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Motorhome to launch your 'bu?


xx29l9

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Wife and I have been kicking around the idea of finding a nice used diesel pusher motorhome to ramble around in. I talked with a couple people about pulling/launching our boat behind it....pulling is not an issue. They recommended finding someone in the campground and slipping them a $20 for launch or loading of boat. While I would definately do that on a short/crowded/steep ramp.....what about some of the flatter ones that have good traction? Anyone launch/retrieve their boat using their larger sized motorhomes? Just wondering.

 

Bob

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My folks used to do it when they had a motorhome and a boat. Dad never had trouble. 

To me the bigger issue would be having to break camp if you couldn’t leave the boat on the whole time you were there. 

We go with a truck and 5er, and tow the Bu with a Yukon (tried towing tandem, but the Bu is just too big). More than once I’ve lanunched/retrieved for someone else. I’ve never accepted money for doing so though. 

Edited by RyanB
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Lol! My 1979 Bendix probably wouldn’t make it the half mile to the boat launch. So no, it stays in the site and we use the F-150. 

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I use my motorhome to launch the boat when I have all of the following conditions.  1. Going to leave the boat in the water for multiple days.  2.  There is plenty of room to turn the motorhome  3. There is a flat place to park the motorhome so the fridge still works.  There is so much weight on the tires I've never had a traction issue...I do have a Super C with a significant amount of motorhome behind the rear wheels and it's pretty high so no risk of the motorhome getting wet.  If I don't have all of those conditions I usually have a buddy launch my boat or have the wife drive the SUV.

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I do an annual guys' trip where either myself or another buddy provide the boat (SLXi or MC 23') and another friend provides transportation/lodging with his 40' diesel pusher. He's never had any trouble launching or retrieving the boats. Of course, he has some pretty mad skills having been a long haul truck driver in a previous life. 

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Years ago there were some pro wakeboarders in town and I watched them retrieve their boat with a Prevost motorhome. They had to pull way up to get the rig straight but one they were it was a straight back. Would be a royal pain in the butt at the ramp I use a lot.

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I have thought about it, but have never tried to launch or retrieve the boat with one of the motorhomes we have had.  We have always arranged to meet up with friends who brought a vehicle that we could launch/retrieve with.  One time I had a friend drop her car off at our house and then she drove our Tahoe to the campground and lake.

Edited by obski
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Well, our very low ball offer was accepted....looks like we are getting a motorhome. I'll get used to it for awhile before trying to squeeze in the middle of a busy 3 wide ramp with a long line waiting. Nothing more entertaining than hanging out near a boat ramp....

Bob 

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Congrats on the purchase. I have done this in the past with 31-foot class C. Certainly doable, but it's a lot to manage and I always worry about something going horribly wrong and losing the boat and RV to the lake. We usually take the RV plus a truck pulling the boat to keep it easy. Just my .02.

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  • 8 months later...
54 minutes ago, tvano said:

@xx29l9 you have mad crafting skills and much more patience than i do.

just how did that story end w launch/retrieve w the motorhome?

Short answer....haven't tried it yet. The first time I hooked the boat/trailer up to the motorhome when I tested the trailer lights I had blinkers, brakes but no parking lights. Seems that when the previous owner had his vehicle tow setup installed, they don't have a brown parking light wire active where it should be. In fact I can't find any hot wire at the plug for parking lights. So I might have to try and dig into the wiring and see where this mystery brown wire is tied into the harness. Not going to be fun cause not far from the plug it disappears into a jacket and then up into the chassis and out of sight. Good news is I will wire the model motorhome correctly to my specs. At least I got that going for me.

Bob

  • Like 2
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On 6/20/2018 at 3:09 PM, UWSkier said:

Go for it!!!

attachment.php?attachmentid=131330&d=146

I did it years back and this was my biggest fear. I know several people that almost lost their trucks from putting it in park and getting out on a slick ramp with it not being in 4wd. I think one of them is a member on here.

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2 hours ago, MLBurns said:

I did it years back and this was my biggest fear. I know several people that almost lost their trucks from putting it in park and getting out on a slick ramp with it not being in 4wd. I think one of them is a member on here.

That happened to a friend of mine in WI.  Backed trailer down in 2WD and put truck in Park.  Got out and truck started sliding.  Fortunately an open door wedged against a dock piling or the whole works would have ended up in the drink.

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4 hours ago, MLBurns said:

I did it years back and this was my biggest fear. I know several people that almost lost their trucks from putting it in park and getting out on a slick ramp with it not being in 4wd. I think one of them is a member on here.

 Help a non physics major understand why a vehicle in park in 4wd vs a vehicle in park in 2wd is going to slide more or less when in “park”. 

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Obviously the condition of your ramp is critical.  We launch and retrieve our A24 with our 36’ gasser with no problem.  Backing is backing regardless with what you’re using.  

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martinarcher
2 hours ago, Pnwrider said:

 Help a non physics major understand why a vehicle in park in 4wd vs a vehicle in park in 2wd is going to slide more or less when in “park”. 

If the 4WD vehicle had 4WD engaged on the ramp, putting it in park would lock all 4 wheels.  In 2WD only the rear axle would lock in park.

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I have looked a couple times at a motor home setups but it’s seems to me finding a motor home with the capacity to tow a 22’+ wakeboat is not that easy.  I haven’t ever been that serious about it but most that I have looked at have a 5k - 7k max tow rating and that doesn’t cut it for any of the boats I have owned. 

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