What have I gotten myself into? (long read, good story)
Long time lurker first time poster! TL;DR at the end
So I've always been one for water based camping. I owned an old 1988 Wellcraft 32' cabin cruiser. It was old, styling dated, started falling apart, and generally unused anymore because my wife HATED it.
My kids are 8,9,10 and thus are sprinting at the digital age like its not going to be there waiting on them. I work a lot and otherwise use the digital items as a baby sitter so i can get stuff done that I want to do.
My wife approached me with the concept that we really need to do more family things before the kids grow out of it and we miss out on important memories and stuff like that. Me being 28 years old, I am still pretty immature/oblivious to those kinds of things but thats why I married 8 years older than me.
She asked for me ton consider a travel trailer. She knew I loved spending a week at a time on my boat effectively water camping. Her kids love camping with their real dad. My boy loves anything i do with him so it seemed like a great idea.
I told her that I loved her and I'd go down to the local dealer with her and look at some used TT. Set my budget at 10-20k depending on what we saw. We saw all they had and there were some good ones and bad ones but the ones I would even consider were 3-6 years old and cost 12-16k. The problem is the dealer kept wanting to show my wife new trailers. Me being a tight A$$ didnt want to think of depreciation and all that jazz. They start showing my wife new conquest and jayco models. "hell you can get into a new trailer with a warranty and new mattresses and new everything for only a couple grand more than a 3yr old model" the sales man pitches my wife.
We take the books home and start looking at floor plans and my wife bemoans me saying... Can we just get a new one and know everything works? Then that please please please line, a million promises, and a good reason to buy it for her after the kids go to bed.
And here's where the story gets good. I've been half assed trying to sell the boat for a couple years never really putting any work into it. Its a huge boat built for great lakes or the ocean and we live at neither. I tell her, "You find someone who wants to buy that boat and I'll buy you a new trailer"
5 days later: 4 hours away in Grand Rapids Michigan I find myself trading in my boat and writing a check for 2017 Jayco 31QBDS travel trailer of my wifes choosing and customization. All because I opened my darn mouth.
TL;DR Now for the fun part, I have no idea what I'm doing other than I camped out of my grandparents 5th wheel a half dozen times. I got a starter kit and some general accessories but I'm thinking, everything on the boat camping wise I need to move over. Other than that I'll take any advice I can get!!!! I am actually pretty excited!
2017 Jayco 31QBDS
Outdoor kitchen
Storage Rack Bumper hitch
15k ac upgrade
Electric Sway control jayco thingy
10k# 4way Equalizer Hitch
Like I said I'll take any advice I can get.
So I've always been one for water based camping. I owned an old 1988 Wellcraft 32' cabin cruiser. It was old, styling dated, started falling apart, and generally unused anymore because my wife HATED it.
My kids are 8,9,10 and thus are sprinting at the digital age like its not going to be there waiting on them. I work a lot and otherwise use the digital items as a baby sitter so i can get stuff done that I want to do.
My wife approached me with the concept that we really need to do more family things before the kids grow out of it and we miss out on important memories and stuff like that. Me being 28 years old, I am still pretty immature/oblivious to those kinds of things but thats why I married 8 years older than me.
She asked for me ton consider a travel trailer. She knew I loved spending a week at a time on my boat effectively water camping. Her kids love camping with their real dad. My boy loves anything i do with him so it seemed like a great idea.
I told her that I loved her and I'd go down to the local dealer with her and look at some used TT. Set my budget at 10-20k depending on what we saw. We saw all they had and there were some good ones and bad ones but the ones I would even consider were 3-6 years old and cost 12-16k. The problem is the dealer kept wanting to show my wife new trailers. Me being a tight A$$ didnt want to think of depreciation and all that jazz. They start showing my wife new conquest and jayco models. "hell you can get into a new trailer with a warranty and new mattresses and new everything for only a couple grand more than a 3yr old model" the sales man pitches my wife.
We take the books home and start looking at floor plans and my wife bemoans me saying... Can we just get a new one and know everything works? Then that please please please line, a million promises, and a good reason to buy it for her after the kids go to bed.
And here's where the story gets good. I've been half assed trying to sell the boat for a couple years never really putting any work into it. Its a huge boat built for great lakes or the ocean and we live at neither. I tell her, "You find someone who wants to buy that boat and I'll buy you a new trailer"
5 days later: 4 hours away in Grand Rapids Michigan I find myself trading in my boat and writing a check for 2017 Jayco 31QBDS travel trailer of my wifes choosing and customization. All because I opened my darn mouth.
TL;DR Now for the fun part, I have no idea what I'm doing other than I camped out of my grandparents 5th wheel a half dozen times. I got a starter kit and some general accessories but I'm thinking, everything on the boat camping wise I need to move over. Other than that I'll take any advice I can get!!!! I am actually pretty excited!
2017 Jayco 31QBDS
Outdoor kitchen
Storage Rack Bumper hitch
15k ac upgrade
Electric Sway control jayco thingy
10k# 4way Equalizer Hitch
Like I said I'll take any advice I can get.
