I came across the desert(118d F) from 29 Palms to Lake Havasu in August one year on my motorcycle. I wet my suit down with ice in all the pockets and inside and still wound up with heat exhaustion. I sat on London Bridge with a couple of gallons of water from a convenience store and hydrated until I had the strength to continue on to Laughlin. The Ramada Inn never felt so good. I must have still been a bit wobbly as I had to walk a line for a state trooper before I could check in. To answer your question, no I do not think I want to spend too many (any) more summers out there.
The Cruising Adventures of Wild Blue and crew...
- Thread starter JamesTXSD
- Start date
The desert southwest (western AZ, NV, and southern CA) was our winter escape during much of the 90s. We enjoyed Havasu. It is interesting to see how much the area has grown since that time. As a winter residence, I think most folks from colder places would find it nice... if you can get used to the desert topography. I like to see some greenery. Lake Havasu is nice, but it's no Lake Powell (personal opinion). It's also no Gulf of Mexico. Further south is our preference (but I don't think we'll get our daughter and son-in-law to move anytime soon 8) ). I am missing the Tropical Tip and Wild Blue, so that may be coloring my opinion. 8)
Best wishes,
Jim
Best wishes,
Jim
retnavy":1bia7hd1 said:
In spite of all the accolades here about the versatility of our boats (as in: boaterhome), if we're spending several months in the desert, and not on the water, the 5th wheel is WAY more comfortable than the boat.
Right tool for the job. :wink:
We have trailered Wild Blue here several times... like on the way to/from the PNW and Lake Powell. Heck, the RV park we are in doesn't allow a cargo trailer (the reason we left ours at home this trip) - no way would they let us have a boat in here. :disgust No accounting for taste.
retnavy":1u09yczy said:
No only the extra expense, but then you have to choose to take one or the other!
With my wife, I have to have both, but for just me and the dog, who needs the RV?
(We have a 37 foot motorhome, but I wouldn't tow the CD-22 with it.)
Choices, choices = decisions, decisions, etc.!
Joe. :teeth :thup
retnavy":3framz4y said:
This is just one guy's opinion... and after decades of RVing all over the US, Canada and Mexico. Our boat has a comfortable berth, fridge, electrical system, microwave, etc. BUT, most of the water related stuff on the boat (sink, shower, toilet) is best used on the water. Most campgrounds forbid you to discharge gray water on the ground, and the sink and shower are both pumped/dumped overboard in our boats. The black tank is designed to either be pumped out or self-pumped with the macerator pump... not even close to the gravity-fed system of dumping black and grey tanks on an RV. And no "factory" way to connect a well-sealed sewer hose for dumping. So, you have partial functionality at best while on land. Some of us have tried the "RV sewer hose held over the macerator through-hull" routine... with varying degrees of success. If you are determined enough, you can make anything work. But making it work and having it easy/comfortable/convenient is quite different.
That said, we have frequently used the boat as our camping conveyance while on the road between cruising waters. We use the RV park's shower facilities, and put a dishpan in the sink and then discretely dump that in the sewer connection. Not quite as convenient as having large grey and black holding tanks as on our 5th wheel. There is also the "climb" into and out of the boat while on land. I consider the boat to be more like a "hard-sided tent" while on land. If you are used to tent camping, this will be a giant step up.
If you are buying the boat with the expectation that it will make a great "camper" for weeks at a time while on the road, you will probably be disappointed (especially if you have owned an RV). By the same token, our 5th wheel doesn't float worth a damn (that is an assumption, since we haven't tried it :wink: ).
While I was deciding how to finish off our cargo trailer (for hauling the motorcycle, tools, kayaks, etc), I monitored a forum called Teardrops and Tiny Trailers. There is a sizable group of folks who "camp" in small cargo trailers that they have converted. I think teardrop trailers are cute... but I've gotten used to being able to shower, watch some satellite TV, listen to satellite radio, have a kitchen that is inside, a comfortable bed that doesn't have to "convert" to something else... well, you get the idea. If you are going to weekend in a state park with size restrictions, a full-featured sizable RV could be too much. If you like to spend time in nice RV resorts, it is just right. And the boat is kinda similar... and absolutely perfect for swinging on the anchor or enjoying the marina atmosphere. I wouldn't try to take my C-Dory across an ocean, but it's a lot easier to trailer than a 40' motorsailor with a 6' draft.
Use what ya got, but understand the functionality. 8) On the water, the C-Dory is, indeed, a boaterhome... with plenty of seaworthiness. If you're only going to have one conveyance, you have to decide how you will really use it and what will best fit your needs.
Best wishes,
Jim
So many toys, so little time. I wonder if I were to have a boat built if I could order it with some sort of bayonet fitting connections on the gray water and black water overboards/pumpouts so it would be easy for boater homing and it wouldn't interfere with normal at sea modes? Any thoughts on the ease of converting those overboards?
retnavy":2v004o4f said:
With some machining (and forethought), it could be done. Our boat has the sink and waste fittings on one side of the boat, and the shower through-hull on the other side. It would look like an octopus with hoses coming out of various places on the boat. RVs and parks generally have all their connections on the port side of the vehicle/site. Also, RV sewer connections are made to accommodate the 3" sewer hose. No way would I want a 3" through hull in my boat. Granted, with the macerator, you could get by with a more typical garden hose. On RVs, the standard practice is to dump the black tank, followed by dumping the grey tank to use that water to help flush out the hose. There are both black and gray holding tanks on RVs. You don't have to dump everyday with an RV. Boats generally just dump or pump their grey water over the side as it's used (no grey tank) - meaning you'd have to have the hose(s) connected anytime you use water. And then there is that question of "how are you going to flush out that hose that you just used with the macerator output??). And where are you going to store it. One of the Brats mentioned that he has a 4" PVC pipe connected to the trailer to store a typical RV sewer hose... and that gets "flushed" when he launches and retrieves. I'd be careful about mentioning that out loud when at the ramp. :roll:
With work and fussing, you could probably make this work. Pity the poor boater who doesn't get the black connection tight and pumps poop all over his neighbor's site. RVs use gravity (and, yes, I've seen "accidents" with that set-up, but you can push the lever back in to stop the flow :disgust ).
I asked about "some sort of hose fitting" when we ordered our boat (that was two factory owners previous) and was told, "Not something we do; but you can do whatever you want with that once you've got the boat."
Realistically, I don't see a big market for this as a retrofit. I know some of the Brats here have come up with their own "system." Maybe a separate thread would bring out some of those answers? Most of us just don't shower in the boat and are careful using the sink when we are on land.
Best wishes,
Jim
El and Bill
New member
The desert southwest (Nevada) was our home for many years and we loved it, but we routinely left during the summer months.
On retiring, we kept returning during the cool months. RV parks were not our thing - living on a boat, in lonely coves, was our pleasure, so we shared wonderful long times on desert lakes. Lake Havasu was not our favorite -- ok -- but topographically not as interesting and overused.
We preferred Lake Mohave, Powell, and the eastern reaches of Lake Mead.
Everyone has their requirements and preferences. We simply prefer the
more quiet and natural areas - RV parks have their admirers.
On retiring, we kept returning during the cool months. RV parks were not our thing - living on a boat, in lonely coves, was our pleasure, so we shared wonderful long times on desert lakes. Lake Havasu was not our favorite -- ok -- but topographically not as interesting and overused.
We preferred Lake Mohave, Powell, and the eastern reaches of Lake Mead.
Everyone has their requirements and preferences. We simply prefer the
more quiet and natural areas - RV parks have their admirers.
Hi Bill and El,
We tried both (boating and RVing) at the same time for a number of years, towing a sailboat behind a motorcoach. Early on, it seemed like the best of both worlds... it quickly became more work than enjoyment. The inconvenience of not being able to pull into most campgrounds, or even stopping for lunch - you have to plan for that with nearly 80' of length. Not to mention having to drive separately - we needed a daily driver and something with some size to launch or separately tow the sailboat. Over the years, we did manage to simplify things with a small catboat and a Class B campervan.
These days, it's one or the other for us.
Bill and El, you have to understand that you two are the exception, or perhaps the "ideal" for minimalism. Don't get me wrong - it was your influence that convinced us that we could be happy in a C-Dory. But, happy in a different way from you two. We take more than three outfits; we like to have a shower everyday; we enjoy TV and satellite radio; and we will always be traveling with a furry family member. We have been together since we were kids, but we both like to have some elbow room. Had we bought a 22, it is likely we wouldn't have been as enamored with C-Dory cruising as we have. The 25 suits us. For us, it is our idea of minimalism. :wink:
I think everyone has their "least common denominator" for creature comforts... yours are below the threshold for some of us. But that difference doesn't make either of our styles wrong. It just means that one has to determine what best suits their need, and make their buying decisions accordingly. You have selected the boat that works best for you, as have we. And neither of our boats have the amenities of most motorhomes when on land.
Yes, we enjoy RV parks. And marinas. And quiet anchorages. We have stayed in campgrounds with our boat and in marinas (with RV sites) with our RVs. We find Lake Powell to be absolutely spiritual; but, we also enjoy the touristy feel of Lake Havasu or the casinos in Laughlin. You look at the mountains ringing the water and see layers of Kayenta Sandstone and evidence of recent volcanic activity, I see the color temperature of the light as the sun slips past the horizon. And, we both find the places magical.
When you wrote of your trip to Alaska with 5 people in your 22, my first thought was: how can they do that without wanting to kill each other?? But for you, it was a wonderful trip. Completely different perspectives.
When the questions of "boaterhome" and "Lake Havasu" came up, I tried to give our friend RetNavy our honest perspective. With over 300,000 miles in RVs, we also have different perspectives there.
I have to chuckle. While writing this post, Joan said, "You should probably dump the tanks." How's that for timing? I went outside, pulled a lever and turned a valve to flush the black tank; then closed a lever and opened two more for the gray tanks. Easy, 'cause that's the way it was designed. But, pull up to a marina pumpout station with our 5th wheel, and it ain't gonna work! They really are two different worlds. There is an ease to RVing that we enjoy; there is an escape to boating that we enjoy.
How wonderful that we can all approach our passion for these boats from different perspectives, use the boats in different ways, and enjoy them, and the places they take us, to the max. :thup Just like the boat, our RVs have always been "escape pods."
Best wishes,
Jim
We tried both (boating and RVing) at the same time for a number of years, towing a sailboat behind a motorcoach. Early on, it seemed like the best of both worlds... it quickly became more work than enjoyment. The inconvenience of not being able to pull into most campgrounds, or even stopping for lunch - you have to plan for that with nearly 80' of length. Not to mention having to drive separately - we needed a daily driver and something with some size to launch or separately tow the sailboat. Over the years, we did manage to simplify things with a small catboat and a Class B campervan.
These days, it's one or the other for us.
Bill and El, you have to understand that you two are the exception, or perhaps the "ideal" for minimalism. Don't get me wrong - it was your influence that convinced us that we could be happy in a C-Dory. But, happy in a different way from you two. We take more than three outfits; we like to have a shower everyday; we enjoy TV and satellite radio; and we will always be traveling with a furry family member. We have been together since we were kids, but we both like to have some elbow room. Had we bought a 22, it is likely we wouldn't have been as enamored with C-Dory cruising as we have. The 25 suits us. For us, it is our idea of minimalism. :wink:
I think everyone has their "least common denominator" for creature comforts... yours are below the threshold for some of us. But that difference doesn't make either of our styles wrong. It just means that one has to determine what best suits their need, and make their buying decisions accordingly. You have selected the boat that works best for you, as have we. And neither of our boats have the amenities of most motorhomes when on land.
Yes, we enjoy RV parks. And marinas. And quiet anchorages. We have stayed in campgrounds with our boat and in marinas (with RV sites) with our RVs.
We find Lake Powell to be absolutely spiritual; but, we also enjoy the touristy feel of Lake Havasu or the casinos in Laughlin. You look at the mountains ringing the water and see layers of Kayenta Sandstone and evidence of recent volcanic activity, I see the color temperature of the light as the sun slips past the horizon. And, we both find the places magical.When you wrote of your trip to Alaska with 5 people in your 22, my first thought was: how can they do that without wanting to kill each other?? But for you, it was a wonderful trip. Completely different perspectives.
When the questions of "boaterhome" and "Lake Havasu" came up, I tried to give our friend RetNavy our honest perspective. With over 300,000 miles in RVs, we also have different perspectives there.
I have to chuckle. While writing this post, Joan said, "You should probably dump the tanks." How's that for timing? I went outside, pulled a lever and turned a valve to flush the black tank; then closed a lever and opened two more for the gray tanks. Easy, 'cause that's the way it was designed. But, pull up to a marina pumpout station with our 5th wheel, and it ain't gonna work!
They really are two different worlds. There is an ease to RVing that we enjoy; there is an escape to boating that we enjoy.How wonderful that we can all approach our passion for these boats from different perspectives, use the boats in different ways, and enjoy them, and the places they take us, to the max. :thup Just like the boat, our RVs have always been "escape pods."
Best wishes,
Jim
Captains Cat
New member
Retnavy: I bought 4 copies, wanna rent one?
Charlie
Charlie
retnavy":2k9m5xwy said:Jim you write very well. If it were not for the title "Cat on a leash" I wouldprobably purchase your book
You know what tbey say about judging a book by its cover? Same goes for the title.
You can download a sample of the book here...
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/27714
Free. Well, the first 30%.
Captains Cat
New member
Maybe not at the library but on some e book sources, yes. We bought one for each daughter (who have cats) and one for us and sold one in our book group. They came inscribed by the author to the daughters (and their cats), to us (and our four cats). Spend a few bucks, you'll enjoy the story, it's as much about boats as cats. Look at Jim's blog, you'll see why.
I don't get a commission (but shoud :lol: ) Have never met Jim, or the Blonde, or Izzy or Molly but feel as if I have. I will actually do it sooner or later!!
Sorry for the hijack Jim but feel forgiveness is in the wind!
Charlie
I don't get a commission (but shoud :lol: ) Have never met Jim, or the Blonde, or Izzy or Molly but feel as if I have. I will actually do it sooner or later!!
Sorry for the hijack Jim but feel forgiveness is in the wind!
Charlie