2" ball goes up to 10k lbs in most cases with a 1.25" shank.
2" ball goes up to 10k lbs in most cases with a 1.25" shank.
I guess I am spoiled living 10 minutes from the lake, so is every trip to the lake involve you taking both the boat and the camper? If that was my situation I would look into a campground where I could keep camper all season and then just haul boat there on the weekends. Then at the end of the season just make 2 trips. My wife couldnt tow or back either so I dont see a need.
Not every trip, no... but certainly some! Since we are only 1.5 hours from the lake, I forsee LOTS of saturday day trips where the trailer will stay home. But I also predict plenty of Sat-Sun, and Fri-Sat-Sun trips as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mxmark4
There is a second lake we go to a couple times a year that is 3 hours away, where we go for a full week, or maybe 4 or 5 days. So there are certainly going to be plenty of trips where I need both the trailer and the boat. If we only went to 1 lake, and it was closer (like you, 10 minutes away... you bastard! :) ), I could just shuttle both with a single truck by doing 2 trips. But even 1.5 hours away, which is relatively close, is too far to go with a single truck. That would be 4.5 hours of driving each way.
I definitely wouldnt want to shuttle 2 like that for that kind of round trip.But if I did it once a season it wouldnt be so bad. Its like having a lake house without the property maintance hassles. I want to take our teardrop and camp some this next year at Norris. My wifes car could tow it but I honestly dont trust her to pull it up there. Do you really need 2 dailys like you currently have? If you could put wife in an Suv that could tow the camper I think that is probably the best way to get it done short of picking a lake you love and sticking the camper there all season. It was actually pretty cheap for my parents. Like 250 a month, so factor that cost in versus 4-600 a month for a second tow vehicle. Just about the same cost for a slip at our local marinas. Seems to be a lot easier to find a campground spot for the summer than a covered slip at a marina in this current market too.
Got one last option for you and that to get a low boy equipment trailer and a semi and put both on the trailer and haul it all at once. Only need a 100k semi truck a 50k trailer and a cdl but hey its just money. One vehicle and one trip and stick the wife kids and dog in the sleeper cab.
Yep, we both work.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mxmark4
I agree, except large SUVs that can tow cost a lot of money... more than keeping her daily and buying an inexpensive 1/2 ton. No SUV that I know can tow our travel trailer. My F150 is about maxed out as it is, at 11,300 lbs towing capactity. I think the boat's overall wet weight will be quite a bit lighter than the camper trailer... so we are still looking for options around the 8 to 9k towing capactity SUVs... I just hate putting daily miles on expensive cars like that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mxmark4
Certainly wasn't planning on another car payment for the second tower... looking at used 1/2tons under 20k. I wasn't aware you could keep a trailer at a campground for an entire summer. I don't think you can do that here... Ill maybe look at that as an option.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mxmark4
LOL..Quote:
Originally Posted by Mxmark4
I have not seen many locations in the pacNW that you can do that with. most campgrounds/lakes in the west are state/federal owned and have a 2 week limit or are not in improved areas where you would not want to leave it sitting all summer if you value it. it was pretty common in the midwest where the poster's location shows due to so much private land and we knew a lot of people in wisconsin that had "summer" places that were rv's on lots either on or next to water.Quote:
Originally Posted by CptAmerica
How about finding a storage lot near the far away lake you camp at, or at an in-between place. Gets the trailer out of your yard, costs less, and makes the turn-around half, and you only need one vehicle.
When we would camp with our boat, I would go to the storage yard the night before and get the fridge started, and pick up the boat from storage. The next AM ferry the boat up and drop it in the overflow parking on the AM of check in (2pm), then head back to town to pick up trailer.
We would go shopping on way back, wife would load the groceries while I hooked up, then we’d swing by house, pick up dogs and other necessities, and head back to lake 50 min one way.
Then we’d get trailer set up in our spot. I’d go place the beach lines, then we’d go get the boat from overflow and launch. My wife would get the Bimini set up and take a pleasure cruise as I dropped the boat trailer off in overflow, then drove truck back to camp.
I’d meet her at the beach, hop on, and go for an afternoon session. Back in the cove, set anchor, attach beach lines, then head to the trailer and make dinner and cocktails.
We had the whole routine down starting at 7am and ending at 2:30 when I boarded the boat. It was a lot of driving, which I think if you found a mid-point to store your trailer, you could stop along the way and get your fridge running, drop your boat off, return back to trailer, then head to camp.
No need to buy a 2nd truck, or store the 2nd truck with the trailer at mid-point or closer.
My 2 cents ain’t worth 2 cents, bought might stimulate some conversation.
Making my new SA build come true!!!
Man! After reading this and several of the other comments, it makes you realize how much work having fun can be! [emoji38] LOL!Quote:
Originally Posted by 2in2out
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Imagine doing it 9 times in one summer! But I had 38 days of campfires and surf sessions that year. That doesn’t include the day trips either.Quote:
Originally Posted by HFarr
Making my new SA build come true!!!
Sell the trailer. Find a lake house and be done.....lol
Tell me about it. Our season in NC is not over yet although it’s starting to get chilly. We’ve towed almost 2k miles. Add all the prep/clean/maintenance.Quote:
Originally Posted by HFarr
But it’s always worth it [emoji4]
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We're in the same situation. We have a 43' toy hauler and our Makai. Last year my wife came up with the idea of driving my F250 as her daily driver as her Tahoe really didnt like pulling the Makai all that much. So traded the tahoe off on a F350 for the toy hauler. I have a cheap car for my daily driver vs driving the F350 every day. We are only about 25 miles from the lake so pretty quick to set up most weekends. But we also take a few long trips each year so the F350 is better suited for that.
It's incredible, really!Quote:
Originally Posted by HFarr
This is the way to go... Maybe i need a second jobQuote:
Originally Posted by Holdmybeer
You and me both!Quote:
Originally Posted by CptAmerica
Having a place on the lake certainly does make things easier. No doubt. I know timing is everything with property values, but if you can find the right deal, just do it. It will pay off. Especially if you have kids. We bought a fixer upper with no dock about 4 years ago. Fixed it up and built a dock with double lifts. 2 hour drive from where we live, but no getting boat ready, towing, or packing up all sorts of extra clothes, food supplies etc. Just take the cover off and hit the lift switch. I wish we had done it 10 years earlier. Time with the kids and their friends is just priceless! My advise to everyone is if you can find something do it! You won't regret it if you love the water.
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I'm in Ohio. All the lakes around me are state parks, and the private ones are too small to enjoy or too shallow to do anything. I would be looking at a 4-6hr drive to get to anything good and Lake Cumberland stopped permitting docks in 1994 so the grandfathered houses are priced hella high.Quote:
Originally Posted by HFarr
We have been looking consistently, but being 300 miles from our lake house and/or boat would mean no more after work sets.
Why is having fun so complicated?
A few years back there was a company that would advertise really heavily for lake lots on Norris. Like 29k for lake view with a slip. Lots with no lake views were like 9 k. Had I been more into boating back then I would have probably jumped on it. Only thing is they were way up on the Lafollette side of Norris and from where im at that would make it like an hour plus ride to get there from my house. With property values where they are now, I definitely wish I had jumped on it back then.
I think there are a few developments like that on Norris. We stayed in a house in Rock Harbor and it was really nice, but holy steep hills. Almost absurdly steep subdivision roads.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mxmark4
Had to launch at public marina, then dock at rock harbor community marina.
Tons of 1/3 to 1/2 acre lots. 10k-30k a few lake front lots around 125k, walking distance to community marina, 60k
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My issue with Norris property (not the lake) is that I can find "affordable" lots with lake views or even water front, but to build I need to clear a mountain side, build a road, dig into mountain for foundation, and all with TVA approval. 10+ years ago this would be at reasonable cost, but now it is not something I just couldn't do with current life and fun cost.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mxmark4
Curious where you're located. We've been doing two tow vehicles since,,, forever basically. Full size SUVs for the boat, and as the trailers got bigger the trucks got bigger. Both have always been daily drivers - we don't really have the luxury of having a used car lot at home.Quote:
Originally Posted by CptAmerica
Thankfully my wife didn't mind towing the boat but now we've been passing the torch down to the kids (18 and 20) and they handling it like pros.
Pacific Northwest... Lake Cushman, Lake Crescent, and Riffe Lake. We are lucky that we have some property, and room for 5 cars in my garage. Once the boat takes up the 3rd bay, we will end up with 1 boat and 3 vehcles in the garage (both tow trucks, and wife's civic)... My daily driver in the driveway.Quote:
Originally Posted by bergermaister
We've played with the numbers enough to see that the most affordable way to do it, is 2 dedicated two vehicles that remain for only tow duty. This keeps them from having to be replaced very often at all, and we simply replace the dailys as they wear out. A little more cost up front... but will start saving money after a few years.
2 tow trucks for us. I tow the toy hauler with the F250 and husband tows the boat with his F150 eco boost. Have a tacoma for a daily and with hard work they are all paid off. Need a new 3/4 ton but.. new trailer took that spot. All is well until you need to tow the toy hauler with the 1/2 ton... not super safe.