in his Motorhome (a small RV!) and a few months on his MOBO........sometimes at the same time, sometimes on their own - from a few days to a few months at a time.

He only started with the Motorhome when he was 70, really extended his "cruising" range inland .........he wishes he had mixed the boat and RV up years ago..........Old people, what can you do?

[James Miyake]

I was thinking...
What is the most beautiful place in the world in the winter? The Caribbean. What is the most beautiful place in the summer? The Pacific Northwest.

So why not a sailboat in the Caribbean and a powerboat in the Northwest?

Of course a diesel pickup and a fifthwheel, along with the crusing sailboat might not be too bad either.

[Paul Ouellette]

James :

Regarding your thoughts...

1) What is the most beautiful place in the winter ?

There's lots of great places to go sailing in the winter...however, my vote goes to the Bahamas, as they're still close enough to get back home from before cane season threatens to turn them into one of the worst places you can be in the summer !!

Of course, if you can afford this Dockwise Yacht Transport then you can thumb your nose at mother nature & go to "where it's great"...at it's greatest.

2) What is the most beautiful place in the summer ?

That's a much easier question to answer, as the last place you want to be is on a boat anywhere near threatening weather...so (on the east coast) that means heading up to the Chessapeake or other points North.

One possability that many folks overlook is to head into the Great Lakes & up to the North Channel North Channel and Manitoulin Island

However, since this thread is all about "Boating & RV'ing" I'll suggest that bringing the boat up to the Chez & then hitching up the trailer to go land cruising would be one way to handle it.

Although doing that would mean you'd miss the whole summer sailing season....& so it goes...

In our case, the right answer is to do "one at a time" as we intend to go cruising (with the boat) along the east coast, the Keys & the Bahamas (South & then North again) until we're too old (or tired of boating) & then we'll be land cruising with our Airstream trailer from there.

It may not be everyone's answer to the "summer/winter...north/south shuffle" but (for the Admiral & I)...it will allow us to avoid the cold of the north & the storms of the south, while we have a fair bit of fun in the process.

I'm looking very forward to being a very happy retiree someday.

Film at eleven.

[James Miyake]

So you have storage of the RV (and Truck perhaps) during the winter, and storage of the sailboat during the summer.

What type of issues does this intermittent long term storage bring up?
Storage fees, battery draining security. What else?

[Paul Ouellette]

James :

We presently own a nice home, a Beneteau 361 (moving up to a B423 soon) & a 25ft Airstream trailer (we'll be trading up to an Airstream 31) & we presently tow the trailer with our Nissan Altima.

For the next tow vehicle we are (almost) settled on a Mercedes M class.

Since we are planning to retire in about 8yrs, here's how our plan is shaping up to look like...

Sell the house & put $$$ into investments to help pay for the good times cruising south with the Beneteau 423.

Store furniture, the Airstream & Mercedes at our son's house.

Become "live aboards" until we're tired of the North/South routine via sailboat...& then...

Return to our home cruising ground (Great Lakes) to sail here during the summers & put up the boat each winter...then hitch up the Airstream & go south to enjoy an endless summer.

And...before you ask the question...yes, I agree...converting all our "brick & morter" assets to cash may be un'nerving...& that's why I've also bought two canal axcess building lots to keep a hand in the real estate market.

That way we can always return & build a home or sell the lots & just buy one when (or if) we ever need "a place for our stuff" again.

However it works out, staying in warm weather & making memories is the goal we're going to chase until we can't travel (in either manner) for whatever reason.

[James Miyake]

Are the costs of full-time (Half-time) comparable with cruising? It seems there is the cost of fuel to go anywhere. Also traveling on land has always ended up an expensive proposition.
And the cost of storage.
What is the cheapest way to store away a yacht for 5 months anyway?

[ksmith]

While purusing the net saw an ad for a 30 boat with a trailer, pretty good sized SUV pulling it. Probably a little pricey commissioning.

[rleslie]

We spend 6 months Nov - April aboard our Brewer 42 and six months in a small home in the NC mountains. We've done this for the last two years and love it!!!! We've been looking at RVs and intend to start traveling during the summer in '09.

Many of you seem to have the same plan that we followed. In 2000 we developed a 5 year plan that included selling our primary house, paying off all debts, purchasing/refitting our boat, sell my business and retiring at 54 & 52. My wife worked for a school system for 23 years and I owned my own business. Her retirement pays for all the insurance: medical, boat, auto and home. Simplifing your lives is the best move that you will ever make.

It's a great life....I highly recommend it!!!!!

Roger

[rleslie]

We spend 6 months Nov - April aboard our Brewer 42 and six months in a small home in the NC mountains. We've done this for the last two years and love it!!!! We've been looking at RVs and intend to start traveling during the summer in '09.

Many of you seem to have the same plan that we followed. In 2000 we developed a 5 year plan that included selling our primary house, paying off all debts, purchasing/refitting our boat, sell my business and retiring at 54 & 52. My wife worked for a school system for 23 years and I owned my own business. Her retirement pays for all the insurance: medical, boat, auto and home. Simplifing your lives is the best move that you will ever make.

It's a great life....I highly recommend it!!!!!

Roger