Lifelong boater/sailor new to RV lifestyle

TimeOutRV · 08-21-2013, 01:05 PM

My wife, Stacey, has always loved camping more but she knows my past included growing up motor or sail boating on inland lakes or cruising the Bahamas as a kid. We usually owned a cabin cruiser or chartered a larger trawler for many of these trips. We were never a camping family.

So when I got older I bought a sailboat and spent many a weekend and nights all year round "camping" out and sailing with others on my lake.

When we got married, she talked about wanting to go camping but I was never as comfortable about it. SO the RV idea started to ruminate as we talked about buying a larger more comfortable sailboat...

I love the idea now, that we can go ANYWHERE! Plus we can take along our little 19' trailerable sailboat, too!

We just purchased a new-to-us 2013 Coachmen Leprechaun 317SAF 32' Class C motor home! We loved the layout with the side access hallway to the rear of the home, the fully enclosed head/shower and the L shaped galley! The fit and finish is as beautiful as any boat I've owned and we're taking delivery this Saturday! We are also immediately heading out to give her a test run at a near by, well equipped area.

I'll report how it goes!

I've been a member of many many forums for everything from photography, design, computers, music, keyboards, guitars...boating, sailing (still at trailer sailor site these days under our names Patrick & Stacey)... I enjoy learning about my interests AND I GIVE BACK with advice when I can, as I learn and if it's something I know about. I look forward to building the community!

Thanks all!
Patrick & Stacey Burnett
Central Arkansas

Triguy · 08-21-2013, 01:21 PM

Welcome and congratulation on the new Leprechaun, Patrick & Stacey!!

Really good to have you aboard!

**Terier** · 08-21-2013, 08:43 PM

Welcome to the forum! Please do keep us updated on how things are going. We love pictures so feel free to share.

Lloydg · 08-21-2013, 08:53 PM

Congratulations! I went from sailing a 25' Catalina on Lake Erie, to backpacking where if wasn't on my back it didn't go, to now owning a 33' fifth wheel. It's amazing how life takes you down so many trails. Enjoy your new venture.

TimeOutRV · 08-21-2013, 09:27 PM

Thanks for the warm welcome! As a member of many other forums for my other hobbies, I can't believe I forgot to post some pics!!

John4th · 08-22-2013, 05:56 AM

Welcome! My parents had a Catalina 22' sailboat through my youth. We sailed it on Indiana inland lakes as well as the Gulf of Mexico a couple times.

TimeOutRV · 08-22-2013, 08:51 AM

My sailboat as also a Catalina! A 1982 C25 with the dreaded giant swing keel! :/

I bought her for cheap dilapidated and growing green and black stuff, 7 years later when I sold her, she was completely restored, including grinding about 200 blisters off the bottom, doing some fiberglass repair and new bottom! I learned a lot!

That's one of the reasons I think my wife feels comfortable doing this RV thing, she knows we can fix or mod most anything! If there's one thread about RV'ing I've picked up on so far is it's good to be a handy person!

stevengb · 08-22-2013, 08:35 PM

Welcome to RVing and the forum! We love sailing also... Helped my dad redo a bottom with blisters on a Spirit28. Lots of work but loved that boat. We now have a little 16' Neptune. Fun to combine the camping and sailing at the lake not too far from home. Hope you enjoy your rig... Looks pretty sweet!

Click image for larger version

Name: image-1051856591.jpg
Views: 127
Size: 47.6 KB
ID: 38448

AquaMan · 08-22-2013, 08:53 PM

Welcome to the forum! I also have a Catalina, a 27 that I'm in the midst of restoring.

TimeOutRV · 08-22-2013, 09:38 PM

We currently own a 1998 seaward fox with the carbon fiber freestanding cat rig. We got last August and spent the winter restoring. You can see our results on our blog. We love her and look forward to using both the rv and boat together occasionally. Although I'm a little concerned with what it will be like at the ramp putting her in the water.

The dealer is installing a front hitch for us and the boat only has a 19" keel, so with careful planning and some patience, we hope it's possible with the long overhang of the 32' leprechaun.

Any advice?

John4th · 08-22-2013, 10:27 PM

Yup, I remember the heavy center board. Hand-cranked from inside the cabin. Dad bought in new in '82, sold it around '02 or '03.

Guy that bought it restored it. Did a beautiful job. The wood teak, new upholstery on the cabin cushions, made it look like new. Last I heard it was on Lake Monroe in Bloomington, IN.

rwtdct · 08-23-2013, 06:17 AM

Welcome from the central coast of California

stevengb · 08-23-2013, 06:51 AM

You might have an extension made for your trailer. We had a 8' for our Spirit28 because it was a deep fin keel. Was a pain because you had to back it to the water edge, than chock it in hitch it than move vehicle and add extension... But it did the job!

stevengb · 08-23-2013, 06:53 AM

Of course we only had to do that every couple of years... Would be a hassle doing that all the time launching and retrieving.

TimeOutRV · 08-23-2013, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevengb

You might have an extension made for your trailer. We had a 8' for our Spirit28 because it was a deep fin keel. Was a pain because you had to back it to the water edge, than chock it in hitch it than move vehicle and add extension... But it did the job!

I thought about having the extension added. YES, we won't be taking the boat every trip, just a few special occasions, thankfully, AND the three places likely we'd take it have boat yards or ramps with lots of options like tractor services to launch for you ($10!) or long low ramps 10 lanes wide (Lake Powell).

Thanks!!

You may also like: