Transient boat laws

[rwidman]

There are several books showing and listing anchorages for various parts of the country (at least the USA east coast). These aren't the only places one can anchor a boat, but they are common and tested anchorages.

It might be a help to buy or borrow one or more of these books to get an idea of places you can anchor and conditions in these anchorages.

One book I'm thinking of has symbols for closeness to shopping, ease of going ashore, etc.

[puffcard]

Or use ActiveCaptain for free.

[DeborahLee]

You can't just stay as long as you want in a boat. The different states will make you register in their state and pay sales tax or they will call it an excise tax or
personal property tax on the value of your boat. They don't go around to RV parks to make RVers register they RV or pay tax on them. There are many places you can anchor your RV FREE like rest areas parking lots truck stops etc.
I've seen a lot of RV's overnight in Wall Mart parking lots. The states seem to help RVers more than boaters.

[valhalla360]

To the OP: What is your budget look like?

We do a combination of both. I saw you mention $80/night for a campsite. While possible, that is way outside of the norm. We shoot for an average of around $600/month when in the RV and that's only at rare free sites.

You can anchor out most of the time but the level of effort to actually get to shore to do and see things is exponentially higher than just stepping off the boat and onto a dock, so unless you plan to just sit on the back deck most days doing nothing, expect to be disappointed or spend a lot on docking.

Biggest thing for either option is look at how long you will stay and move thru expensive areas quickly. By going from nightly to weekly rates, it's common to cut the per night cost by 50%. Going to a monthly rate might cut it in half again, so we tend to move for 2-3 weeks till we find a nice destination then hang out for a while.

Overall, RV is cheaper but living on $500/month is still going to be very tough.

PS: Boondocking in the RV is very doable but just like anchoring out means you don't have the convenience of being in popular destinations. Especially out west, you can stay on public land.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by DeborahLee

They don't go around to RV parks to make RVers register they RV or pay tax on them.

Actually, some do. Most states have laws that require you to register your car (or RV) in their state if you stay more than X number of days. In Florida, just like with boats, it is 90 days. And just like some jurisdictions have people who walk the docks looking for boats that need to register, some jurisdictions also have people who check RV parks looking for RVs that need to register.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Actually, some do. Most states have laws that require you to register your car (or RV) in their state if you stay more than X number of days. In Florida, just like with boats, it is 90 days. And just like some jurisdictions have people who walk the docks looking for boats that need to register, some jurisdictions also have people who check RV parks looking for RVs that need to register.

Exactly. Years ago I had friends who would get a thirteen week contract to work out of state. This left them in violation of motor vehicle registration laws and if they kept the same apartment for the entire time they would sometimes get a ticket on their vehicles.

[a64pilot]

When you factor in fuel costs for a larger class A, then cruising is cheaper, assuming you move the RV often. 6 or 8 MPG is I think about par for the course towing an automobile. I think we got about 8 in my Fathers gas rig, but towing nothing.

[sailorboy1]

Hey that's as good mileage as my boat gets

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Hey that's as good mileage as my boat gets

I realize that, but we burn what about 1 gl an hour and on the ICW make about 50 miles in a day.
RV burns about 10 gl an hour and covers 500 mi or more in a day

[Mike OReilly]

Question for you RVers: how long can a well equipped RV boondock? How large are the holding and water tanks? How much food, spares and living storage is there? Propane? Etc...

Out boat's limitation is water, but with 200 gallons we can be out for two months before needing a dock. (Watermaker is on my wish list [emoji6]). My impression of RVs is that the time limits are far smaller, but as with most thing, I could be wrong.

[Tkeeth]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Question for you RVers: how long can a well equipped RV boondock? How large are the holding and water tanks? How much food, spares and living storage is there? Propane? Etc...

Out boat's limitation is water, but with 200 gallons we can be out for two months before needing a dock. (Watermaker is on my wish list [emoji6]). My impression of RVs is that the time limits are far smaller, but as with most thing, I could be wrong.

I live about 50/50 boat and 5th wheel. 5th wheel uses way more water (lifestyle) and carries only about 100 gal. With a proper generator and some way to catch water (rain or stream) you could last a while. Black water would be the biggest issue, tanks arent that big. If your in the right places an impromptu septic system could be in order.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

When you factor in fuel costs for a larger class A, then cruising is cheaper, assuming you move the RV often. 6 or 8 MPG is I think about par for the course towing an automobile. I think we got about 8 in my Fathers gas rig, but towing nothing.

6-8 would be a big motor home. 5th wheels and travel trailers do better.

Pulling our prior 28' 5th wheel with a diesel F250, we averaged just shy of 13mpg.

As with boating, how much and how fast you travel makes a huge difference. A lot of people struggle with the vacation mentality: If you live in the upper midwest and have 2 weeks to hit Florida, that's probably at least 4 - 500 mile days plus a few 200-300 mile days moving to different destinations within Florida. You will burn a lot of fuel in those 2 weeks and drive a lot of hours.

By contrast, when on the move, we usually shoot for 100 mile days 2-3 times per week for a couple of weeks with stays of 2-4 weeks between. Vary rarely will we go more than 200 miles in a day.

Fuel consumption really isn't a major cost component in the big picture.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Question for you RVers: how long can a well equipped RV boondock? How large are the holding and water tanks? How much food, spares and living storage is there? Propane? Etc...

Out boat's limitation is water, but with 200 gallons we can be out for two months before needing a dock. (Watermaker is on my wish list [emoji6]). My impression of RVs is that the time limits are far smaller, but as with most thing, I could be wrong.

Overall it's pretty similar with some minor differences.
- Fresh water: usually 50-70gal tanks but if you really want to stay off the grid you can pick up a portable tank for the truck so the rig can stay in place and you go pick up more water. Big difference is 50 miles from civilization on a boat is a full days trip each way. With a truck it's a couple hours round trip.
- Waste: RV's seperate Gray & Black water. You can get a "blue boy" to haul it out (camp grounds, truck stops, even some rest areas have dump stations) or if you are really in the middle of nowhere you can get a pump to send the gray water 50-100' away from the rig and let it soak into the ground. Black water, not so much but if willing to do a little plumbing, you can utilize the gray tanks to augment your black water storage. We have 3 40-50 gal tanks. Pee behind a bush and that can also augment storage.
- Electric: Almost no difference. Generator, solar, batteries, etc... are all almost identical issues.

Being out for 2-3 weeks is very doable with no special modifications and if you are willing to haul water in, you can stay indefinitely (though I believe it's technically a 2 week limit on public lands before you have to move).

[Mike OReilly]

Thanks valhalla, that's great info. I'm going to look seriously at this RVing life now. We're cruising Canada so only on the boat for about 7 months. We've done other things for the remaining time (motorcycle trip, house sit, abuse family and friends with our visits [emoji6]). But maybe a small RV might work... Hmmmmm

[a64pilot]

Water is the limiting factor, and if money is an object and if you already have a truck, a trailer is impossible to beat. If you do not already have a truck older small motor homes can be had for surprisingly little money, a lot like a boat.
A friend I used to cave dive with got a decent little "mini Winnie" for I think $5,000. Was old but in nearly perfect shape, owned by an older couple who finally got rid of it, it came with everything, even sheets and silverware, dishes towels etc.
Course when I sold my 5th wheel it went with everything too, I think that is common.
Best to buy out of season of course, just like a boat, and ideally if your looking at nicer ones, in places like Mesa Az where many, many people go, but just get too old and sell.