Caravan & Boat?

[limecc]

For a while now we have been taking our Sevylor Colorado inflatable Kayak with us on holiday, it normally lives in the awning and I carry it in the boot of the car, but now have plans to purchase a powered craft to take as well.

Any members go boating while caravanning? How do you go on? I guess there are several different options on this. What kind of boat do you have, rigid or inflatable, engine size etc?

[limecc]

I took the plunge in October last year and purchased a brand new vessel HMS Limecc.
Here she is moored in Salcombe in June:

I was forced to buy a spare carry bag so I could reduce the weight lifted onto the roofbars. I strapped the main inflatable to a section of ladder which I was able to lean against the roofbars and then lift and pivot the 63kgs through 90 degrees into position on the roof, all single handed.

The girls had great fun getting it onto the plane, I have a towable tube and some water skis I think it's good for some 20+ knots with the 20hp fuel injected Suzuki outboard. The transom wheels assist launching and landing.

[limecc]

Decided in June after hauling the heavy boat countless times uphill through soft sand it was not a situation that could continue. We were carrying minimum equipment and couldn't lighten up so we sold up and got a trailered boat.

Only downside is home storage and the need to either take both cars or make two journeys to our holiday destination. Its all about compromise but it was worth it going from a soft hull to a rigid hull because the sea going capability is magnitudes better. Also it's great having extras like sonar and chart plotter!

I worked out how to stand on the trailer to launch and retrieve while Gaynor and dogs are already onboard to avoid getting wet feet. No need to get the car wheels wet either.

Went up the river Tamar a couple of days ago on falling water and cut it too fine on the return, shouldn't have ordered the food we did at Calstock as they were too slow to serve. Only 3.9ft deep in one place!

[richardB]

What you need is a motor home

[limecc]

Lol great idea but I'd sooner have this 2007 Gemini I saw for sale in Dartmouth and have change to spare. Floating mobile home!