Off Topic - motorhome or travel trailer?

I'd take the truck and pull the C-Dory since it is live-in ready. That way you'd have (1) freedom to roam without having to pack up a motorhome for a run into town to get a loaf of bread, and (2) never have to second guess yourself about "I wish we had the C-Dory with us".

Put a shell on the truck - if you don't already have one - for extra stuff that you could stuff in large Rubbermaid bins, bikes, portable generator - if you don't have one on the C-Dory - etc.

Enjoy the best of both worlds.
 
In l984 purchased a Ford F250 4 wheel drive pickup with the 6.9 liter diesel motor and a pop up camper made for off road back country exploring. In 14 years it never came off the truck and we managed to see most of the lower 48 states including much of the back country in the west with our three young boys. Was a great combination for that period of our lives and still have the pickup today. Is now used for wood cutting and on the two track roads, wild life viewing and hunting when we want a little more comfort then the off road Polaris rzr side by side provides.

Since purchase of the CD22 in 2003 used it as our camper on land and water and towed with a 3/4 ton 4 wheel drive Chev duramax and now a one ton dually 4x4 duramax with a shell camper on back for all the extras. Have been preparing for retirement the last couple of years for May this year which again led to much study on what combination would work best for us with much more time spent on the road and water. For the kind of places we have gone and wish to continue 4 wheel drive was a must and though we would rather have had a class B or C the cost of one with that option was prohibitive to budget. Have plans of travel where the CD22 will be left behind and instead bring Polaris RZR side by side and Mokai, so considered a toy hauler, but again the price for one that would accomplish what we wanted did not match the budget. so ended up making a good deal on a used Eagle Cap Camper that matches very well with the one ton dually pickup and a snowmobile trailer for trips with the Polaris RZR and Mokai. The snowmobile trailer was the only one that matched the width, height and length we needed plus has plenty of ground clearance for serious off the payment exploring.

No combination is perfect for all or even individually though some may disagree, but I think that would actually be more their ability to well adjust to whatever they choose. For us to work within our budget, the truck camper and combinations towing boat and trailer, that I described plans for our use is the closest that we could come to perfect and is sure miles above our past in comfort level.

Jay
 
I guess I'm headed another direction. I was just looking for a nice place to sleep. Spent the last year building this one. Still working on the interior.

IMG_1990.jpg
 
Jody

Man, you've really made progress since our conversations last summer. Good looking set up. May all your expectations with its use be made or beat.

Jay
 
The best camper/motorhoome/trailer/etc. choice is always a compromise (just like a boat design) that depends on the intended use, and when you add in the desire to tow the C-Dory around, gets pretty complicated.

Fortunately, if you're willing to use the C-Dory as a boaterhome on land, the choice gets easier.

The choice is also a lot easier the more you lean to minimalism, otherwise you can wind up with a parking lot full of vehicles, boats, and other toys......

And then you are faced with the choice of which one(s) of them to use when you do decide to go somewhere (!)

Maybe the answer (again) is KISS...... simplify!

Is it that much more fun with all that baggage?

Don't ask me how I know..............!

Joe. :lol: :thup
 
Well, how about that. We just got back from Anza Borrego Desert Stat Park, where we spent 4 days. And I have definite opinions (surprise?)

Basically, get a trailer.

I've towed a trailer for the past 50 years. If it wasn't a boat, it was a travel trailer. And I've had a pick-up for the same length of tyme. So here's my opinion.

1. If you use a pickup to haul anything, why do you want to buy another truck/motorhome to maintain, depreciate and fight with? An even bigger one than you now own.

2. With a motorhome you also need to buy a car you can tow behind, as mentioned several times above. Another motor to maintain, etc. Also, we explored all the back dirt roads, etc. this week with the truck once we unhitched the trailer. Towing a car requires a lot more than a trailer: brake setup, disconnect this/that, etc.

3. Anything over ~26' has limitations when it comes to jamming it into a state/national/ county park. We have 24', I wanted 20', Judy got 24'. The fewer in your family, the bigger trailer, I guess. We were happy with 16' when we had kids.

4. Trailers are cheap and keep their value. Our present one is 13 years old, and just needs new tyres, which it probably will not get. and I don't feel depressed about the money we've got in that thing when we don't use it.

5. We can haul a lot of "stuff" in the back of the truck when we're towing the trailer. This weekend we took firewood for the group. Cleaned out the front lot and got an atta-boy. A fifth wheel takes up a lot of room in the back of the truck.

6. We have a light aluminum 24' trailer which we can tow with a 6 cyl van/truck. Easier than towing Journey On.

7. If you can tow and launch a C-Dory on a trailer, you've for all the towing and backing skills you need.

Boris
 
I've owned both, currently have a 21 yr old 22ft Excel trailer, bunk beds, separate dinnette table, front couch queen size bed. For 4 people, very nice, sleeps 6 in a pinch but not long term. I've always had boats, so dual use of the tow vehicle is cost efficient.

We owned one 21ft motorhome, class C, Fleetwood Flair. Certainly a modest vehicle, but what we could afford. It was very convenient if you move around a lot, in other words, you use it to see new places every few days while replenishing supplies. But if you stay a week, best to have another vehicle, either a toad or motorcycle. Between uses I really disliked maintaining another power train, brakes, tires (6) and all the other systems a complete vehicle has.

I'm with Boris! (for our lifestyle that is)
 
I read all of the posts on this topic: it was interesting and fun. Thanks. Here's my summary (for what it's worth):

1. Many CD owners are also RVers: no surprise, really.
2. The RV of choice, like with a boat, is a personal choice.
3. The "best" RV depends on one's (proposed and/or actual) use.
We currently own two RVs.

Our 1973 Scamp (which we purchased used in 1974), at 950# dry weight, can be pulled behind almost any car or truck. It costs us very little...to license, tow, etc. We use it when we are driving long distances in a relatively short time period.

Our 1994 Jayco Designer Series 5th wheel, 32', requires a PU for towing (we tow it with a 1997 3/4 HD Silverado). We can live in it for extended periods...very comfortably. But owning and towing it is comparatively expensive. We use it when we are able "to stay awhile."

Our experience illustrates the typical "trade offs," so ably described in the foregoing posts!
 
5th wheel trailers are by far the best for pulling and maneuvering, but your bed storage in limited. We pulled a 22ft 5th wheel all over Alaska for 8 to 10 years with our son and dog. Had a 14th portaBote strapped on the trailer and put the 9.9hp inside along with maintain bikes and other stuff.

If I had to do it over I would get a bumper hitch outback trailer that expands, and toss everything in the back of the truck.

http://keystone-outback.com/
 
After a number of years of car-camping in assorted vehicles Verla, the dog and I had left Capitol Reef NP via the Caineville Wash (a combination of dry wash and slick rock) and paused in Hanksville, UT for gas. When the station attendant asked what that vehicle was we were driving (a '93 VW Eurovan) I began to wonder about the wisdom of wandering around in the boonies in a vehicle we might not be able to find service for.
That led to the purchase in '96 of a Provan Tiger CX
http://www.tigermotorhomes.com/ - a 20 ft o/a permanent coach on a 3/4T Chevy PU which now has 110,000 miles on it and has covered quite a bit of hard and back-roads from N Vancouver Island to Big Bend NP, TX and from CA to Newfoundland.
It's been a good choice for us and our golden retriever allowing for comfortable travel on the highways at about 15 MPG while still permitting the frequent excursion into the back country.
It's small enough that we're comfortable running errands around town, and I believe we even took Harvey and Deena (Hardee) somewhere with us when the Tahoe was out of service.
I saw a picture of one on the web towing a CD22 but was never able to communicate with the owner.
Drove out from Denver in it to see Les and check out the CD - we were struck by the notion that the CD22 was a marine version of the Tiger; same scale.

Paul Priest
J.C.Lately
Sequim, WA
 
Paul,

That Tiger looks like an ideal RV for many things. I need 4WD just to get home in the winter months which a pickup based Class C would provide. The extensive use you have given it has certainly tested the quality.

Thanks,
Harper
 
We checked out Paul's Provan Tiger CX when they stopped by on a trip through here on their way to Denver. Only one we've been able to check out hands on. The Provan with 4x4, Diesel Duramax and Allison Transmission was number one on our list for retirement travel. Unfortunately for us that little package cost approximately $50,000 more then our new one ton Chev Crew Cab set up the same as we wanted with the Provan and a fully self contained truck camper. Its been a few years, but if I remember right set up like we wanted it was about $125,000. If we could have afforded it, even though smaller would rather have rather had the Provan. Like the CD22 for those wanting to access the places bigger can't reach its a great choice.
 
Earlier in this thread I mentioned the Chinook Class C with the molded fiberglass body built on a van chassis that went out of business a few years back.

We've just had the opportunity to buy one configured like we want from some people I have known most of my life for probably a great price. It only has approximately 10,000 miles on the odometer and appears to be in great shape. It obviously hasn't been used much so there would be some concern about engine seals, etc. The chassis is the Ford van with the V-10 engine. It would be great for pulling the boat on longer ventures. I hate hotels and Pat is not crazy about land camping on the boat.

If we seriously consider it we would sell the travel trailer but we would still have five vehicles for the two of us. Such a dilemma.

Harper
 
Harper the Chinook is a great RV--I wouldn't worry about the V 10 engine. They are real work horses. We have one in the 30' HolidayRambler we are trading in--and it had plenty of power to pull the C Dory 25 in the 30 foot Class A. I suspect that it will work out well even if it has not been run a lot.

Paul's rig really looks great Also!
 
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