Truck Camp vs Travel Trailer vs Fifth Wheel vs Motorhome

[LaunchnRetrieve]

Not sure where to start.

I have a travel trailer.

When I think about the future and the big vacations my wife and I imagine doing I keep getting mixed feelings about my options.

With a travel trailer I can't bring my boat.
With a truck camper I can bring my boat, but imagine cabin fever after a short time.
I'm told I can bring a boat with a fifth wheel, but not sure I have the talent to drive that combo worry-free.
Those first three options allow me to park the camper, trailer or fifth wheel and use my truck as my visit the area vehicle.
If I get a motorhome I can bring a toad or a boat, not both and that means limited visit the area ability if I bring the boat instead of a toad.

I'm just thinking out loud and driving myself into a world of indecision.

[soos]

We have a combination. We live in our 5th wheel, but bought a truck camper to take to AK this summer- then decided to keep it, so we now have a "summer home". We spent 4 months in it and the only thing we really missed were the recliners.
We'll use the TC next summer to go get our boat from MI and bring it to AZ.
If we weren't "houseless" we would be happy to be in the TC for all our travels.

[Gjac]

I would try to figure out how you will use the MH. Do you want to travel moving every several days to see new things? Or do you want to drive to one place like a lake and stay a while? For me I wanted to travel but liked to fish also so I bought a reinforced inflatable raft that I have used from Maine to Alaska, from rivers to lakes. I have stored it in the MH for 10 years and when ever I need it it takes 15 mins to set up and does not limit my travels.

[Veebyes]

You can't have it all though if you throw enough money at it you can get quite a bit. I see a tag axle class A dragging an almost as large double axle toy trailer.

Now there is that little problem of where are you going to park that monster? I guess all of those great COEs, SPs, NPs, BLMs etc. are out of the question.

[Jim_Shoe]

* double post

[Jim_Shoe]

Hertz, Enterprise and Alamo will all deliver a rental car to you at a nearby CG and pick it up when you're ready to leave. Not cheap, but it beats walking.

[PRodacy]

We had a travel trailer, and then moved to a truck camper. It works better for us, and cabin fever has never been a problem. The truck damper allows us to get to the more remote areas, which we prefer. The truck easily handles the camper and all the toys we want. We've towed a Jeep, boat, and extra trailer, depending on where we were going. It's s much more versatile setup for us. Good luck.

[Ron3rd]

LaunchnRetrieve wrote:
Not sure where to start.

I have a travel trailer.

When I think about the future and the big vacations my wife and I imagine doing I keep getting mixed feelings about my options.

With a travel trailer I can't bring my boat.
With a truck camper I can bring my boat, but imagine cabin fever after a short time.
I'm told I can bring a boat with a fifth wheel, but not sure I have the talent to drive that combo worry-free.
Those first three options allow me to park the camper, trailer or fifth wheel and use my truck as my visit the area vehicle.
If I get a motorhome I can bring a toad or a boat, not both and that means limited visit the area ability if I bring the boat instead of a toad.

I'm just thinking out loud and driving myself into a world of indecision.

What you have discovered is every RV type is a compromise.

[mgirardo]

We bought a Porta-bote to solve that problem. It can be carried on the roof of the toad if we are bringing it. If we aren't bringing the toad, we slide it in the motorhome through the emergency exit window. Fits inside just fine.

With a Travel Trailer or 5th Wheel, you can probably travel with the boat underneath. I was hoping to do that on the Motorhome, but it doesn't quite fit.

It's a 12' Porta-bote Alpha series. It's about 90 lbs without the seats, so I can easily get it on the roof of the toad or inside the Motorhome when it is folded. With the Porta-Dolly, I can pull it to the boat launch by hand without issue. The 12' can handle an 8 hp motor and a trolling motor. It seats four and is very easy to row (even with 4 people) when the motor isn't available.

Otherwise, Dutch's solution is best. I see this a lot.

-Michael

[wintersun]

The setup that I see most often used by people who want outdoor options is a travel trailer towed by a pickup truck. The truck can hold an ATV or dirt bikes or bicycles, etc. and with a camper shell/cap and a roof rack it can be used to transport a skiff or a couple of kayaks.

For towing a boat trailer and being able to launch at most boat ramps I would not want anything larger than a Class C motorhome. Class C and even the Class B+ can be purchased with one or two slide-outs and this greatly expands the living space and reduces cabin fever.

The trailers will provide the most roof space for solar panels, more space for LPG tanks and batteries and will have the most living space and the most freshwater and waste water storage capacity.

When we examined our own needs we decided that kayaks made more sense than a power boat and when we get to a large lake where a power boat might be advantageous we can rent one by the day and not have to haul it around the rest of the trip. A rental is only a little more expensive than renting a boat slip at many lakes as we don't want to launch and haul out the boat at the end of each day.

[petendoll]

Dutch has the right idea. Very ingenious.

[Effy]

One of these sounds like it would solve your dilemma. Further reinforcing the old adage that enough money will buy anything.

Amphibious MH

[DSDP_Don]

Your dilemma is one that almost every RVer has to deal with. As with any issue, often money will resolve it. When you chose to have a lot of toys, getting them all there becomes a problem.

We boated for years with our kids and had either a truck camper or motor home. We never had a car. Our destinations always had everything we needed. Often our friends came in their fifth wheel giving us a vehicle if necessary.

We now have a Polaris RZR, I had to buy a small enough model to fit in the bed of my truck so we could take everything with us.

[Hondavalk]

Not knowing your boating needs but there are toy haulers that a smaller Jon boat would fit.

[mockturtle]

You might consider one like mine.