RV vs Boat? - Thoughts?

D

douglee25

Well-Known Member
Jan 13, 2008
4,757
Dallas, TX
Boat Info
Cruisers 3575
Engines
Twin 7.4l
Looking for some feedback from the peanut gallery. Quick back story.... We put in an offer on a 380 Sundancer exactly 2 months ago. The initial survey turned up a couple of items that needed to be investigated. Between the shop taking 5 weeks to address 2-3 days of work max to the mobile marine mechanic that was sent to fix a low voltage condition on the genny that took 3 weeks to repair, the process needless to say has been painstaking difficult. The broker flat out sucks and I've been pushing the entire process long myself. It's been making me rethink my purchase.

With that said, I have been evaluating going the used Class A RV route. Not taking into account fuel (boat or RV) or campsite rentals or marina overnight fees, the estimated monthly cost differential is approximately $600-$700. Our slip cost would be approx $550 and the RV I can store for free on my property. Since our boating is limited to inland lakes, it's essentially glorified RVing anyway. At the end of the day my goal was to get a boat (or possibly an RV) to give my family an option to spend more time together and make some memories.

Has anyone gone the RV route and wished they had stuck with boating? Did anyone crawl back? How about a small(er) boat and a large class A rv? Does RVing get boring? I've camped as a kid and growing up, but never traveled on the regular to and from sites in a Class A. Looks like fun, but is it? Thoughts?
 
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I've given this some thought too over the years and when I look at it from a dollars and cents perspective it makes sense to go with the RV. Combine it with the year round ability to use the RV, and it looks even better.
But, sitting in traffic on an interstate isn't all that appealing.
There is something about being on the water that is really appealing to me too.
Plus my wife refuses to even consider given the RV an idea a try. I've suggested many times over the years that we rent one for a couple of weeks to see how we like it.
 
I am probably a good one to respond to this. My wife and I live on our boat and love it, I always joke, I have million dollar view, that I don"t pay for. I sell RVs a few days a week, since I am actually retired. I look at very nice RVs 3 or 4 days a week and ask myself that same question. I can drive an RVs across the country for the same amount of fuel it takes to do a 4 hour trip. $125K will buy a nice brand spanking new 35ft Winnebago that has everything we have on our boat. Same amount will buy a nice 15 yr old boat. To me it's a tough decision, but I love the water. If you go the RV route, make yourself a promise to stay off Interstates and see the country, for me, I'm staying the boat route for now. There is a lot of water out there to see, but there is a lot of America to see also. So, looking at my response, it was most likely no help. Good lock
 
I have been the class A motor home route for about ten years. We sold it and bought the boat about 3 years ago. We loved the RV and would not trade those memories for anything. That being said the kids (now grown) quit going, we got tired of all the driving and IMO boating is more fun. Funny thing is when we got the boat they starting coming back around for trips. Now we can't get away without them! Both are the same principle of living self contained and have similar systems to contend with. Boat buying is a ridiculous process and will never change so you have to be patient with it. Try getting a trailerable boat and hook it to the RV!
 
Last year we sold an older 52' Cockpit Motoryacht and relocated from Northern Cal to the New Orleans area. We had bought that boat to retire on and cruise for 5 years. That was to begin this past April when I was se to retire. Three years ago the company I was with for nearly 10 years eliminated several positions....including mine. At 64 I'm unemployed with a wife 10 years younger and not yet able to retire. Wanting money to go farther and my wife's desire to be close to family again, I retired and we made the move.

We have been talking about an RV for 3 years now. I still have a classic 23' Cobalt that I am restoring so at least I can boat. I have been looking at RVs and bigger boats again. We were going to rent an RV and give it a try. I have asked my friends that have RVs this question, "What do you do when you get the RV park and get everything set up?" Answer: "Well, we sit around and talk, have a drink and visit other folks with RVs." Hmmm, OK. So Memorial Day weekend I see a neighbor hooking up his RV and he said they were heading to an RV Park on the Gulf Coast about an hour away. I thought to myself, well that would be cool sitting and looking at the water. And then it struck me. I don't want to sit and look at the water....I want to be out on the water looking at the water. Yes, when I cruised from my home marina to another marina we got there, docked, set up the grill, opened a beverage and visited with others that have boats....Just like the RVs. But we're on a dock....over the water....not in an asphalt parking lot breathing dust from people driving by, not looking at the dumpster, not looking at 20 kids riding by on bikes. We're on the water where the air is clear, it's usually quieter and people somehow seem more respectful of nature and the surroundings.

Now before I get the crap kicked out of me by the RVers on this forum, I am generalizing and seeing this in my mind's eye. I have been in RV parks and campgrounds before....it's just not the same as being anchored out or in a marina away from home port. I used to take my boat from the Sacramento River Delta to San Francisco and the Bay. Its about 70 nautical miles and took about 5-6 hours depending on tide. I could drive to San Francisco in 90 minutes and did many times. But it's not the same as cruising into a marina on the waterfront of Sausalito, getting a slip and tying up for the night. Having a glass of wine in the quiet cockpit and watching the wildlife. I have 2 brothers and a close friend that all have RVs and I respect their choice. It's just not for me.

No....I've given up having an RV. I'm a Boater, and I will own a boat as long as I am physically able to handle it safely. It's not about money, or fuel costs or maintenance or slip vs. storage costs. I didn't get into boating because I wanted to save money. I appreciate mountains and forests but I don't like snow or cold. When asked if I'd rather vacation in the mountains or at the beach there is never any hesitation in my answer.

Boating is my drug of choice and I am an addict and at this point in my life I have no desire to kick the habit.

Hi....my name is Shawn and I'm a Boater.
 
I've had a limited exposure to RV'ing. I was a manager for a large RV sales company and could take any new or used RV off the lot to use for a vacation. I used several sizes and had them for up to a 10 days. It's a great way to travel and really see the US.

When we bought our current boat we did so with the intent of spending a summer on board up in Puget Sound and Canadian waters, then selling it.

After we sell it we want to travel and have considered 3 options with the proceeds from the sale of Beachcomber:
1-buy a Class A motorhome and use it
2-buy a fifth wheel trailer and pickup
3-stick the money in the bank and take fly/drive vacations and stay in hotels.

There are advantages to each of the three and we may end up doing a combination of 1&3 or 2&3. We don't have to make that decision yet so lots of time to think about it.
 
I'd much rather go 5mph on the water than on pavement. Driving the boat is fun! Driving an RV seems more stressful than anything. The campsite can't rock you to sleep.

P.S. Buying a boat can be stressful and time consuming. Also, it's NEVER fast getting something fixed on a boat!
 
I have to say I'm quite impressed with the replies thus far. Good feedback or at least things to give us something to think about.

For us living in Texas, boating is a year round thing. This is new to me coming from the East Coast where they had a layup period of 6 months. Slip costs are a 'sunk cost' (no pun intended) and they are only annual contracts and much more pricey out this way. That part just urks me and will continue to urk me when I cut that check. Choosing a boat or rv is not about the money either, but at least on paper, saving approximately 500/month or 6k per year is definitely something tangible.

I do understand boat repairs are never quick per say, but in this case, the marina missed about 10 promised deadlines based on their schedule, not mine. That was the kicker. Plus I found work by their mechanics that was horrible where I threw a stink (open exhaust and they were grinding with aluminum dust going right inside). Unless the boat comes out of the water, I plan to do all my work.

Anyway, back to the RV... my plan there is to go places within a 3 hour drive. I wasn't aware how popular RVing was in Texas until I looked. There are literally hundreds of places to go. Like was mentioned above, my wife feels I'll get bored quick and as soon as I'm sitting camped by the lake, I'll just wish I was back on the water.
 
The boredom is my fear. My brother has a new 5th wheeler. Its the 3rd new trailer they've bought in 4 years. They are retired living in Spokane, WA and go to Palm Springs, CA for 2-3 months every winter. To me, that's not RVing. May as well rent a condo. But they do go other places in the NW and once camped they play golf and....well, that's about it. I also have a friend with a beautiful Class A Tiffin Allegro. Paid $240k for it and they use it for going around the country to NASCAR races. None of that sounds appealing to me. I'll stick with the boats. If I get board on the boat I can usually find a spot of fiberglass that needs attention or something that needs some 409.

Doug, that $550 a month for a slip sounds pretty reasonable to me. In California I was paying $700 and I know in Winthrop Harbor just north of Chicago a 35' slip was $1000 plus $1000 a month for covered winter storage.
 
douglee25 said:
Slip costs are a 'sunk cost' (no pun intended) and they are only annual contracts and much more pricey out this way. That part just urks me and will continue to urk me when I cut that check..
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I don't know what that means 'sunk cost' can you explain?
 
NorCal Boater said:
The boredom is my fear. My brother has a new 5th wheeler. Its the 3rd new trailer they've bought in 4 years. They are retired living in Spokane, WA and go to Palm Springs, CA for 2-3 months every winter. To me, that's not RVing. May as well rent a condo. But they do go other places in the NW and once camped they play golf and....well, that's about it. I also have a friend with a beautiful Class A Tiffin Allegro. Paid $240k for it and they use it for going around the country to NASCAR races. None of that sounds appealing to me. I'll stick with the boats. If I get board on the boat I can usually find a spot of fiberglass that needs attention or something that needs some 409.

Doug, that $550 a month for a slip sounds pretty reasonable to me. In California I was paying $700 and I know in Winthrop Harbor just north of Chicago a 35' slip was $1000 plus $1000 a month for covered winter storage.
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Dang. That is pricey. $550 was the cheapest I could find at this marina. Most 40'-50' slips are $850 and up! Ouch!
 
I do both. I would never dream of parking my class A on pavement next to other people. I have never stayed in a campground. That isn't camping to me. I go down deserted forest roads and camp in nature.
I have a trailerable boat. No slip fees. The bottom of my boat stays shiny that way. So, now I have a house in every city, and a boat on every lake. If I need to stay in a hotel when I am just boating, that's ok also.
 
LOL I've never seen that before. That is crazy, so crazy it looks neat. I'd like to get a ride in one. How do you anchor, or can you? What happens when you bottom out on the ramp and can't get out? That is a nice gentle ramp, they all are not like that. Is it 4 wheel drive to get up the ramp I wonder?
 
I have also thought about this many times, mainly due to the financial differences. Boat slips are hard to get, and $ in SoCal. Many of The service techs are not very good and charge 1.5x what similar terrain based companies get.

With that said, it is also very difficult to get good RV parking spaces along the nicer beach areas if you come to Southern California.

On a boat, most people shut it down at nine or 10 PM at night. I think an RV or trailer park there is a much greater chance to have Bubba 5 feet away from you partying till 2 AM.

We are continuing to do the boating thing in our mid 50's, but the RV may eventually happen when we get in to our 60's For the financial aspects.
 
Marina costs are kind of crazy, and around here a lot of them don't let you work on your own boat beyond simple maintenance. That is hard on folks that are trapped and can't just put the boat on a trailer and bring it home for a few days to work on.
I'm lucky in that I own my dock space and can do whatever I want.
It's been my experience that marine repairs always cost more than you think they will, and most marine mechanics or repair techs are hard to get hold of and take longer than you think they would. That's usually because they are good, and as a result, are pretty backlogged.
I'd have to assume the same would be the case with RV's.
For me, there are no good cold or rainy days on the boat. I say this as I sit at my dock on a cloudy day after deciding that the expected showers this afternoon and much cooler than normal temps mean it isn't worth burning the fuel on a trip to our favorite spot to anchor.
RV's may be a bit more forgiving when the weather is less than perfect.
On a daily basis (in season) the boat is still a better deal for me. While I may not move it away from the dock all the time, I still get to spend a lot of time on it using it as a waterfront condo or hangout when I only have a few hours to kill. Sometimes just having dinner on the boat at the dock is fun. I'd imagine that using an RV for just a few hours at a time wouldn't be nearly as convenient or rewarding.
In a perfect world it would be nice to have both. Especially since we have a relatively short enjoyable boating season here in the Northeast. Boat until the fall, and then RV until late Spring. But the older I get (63 now) the thought of having yet another thing to maintain gets less appealing. Between the house, my 2 special interest cars, my teen aged kids cars (luckily my wife and I drive leases), my 410, and the 18' Bowrider the kids run around in, sometimes I feel like all I ever do is work on stuff.
 
JVM225 said:
Marina costs are kind of crazy, and around here a lot of them don't let you work on your own boat beyond simple maintenance. That is hard on folks that are trapped and can't just put the boat on a trailer and bring it home for a few days to work on.
I'm lucky in that I own my dock space and can do whatever I want.
It's been my experience that marine repairs always cost more than you think they will, and most marine mechanics or repair techs are hard to get hold of and take longer than you think they would. That's usually because they are good, and as a result, are pretty backlogged.
I'd have to assume the same would be the case with RV's.
For me, there are no good cold or rainy days on the boat. I say this as I sit at my dock on a cloudy day after deciding that the expected showers this afternoon and much cooler than normal temps mean it isn't worth burning the fuel on a trip to our favorite spot to anchor.
RV's may be a bit more forgiving when the weather is less than perfect.
On a daily basis (in season) the boat is still a better deal for me. While I may not move it away from the dock all the time, I still get to spend a lot of time on it using it as a waterfront condo or hangout when I only have a few hours to kill. Sometimes just having dinner on the boat at the dock is fun. I'd imagine that using an RV for just a few hours at a time wouldn't be nearly as convenient or rewarding.
In a perfect world it would be nice to have both. Especially since we have a relatively short enjoyable boating season here in the Northeast. Boat until the fall, and then RV until late Spring. But the older I get (63 now) the thought of having yet another thing to maintain gets less appealing. Between the house, my 2 special interest cars, my teen aged kids cars (luckily my wife and I drive leases), my 410, and the 18' Bowrider the kids run around in, sometimes I feel like all I ever do is work on stuff.
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All great points and I don't think I would ever have both. But you kind of touched on an interesting point. No one is going to go to the RV storage lot and spend the night in their 5th wheel but we'll do that on our boats....often.
 
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