Motor Home & Fishing Boat

[WalleyeRanger]

Looking at putting down some serious cash on a motor home. I have a Ranger 620 & love to camp when I fish. But Its a pain in the rear when every weekend I have to load all my camping gear plus fishing gear and head out. Wife likes to go but hates sleeping in a tent, even on a matress. We agreed on a motor home but am afraid of the difficulties of launching boat with a motor home. Any one have any suggestions. Please!!!!! Also what suggestions on a motorhome Desiel or Gas Brand Length Options would be greatful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Juls_WI]

Our own Scott Golden here, and his tourney partner Dennis Krause always use a motorhome when they travel to the tourney sites. They would launch a Triton 205 with it, so maybe if you contact Scott, and get Dennis's number from him, he could help you out. Dennis is excellent at launching a boat with that big motorhome. Even launches that were tough to manuver. He would be the one to ask about it. Nice guy too. I'm sure he would be happy to help you.
You can contact Golden at, scott@walleyecentral.com.

Good Luck! Sounds like a good plan. ;-)

Juls

[Johnwaleye]

I have a 25 ft. motor home I pull a 20ft. bayliner trophy with it and have no problems what so ever launching and loading the boat. The motor home is a coachmen ford with a v10 triton motor. I get about 9mpg. w/without the boat on back. The only down side to it is that if you dont have another form of transportation you have to either walk or unplug. If the campground that your at has sewer hook-ups and electric direct...you got it made! the convenience far out way the inconveniences. Sure beats sleeping in the tent when a good storm blows up...

John

[Jack]

For many years I spent from four to eight weeks camping and fishing each year. I saw many motor homes towing boats in campgrounds and many of the people I got to know also had one way or another to have access to another vehicle. Motor homes are comfortable to live in but a pain if you have to launch your boat each time you go out fishing.

My personal choice was an eight foot truck camper. It allowed me to pull my boat trailer and I devised a way to set the camper on the ground if I expected to be more than three days in one spot.

I would suggest that unless the motor home is a tax write off that you calculate the total cost of the motor home including finance charges, if any. Keep in mind that campground fees should be included in figuring the cost of using your motor home and maintenance costs for a motor home should also be included. A few calculations figuring the days per year you will use it and the average cost, everything included, per day might make it look like staying at a nice motel would be a lot less expensive.

I always enjoyed fishing and camping but although I still spend about the same time fishing away from home I now stay in motels because it is less tiring.

Whichever way you go I hope it is some of the most pleasant experiences of your life.

Good Luck

[REW]

I have had a motor home for many years and use it exclusively when fishing.

Because of the launching problems that you mentioned, I put on a front bumper hitch - very early in my motor home ownership.

For most of the launches that I go to, there is no problem backing the boat to and extracting the boat from the water.

However, there are a few places where we have stayed, where the launch road is several blocks long - before getting to the water, with no turn around at the end.

With this very long ramp road situation, I simply unhitch the boat, turn the motor home around, then drive the boat to the launch. When I have to back the long way back to the parking lot, the trailer is in front of me, so that I only have to keep the motor home between the edges of the road. No big deal.

In states where it is legal, I know of a few folks who triple tow. i.e. they drive the motor home, pull a pickup, and pull the boat behind the pickup.

Once they get to the campground, they unhitch the pickup and boat; park the camper, and then use the pickup for launching, loading, and running errands. Works great, but some states make it illegal to triple tow. The typical motor home really has no problem triple towing.


If legal in your state, you might consider the option of a 5th wheel behind a pickup, and the boat behind the 5th wheel.

This is the best of all worlds. You have much more room in a 5th wheel, than a motor home -- no running gear maintenance on the 5th wheel, much much much less expensive to buy a 5th wheel than a motor home -- 25K compared to 100K for similar space.

Then you have the ability of your pickup truck to launch and load your boat, and for running errands.

Then as wear and tear accumulates on your pickup, you can trade it in at reasonable 200K mileage increments; but keep the 5th wheel for several iterations of pickup trades. Works great, but only in states where it is legal to triple tow. A little hint -- NEVER NEVER try to back a triple tow rig -- very tough to do successfully.

In conclusion; for long trips - it is tough to beat travling in a motor home. A typical fuel injected gas rig in the 28-35 foot range will get 10-15 mpg. For a similar Diesel rig you will be getting 15-20 mpg.

If you go longer - diesel pusher is the way to go.

Good luck and enjoy.

REW