Re: Boat or RV ?
Not certain, but I think part of the dilemma with the RV is that the idea was mentioned to us from a friend who has never owned an RV. By that I mean our initial impression of RV life was that of striking out on the open road and experiencing the wide open frontiers out west.
After investigating a little, it sounds more like traveling from one crammed RV park to another and living in close proximity to other people, their kids, their pets and their noise. We already live in a sub-division with zero lot lines and all the nuisances that come along with that. Don't get me wrong, we are not anti-social; we love people. But we also love peace and quiet. If RV life means living in a crowded campground, it makes me wonder what is the attraction ?
Not all campgrounds are created equal, sometimes the camp sites are side by side with no privacy whatsoever, and others have much more distance and trees between sites. Then again, I'm talking about real campgrounds, I've never understood why anyone wanted to camp in a gravel parking lot. (I.E RV PARK) but, I guess it's because most of them park their RV there and never move it all summer, you can't do that in a state or federal campground.
I don't know how it is everywhere in the country, but when I look for campgrounds around here I look for ones that start with the words, "Army corp of Engineers".... I find these to be the best to my personal liking.
It sounds to me like what you want to do is travel, so a RV is clearly the way to go. But, most everyone on this site is thinking the same thing, Why not both?
I want both, but I'm younger (41) and can't afford both just yet, so I got the boat first and plan to get a pop-up next year (for now, I'm still tentin it). but you said Class A, so I'm guessin a popup isn't what you're lookin for, I'm assuming you want something to live in for extended periods of time. But if "on the move" is what you're intending, and your more outdoorsy than "flatscreen TV and a couch", the popup is really easy to pull around and will save on gas.
I like the suggestions about renting both and seeing which you like best, that's what I would do. And you know, it goes both ways, You can always pull your RV around the country and rent a boat whenever and where-ever, you decide. Of course you could pull your boat and rent cabins and hotel rooms.
With the little information given... I'd say the RV is for you, but who knows? Go rent you a boat, rent you an RV. I don't know where you are at financially, but you can pick up a suitable RV (Maybe not class A, I dunno) and a used bowrider/pontoon... Not gonna break your bank I doubt, one doesn't work out, back on craigslist it goes.
