Should I buy a hybrid RV/boat or just tow a boat

[evagoblog]

on a trailer?

If anyone reads a lot of different RV forums you will see this posted many places, as I want as many opinions or expertise advice as possible, the subject is so unusual wasn't quite sure where to put it. I was going to purchase an ordinary Class B van when I who have a weakness (I used the word fetish and was told it was NOT the correct word :)) for unusual house TV shows, was watching a show about houses on the water, and there was an episode on the Caraboat. A couple found it on ebay for $800 and then restored I think the show said for 200K (if you want to see the episode it's on the FYI channel website, season 2 episode 11, not sure if I can post links here) so then I became intrigued with that concept (there are very few of those made in the 70's left, at the first press conference for it, the boats started sinking and the reporters had to be rescued and the designer destroyed all the plans) but coincidentally there are TWO companies that just started making these with both very similar designs, though they are not related. I contacted both, and even though they don't sell in the U.S. now both said they will soon, but don't know when and I want to start RVing NOW. If anyone is curious about them, here are their names which you can google as again, not sure if this site will let me post links, some don't, Caravanboats for the German and Caraboat for the Australian, surprise they used the name of the failed company unless they want it to come up when someone is googling the other!) There is a company called Sealander where the trailers are lighter and they are cheaper (like a Happier Camper LOL) but I have been in contact them for almost TWO years and although the said they would distribute in North America and were having a tour here, they never did and their link to US sales is down. There IS an American made product the Terra Wind,on sale in the U.S. but like many American products (moderator if you take umbrage I will remove the last sentence) it's too big, expensive and over the top!

A friend of mine suggested that I just buy a truck or van and PULL a regular boat that you can live in (can be cheaper as of now, in USD the German boat is 70K range and the Australian in the 90K range) and so now, finally the question, after this long winded introduction, can that be done, will RV campsites or the county.state, federal parks allow it-actually living on the boat on land (only problem is can't stealth camp). I also wanted to do this and not have it towed by a RV because the weight would be too heavy and use too much gas.

Don't know if anyone ever thought or tried it, hope so as don't want to contact every campsite. I know people will have their jokes etc.but I am serious about it, so even if people haven't tried it but can think of the pros and cons, I'd like their opinions also.

[Community Alumni]

yr2017 wrote:


Most gas trucks when hauling don't get really good mileage. My SRT-10 got 9.5mpg with a 20,000 trailer.

Am I reading this right? You pulled a 20,000 lbs trailer with a SRT-10? Weren't those things were just 1500s with a viper engine in it. I thought they were only rated to tow less than 8K.

[westernrvparkow]

My parks are RVs only. Know many other park owners who operate the same way. We don't allow schoolies or homebuilts and we don't allow semis even though they have sleepers. A boat being used as an RV is something else that would not be allowed.

[yr2017]

Yes, I can see your problem. Open water black tank pumping is only legal in the Ohio River or on the ocean past the 12 mile limit. Illegal on a lake or any closed body of water. My boat that I had on Flathead Lake, there was no a/c either. It would have required either the engine or the generator to operate it. Or massive battery bank. Neither of which was appealing - besides the enourmous cost.

Your boat is insulated at the factory. Fiberglass on a boat is far thicker than any rv you'll find. If you need extra, you can buy foam boards - pink with silver covering and glue it to the hull. It held up rather well on my boat.

As to the liveability a 27ft boat is wider than most travel trailers. You don't need a truck to haul it around, b/c the marina does that for you.

Most gas trucks when hauling don't get really good mileage. My SRT-10 got 9.5mpg with a 20,000 trailer.

If you want a travel trailer then rent one to see if it fits your needs, before you purchase.

[wrvond]

I have a Sea Ray 270 Sundancer with a trailer, though I keep it in a covered slip at a marina.
Some problems using it to "camp" in:
1. the air conditioner will only work when the boat is in the water.
2. the fresh water tank is only 24 gallons
3. the black water tank is only 24 gallons
4. sinks and shower discharge directly overboard
5. a fiberglass hull is even less insulated against cold/heat than a travel trailer
6. my black tank has a macerator, but I need to be out in open water to use it. Pumping the black tank out onto the ground is not a good thing. I suppose I might be able to come up with a way to connect a hose to the overboard discharge, but that would require modifying the discharge fitting. Otherwise, the tank has to be pumped out using a vacuum.
7. my boat only has three 110 vac outlets and two 12 vdc outlets.
8. the refrigerator is tiny. Think dorm room size.
9. a boat that gets water inside it is no longer a boat, it is now a bath tub and will rot as quickly as any camper and cost a bunch more to fix. Camper canvas is nice, but is not water tight.

Some of these items are peculiar to my particular boat, but the majority of them apply to any fiberglass boat.
Much easier to simply have a boat to camp on the water and a travel trailer to camp at the campground.

[pullin2]

I have a 30 foot Sea Ray that is trailerable (assuming one has enough truck -- 12,500 lbs w trailer). Any trailerable boat will have a narrow beam, and I wouldn't want to use mine for more than a few days and not at all for >2 people.

My solution in the past was to double tow (hence my username).

https://www.flickr.com/photos/156627026@N05/25482342978/in/dateposted-public/

[Grit_dog]

Guess my take is for $70-90k plus call it another $40-50k for a tow vehicle( avg pickup truck), I could have a very nice boat and a very nice camper vs a camper that is weird, sparesely appointed and generally not as useful in all conditions as a regular camper, attached to a boat that is a poor representation of boats for pretty much anything other than floating on calm water.

However I do not have to buy one, and I’m certain it fits someone’s wants or needs or they wouldn’t build them.

[spoon059]

Pontoon boat with a bimini and some Isinglass and a portable AC unit? You have the cassette toilet option, but no kitchen or shower. I'm sure you could find a way to install a 2 way fridge and have a propane tank and tie it in to your house battery.

Not sure its the best or most comfortable option, but it would meet the needs as I understand them...

[ppine]

I used to have a cult sailboat, a Montgomery 15 that I sold to a guy in Seattle sight unseen. I pulled the boat from Nevada to Seattle and slept in the V berth on the way. It was quite comfortable even in a boat that small. A 20 foot boat would be better for 2.

I had a Columbia 23 that slept 4, had a galley and a head in it. It would be a little heavy to use as an RV but was very comfortable on the water. I had it moored on Lake Tahoe for 5 years and would bring it home in the winter.

[valhalla360]

My sister & brother-in-law used to get a tent camping site but they would sleep in the 22' power boat.

Certainly doable but inconvenient as they needed a ladder to get in and out and there were no stabilizers on the trailer so it bounced around a lot.

You could get a pontoon boat or small houseboat and it would be a little better but still some hassles...example: RV's typically drain the holding tank by gravity. Boats usually have pump out fitting on deck but you need a suction system to empty it. Bigger question is where do you plan to use the boat? pontoon/house boats are not good for open water where you get any decent wave action.

[ppine]

Plenty of boats that are small enough to trailer can be slept in and used like an RV.

[DutchmenSport]

In the past (when we were a bit younger), we thought it would be a great combination to get a smaller houseboat to use as a camper, to be able to use it as a conventional camper in a campground and then be able to launch it on a body of water any time we wanted, having the best of both worlds.

Well, we never ventured that direction and only pipe-dreamed about the possibilities. But the thought has been there for years and years now.

We have, on many occasions, seen at different Indiana State Recreation Areas (like State Parks) where folks bring their boats (of all sorts), will pitch a tent to hold their campsite, and then take their boats on the water. When the return at the end of the day, the end up sleeping in and using the boat for night time shelter. Usually, the smaller kids end up in the tents.

What I'm saying is, it's not such an crazy or an unusual idea, as many folks are already doing what you are thinking. I think if you could find some boat forums and check them out, you'll find out that a lot more people than you imagine use their boat as a camper on land and a boat as a boat on water.

If you have ONLY the funds for one, and really want to enjoy both worlds, then a smaller house boat on a towable trailer is the way to go. It might be awkward sleeping in a conventional speed boat, or a Bass fishermans's boat at a Cracker Barrel overnight! But you probably would have no problems with a towable house boat.

[Jay_Coe]

Good god people, he just wants to know if he can use a boat as a camper. Not a houseboat, but something that's camper size and has the amenities to camp in. I've thought about this myself at one time or another since I'm probably not going to own both at the present time. I've seen people camping in pretty much anything large enough for a sleeping bag, so why is a boat such a confusing concept?

[jerem0621]

Camping in a trailerable houseboat?

[timmac]

I think the OPer is talking about this kind of boat/camper


https://youtu.be/J1Q6pPpHXko

[timmac]

Have a custom built stacker trailer and than you can bring all your toys including a boat.