Joy of Boat(think rv) ownership

[gerrym51]

today-while i was remembering highs and lows of rv ownership i remembered this.

Medical issues have sidelined us but memories don't go.


this is(was) so true


https://imgur.com/gallery/Gasbm

[rowiebowie]

Throwing money into my 5 year old-but new to me rv was pretty routine for the first year of ownership. It was for repair and replacement of things that were broken when purchased or that broke soon afterward.

I can proudly say nothing of note has broken since then on either the coach or chassis. But that is not to say the money flow has stopped. A new set of tires (just routine maintenance) set me back $1200 for a full set of 5. And recently my lithium battery and inverter/charger upgrade set me back $2700 just to improve boondocking time and to run the microwave off the inverter.

Oh yes, I can rationalize anything.

[Davydd]

I kept a boat on Lake Minnetonka, a 14,000 acre lake 12 miles west of downtown Minneapolis, for over 15 years and decided to end that run after getting a Class B. I figured I would use it more after retirement but RVing cut into the use. After figuring out an afternoon trip would cost me on the average after fuel, maintenance, dock fees, and winter storage fees, about $500, I cut bait. RVing probably cost that much per day as well but for now, I am ignoring it.

[Bruceper]

Bring
Out
Another
Thousand

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

When you think about how limited a boat is ... compared to an RV, I think it's just obvious.....

They are both very EXPENSIVE, but, you're going to get way more use from the motor home.

I've known too many people who just sit on their boats in the dock and never go anywhere..... terrible waste of money.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

When you think about how limited a boat is ... compared to an RV, I think it's just obvious.....

They are both very EXPENSIVE, but, you're going to get way more use from the motor home.

I've known too many people who just sit on their boats in the dock and never go anywhere..... terrible waste of money.

More limited? Three-quarters of the earth is water.

I grew up on the Chesapeake and my brother stayed there and became a boat guy. He hates camping, loves the water, goes out most weekends in season, recently moved to the Virgin Islands to spend even more time on and around the water.

On the other hand, my parents tried the boat thing after relocating from the PNW. It was like you say- spent far more time working on it than using it. Sold it, bought an RV and never looked back. I followed my parents on the RV path.

Different strokes. Apples and oranges.

Neither has to be super expensive.It depends on whether you go simple or fancy, small or large, and whether you do your own work (and enjoy it as part of the hobby) or pay someone else to do it.

There are plenty of both that sit around unused. I agree that’s sad. Better to sell and put your money into what you will actually use and enjoy. Recreational vehicles- marine and terrestrial- are like large dogs. They need lots of exercise.

[Davydd]

I should go back to being a boat guy. Those grey boat symbols are public boat launches near our house.

[gerrym51]

Originally Posted by Davydd

I should go back to being a boat guy. Those grey boat symbols are public boat launches near our house.

kinda tough to boat when frozen over though

[pacificstar]

Gerry, our son lived in Edina for a few years and every summer we enjoyed Lake Minnetonka ourselves. Its a great place and honestly my favorite part of MN. The yearly festival in Excelsior and the easy access to restaurants and the gorgeous homes and inlets on the lake are great memories. When we first got married we lived on a boat. In Southern California boating is a lot more enjoyable all year around. For many yers we made monthly trips to Catalina Island. However the coast of keeping a boat and resale right now is high. We had a cab over camper that we sold 2 months ago. Were now looking into either a Sprinter or Ford Transit to drive up the Pacific Coast into Canada. I think the fact the van can be in a parking place we have eliminated the "dock fees" and resale value is pretty high. Its all a good life!

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by gerrym51

kinda tough to boat when frozen over though

Yeah but, it is cheaper to ice fish in the winter.

[paddy]

Sailed for many years.
Dad was going to give me his 28 foot sailboat.
Turned him down.
Decided camping was a better use of time.
RV = extended seasons, less maintenance, less expensive, able to see the whole country.

A test to see if you would like sailing:
Stand in a cold water shower with all your clothes on while flushing $100 bills down the drain. If you enjoy that you may like sailing.

[TomF]

I might be a glutton for punishment. I own a 31' sailboat and a 19' Roadtrek. They are a good value for me, though, since I live on the boat in the summer and use the Roadtrek for everyday use and to visit my kids in New England. Being a member of a yacht club keeps my boat expenses down, and I can store the RV there when we are sailing. All in all, our costs per hour of use are very low.

[TomF]

Originally Posted by Davydd

I should go back to being a boat guy. Those grey boat symbols are public boat launches near our house.

We kept our Roadtrek at my sister's place in Wayzata for a week in 2018. The ride on the steamboat Minihaha was great. The engine was a museum quality masterpiece. I spent most of the ride talking to the engineer.

[<<B-Guy>>]

When I took advantage of an early retirement opportunity 20 years ago (can it really be 20 years?!) I knew I wanted to get either a sail boat large enough to sleep on, or an RV of some sort. I liked the idea of both. I decided that even though I might be able t afford it, owning both wasn't for me.

I did get as far as pricing out rental charges for a slip (we live ten minutes from Lake Ontario.)

In the end concluded that we would get much more use from and RV and over the last 20 years or RV'ing, still think it was the best option for us.

Brian.

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by TomF

I might be a glutton for punishment. I own a 31' sailboat and a 19' Roadtrek. They are a good value for me, though, since I live on the boat in the summer and use the Roadtrek for everyday use and to visit my kids in New England. Being a member of a yacht club keeps my boat expenses down, and I can store the RV there when we are sailing. All in all, our costs per hour of use are very low.

Sounds like you have found a frugal (relatively speaking) way to enjoy both your boat and rv. Congrats.

[TomF]

Originally Posted by rowiebowie

Sounds like you have found a frugal (relatively speaking) way to enjoy both your boat and rv. Congrats.

Thanks. We are very fortunate to live on a beautiful semi-tropical island most of the year, and then cruise New England waters and visit family in the summer. Of course, we never actually had a plan in place. My wife and I met shortly before I retired, and we just set out on a grand adventure that led us here. Having the Roadtrek played a huge part in that adventure. It has given us the freedom to travel to any part of the mainland, sometimes on a whim at very short notice.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

The question is... where are you going to go?

And, I hope you have a plan for refueling and emergencies.

It's not quite the same as calling the AAA.....

Of course, if you have an ocean liner or nuclear power.... you're golden....

Then there's the enormous risk of being out on the ocean or heck, even the Great Lakes.... you know how many people have died on the Great Lakes and large freighters that have sunk..... SS Edmund Fitzgerald....

Maybe you're supremely confident to attempt something like this, sorry, I can't do it....

I'm fine just driving my RV on the highway.... just me.

[Davydd]

TEHO: To Each His/her Own. Our next door neighbor is embarking on a year and a half sailboat adventure this spring upon retiring. They've been preparing for it for some months embarking on the Great Lakes and into the Atlantic Ocean and down the coast.

[TomF]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

The question is... where are you going to go?

And, I hope you have a plan for refueling and emergencies.

It's not quite the same as calling the AAA.....

Of course, if you have an ocean liner or nuclear power.... you're golden....

Then there's the enormous risk of being out on the ocean or heck, even the Great Lakes.... you know how many people have died on the Great Lakes and large freighters that have sunk..... SS Edmund Fitzgerald....

Maybe you're supremely confident to attempt something like this, sorry, I can't do it....

I'm fine just driving my RV on the highway.... just me.

That's why we have a sailboat. Unlimited range. Yes, you have to be confident to cruise in a boat. You have to know your boat and how to maintain it.
It's not unlike RVing. You have to know your RV and how to take care of it.
The ocean is a more extreme environment, but sometimes I think being on the road can be pretty dangerous, when you consider the caliber of some of the drivers out there.

[magicbus]

Agreed, you do need confidence and maintenance skills to cruise. After 5 years cruising back and forth from New England to Florida my wife asked what is the most stressful thing in my life, and I honestly replied that while I love our trawler I slept every night waiting for the anchor alarm to trip and started every day doing maintenance before I connected my laptop to my work VPN. I recall saying one day “Hey, at this exact moment everything on the boat is working as it should”. I miss cruising but not the stress and we are both really glad we did it.