GL: Boat vs Trailer

[M S]

I would warn against the assumption that a boat will go up in value. If it does great, but I would do the analysis on the assumption it will lose value. This is not an investment vehicle.
   
  The sky is the limit in what you can spend with either option (especially if you go new). Assuming you are looking to buy used, a $70,000 40ft trawler is probably a fixer upper or at least you are going to want to make some significant modifications to make it livable. In a truck/trailler combo, that is probably a real nice setup that you can take off in now. 
   
  We went the boat route for a couple of reasons. One, we really like to be on the water. Two, in a another 15-20 years we may not be as physically able to handle a boat, so do it now.
   
  We have talked about moving into a camper at some point. Growing up my family traveled extensively by camper and still do. The heavy depretiation works in our favor. I don't care about having the biggest and shinniest 5th wheel (Be careful of going too large or you may have trouble pulling it up some hills or going into tight areas. There's this one time I got left on the side of the road because we couldn't make it up the hill and....I have lot's of those kinds of stories and that is with a 28' travel trailer.) A couple of years ago, my brother-in-law picked up a mid 90's 3/4 ton with diesel for about $10K. It should be able to pull just about anything. I've seen medium large 5th wheels in the want adds for $20-30K. Even if you set aside $10K for upgrades and repairs, you are only looking at $40-50K. Having lived on the boat now and knowing what we need and willing to do some fixing up, I could probably drop that to $30K for the truck/trailer combo. A lot of this comes
 down to what are you comfortable with. 

Living expenses are a whole different ballgame. There are always exceptions, and careful planning can help a lot. But, unless you want to live in a parking lot, you will be paying for a campground most nights. My experience is they are a little bit less per night, but not dramatically. A lot depends on the area and the facitlities. As long as you are comfortable anchoring, you get some of the nicest spots for free. Many of the historical cities you will visit by boat are centered around the waterfront. While it may not be the cheapest place to stay you are right there within walking distance of the sites.
   
  Sorry for rambling, hope this helps.

       
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