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  1. #1

    Question traveling options

    Hey guys, this could be a long question ?

    So, my 2023 D-max is fully kitted for touring, basically one person or 2 very friendly people ( Roof top tent thing ). I have fridge, stove, pantry, full solar, hot water shower blah blah blah...

    I also have a fold out off road camper trailer ( Austrack Savannah-X ) 2 double beds and all the fruit. It has a boat loader roof rack, but really a 3 mtr tinnie is all you'd put up there.

    Stay with me.................................

    I was thinking of upgrading to a caravan... either pop top or full size... something around the 19 - 21ft mark... off grid type.

    But I have been thinking lately ( due to missing my big platey Sportfish ) that maybe I could combine a caravan / boat thing.

    hear me out...... maybe a 6.5 - 7.2mtr platey, with onboard shower, toilet, fridge, stove etc... full length targa top and canvas sides that roll down. It would have to peak at 3ton.... ish. ( my old sportfish came in under 2ton loaded.. and it was 6.25mtrs )

    The idea is to tow this thing around, launch if fishing . touring, whale watching, diving is on the cards,,,,, and can also be used as a sleeping accommodation, left at camp or caravan park and just take the D-max for day trips, tours, look-sees ?

    I know it is now ideal, but I can't tow a camper and a boat.....

    Any thoughts, pro's , cons, options, ideas.... ?


    cheers LP
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  2. #2
    Ausfish Addict tunaticer's Avatar


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    Re: traveling options

    I'd probably opt for a kitchen in the boat and a swag....or netted hammock under a targa top.
    Then again im happy with a few bog rolls, a chair, a small table, a swag and a tarp for extended periods...
    Jack.

  3. #3
    Ausfish Platinum Member


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    Re: traveling options

    This is the exact reason we went for a single cab ute and a ute back camper. We wanted some creature comforts, including an air con bed, but needed to tow a boat. We travelled a lot years ago without a boat and will never do that again. We got our custom made by Dynamic Engineering (Slide on Campers) as we didn't want a ute back that looked like a cut in half van.

    Using the boat as a Van, we had a mate that used to do exactly this with his 640 Extreme Game King. There were a few challenges, most of your gear is in your car, so it's not all in the boat when fishing, so you've got to get it all out when cooking etc, and the climbing up and down constantly was a pain, he used to carry a fold up work platform to get up and down all the time. You can definitely do it, it would be better than going somewhere with no boat, just need to set up accordingly for it.
    I'd look at similar to what we've got and have the hot water systems, shower, cooking etc mostly on the car, unless you're prepping to live out on the boat on the water, this way you're not overloading the boat with gear that you just need around the camp.
    Cheers
    Corry

  4. #4
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    Re: traveling options

    How about a cruise and throw a rod off the back best of both worlds ,or get another tow vehicle and get the misses to tow the van and you tow the boat.

    Or get a tow truck put the mux and van on it and tow the boat behind best of both worlds again but more diesel.

  5. #5

    Re: traveling options

    Well, I don't have a missus............ but I do have a travel buddy.

    I also travel a lot, solo.......

    Here is my recent ( this weekend just gone ) set up at Bribie Island. Attachment 127659

    I have been looking at boats..... figured a 6 - 6.5 will do the job nicely for 2 people to even spend a couple of days onboard offshore somewhere.

    LP
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  6. #6
    Ausfish Addict Dignity's Avatar


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    Re: traveling options

    Quote Originally Posted by Lucky_Phill View Post
    Well, I don't have a missus............ but I do have a travel buddy.

    I also travel a lot, solo.......

    Here is my recent ( this weekend just gone ) set up at Bribie Island. Attachment 127659

    I have been looking at boats..... figured a 6 - 6.5 will do the job nicely for 2 people to even spend a couple of days onboard offshore somewhere.

    LP
    The attachment doesn't work for me unfortunately.
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  7. #7
    Ausfish Addict Lovey80's Avatar


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    Re: traveling options

    Quote Originally Posted by Corry View Post
    This is the exact reason we went for a single cab ute and a ute back camper. We wanted some creature comforts, including an air con bed, but needed to tow a boat. We travelled a lot years ago without a boat and will never do that again. We got our custom made by Dynamic Engineering (Slide on Campers) as we didn't want a ute back that looked like a cut in half van.

    Using the boat as a Van, we had a mate that used to do exactly this with his 640 Extreme Game King. There were a few challenges, most of your gear is in your car, so it's not all in the boat when fishing, so you've got to get it all out when cooking etc, and the climbing up and down constantly was a pain, he used to carry a fold up work platform to get up and down all the time. You can definitely do it, it would be better than going somewhere with no boat, just need to set up accordingly for it.
    I'd look at similar to what we've got and have the hot water systems, shower, cooking etc mostly on the car, unless you're prepping to live out on the boat on the water, this way you're not overloading the boat with gear that you just need around the camp.
    im keen to see picks of your set up. Loaded for travel and set up at camp.
    Democracy: Simply a system that allows the 51% to steal from the other 49%.

  8. #8
    Ausfish Platinum Member marto78's Avatar


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    Re: traveling options

    I've been toying with the idea of putting a couple of roof top tents on the boat trailer but designing them so that they can be jacked off for extended stays in one area or when fishing local.
    Enough room for the family to stay in and can leave the car as the kitchen etc.

    The only downside I can see to your idea is that if you go out fishing when you get back to shore your sleeping quarters will still smell fishy

  9. #9
    Ausfish Addict NAGG's Avatar


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    Re: traveling options

    A few years back up a Lucinda a couple next to us had a jack off canopy with a very decent looking custom roof top tent arrangement . The canopy was fully decked out on one side (kitchen , fridge etc. - It was very user friendly & even with some heavy overnight rain - no issues .
    They were mobile & could tow their boat to the ramp & come back to their set up camp ....... very cool.

    Chris
    Give a man a fish & he will eat for a day !
    Teach him how to fish
    & he will sit in a boat - & drink beer all day!
    TEAM MOJIKO

  10. #10
    Ausfish Platinum Member marto78's Avatar


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    Re: traveling options

    My aunt and uncle run a set up like this on their amorok and spent a few months living out of it up the gulf last year.

    It's a pretty good idea as you still have all the ute space to collect firewood when needed

  11. #11
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    Re: traveling options

    Quote Originally Posted by Lovey80 View Post
    im keen to see picks of your set up. Loaded for travel and set up at camp.
    I really need to do a bit of a video or some photo's of our set up, so many ask us about it and I'm really bad at taking photo's (none of these have me in them ). We are always looking at ways to improve our set up and get ideas from what others are doing and what we see around the place, so I should get off my ass and do something up of what we've got so far and hopefully it can help someone else out.
    We looked at all sorts of options, but as LP was saying, you really need a boat when travelling, other than that we found we just spend short periods of time at places, and moved on, with the boat we stay longer and fish and explore the area. We looked at Palomino and Jayco slide-ons, but didn't really want anything that looked like a cut down caravan, we wanted to still get into car parks, and still have the option of removing it from the Ute. This one unbolts and sets up stand alone in about 20 minutes, it then gives us the car to launch the boat and explore.
    One of the most questions I get asked is about the air con in the camper, it is 240v, just a caravan splitty, 12v just isn't an option. We run it off the genny, and we camp remote and alone.

    The car is self sufficient for as long as we want, but water is our limiting factor. We carry 100l of water under the tray, the shower is a Joolca gas heat exchanger, we also have a Glind heat exchanger under the bonnet. We use a Jetboil Basecamp system for cooking, and opted not to have a slide out kitchen as we don't like cooking where we sleep. To solve the water problem I'm looking at setting the new Aluvan trailer up with twin tanks, 100l of water and 100l of spare fuel for the boat and genny. It's a pity Aluvan weren't great at communication when we got the boat built, there is so much else we now need to modify and add to finish it off, and it's all gotta be done soon for our Gulf/Cape trip mid year.
    We've got twin fridges, a 40l Engel on a drop slide, and a slide drawer we use as a freezer, we also have a fridge in each boat, 75l dual zone in the big boat and 32l Engel in the Aluvan.

    This might be a bit of an overload for here, but here's some photo's from some trips in the past. The Top Ender has now been given to one of our kids and replaced with the Aluvan Tinny.
    Camper open.jpg Cruiser and Aluvan.jpg Cruiser and CC.jpg Cruiser and TE Roper.jpg Cruiser at Camp.jpg Cruiser at lunch.jpg Cruiser in Kakadu.jpg Crusier at Alice.jpg
    Cheers
    Corry

  12. #12
    Ausfish Addict Lovey80's Avatar


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    Re: traveling options

    Thanks Corry,

    this is my travelling set up. I did a thread on the new trailer build back in 2011/12

    https://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/sh...hlight=trailer

    Having issues uploading photos. Let's see if this works.

    The first one is the camper/tent unloaded from the trailer at the camp site. The second one is the tent opened up still on the trailer as if you were to pull over on the side of the road for an overnight stay.

    IMG_2278.jpgIMG_0381.jpg

    The upsides of the set up are that I got to keep the boat I wanted and having custom built the trailer myself its a beast of a touring set up. The down sides are that you pretty much have to take the camper off to launch the boat. There would be some ramps where you can get it on and off but it would be a pain. Also, the camping set up isn't as quick as your regular roof top tent. And if you want to set the full thing up for a few days or a week then you need at least two people to get the tent fully set up.

    Trailer is going strong after 12 years. I am now so glad that I went to the expense of stainless and full ally. Ive replaced the springs, shocks and airbags once in the last 12 years. The original hubs/discs/calipers/swing arms are all from the original build and look like they will last another decade.

    Only disappointing thing is that I haven't used it enough. I am thinking of going larger on the "creek/bay' boat so this set up will probably go in the next couple of years.
    Democracy: Simply a system that allows the 51% to steal from the other 49%.

  13. #13
    Ausfish Platinum Member


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    Re: traveling options

    Quote Originally Posted by Lovey80 View Post
    Only disappointing thing is that I haven't used it enough. I am thinking of going larger on the "creek/bay' boat so this set up will probably go in the next couple of years.
    I think that's the issue for all of us unfortunately. We've said that we're going to make more of an effort to get away more this year, see how that goes with the normal hurdles of life, kids/grandkids, work etc. We're planning a Gulf/Cape trip at the moment, tossing up between a few places.

    When you do look at going a larger boat, this could be a great time to design exactly what you want, and something that will serve it's purpose for the next 5-10-15 years. It's frustrating, but can be lots of fun

    On another note, I did see a set up similar to yours over about a 5m plate custom boat in the Territory once, the platform above the boat was hinged at the front with extendable legs where it come down to the trailer at the back so that it could be tilted up to enable the boat to be launched.

    Now to go start planning the next trip
    Cheers
    Corry

  14. #14

    Re: traveling options

    Quote Originally Posted by marto78 View Post
    I've been toying with the idea of putting a couple of roof top tents on the boat trailer but designing them so that they can be jacked off for extended stays in one area or when fishing local.
    Enough room for the family to stay in and can leave the car as the kitchen etc.

    The only downside I can see to your idea is that if you go out fishing when you get back to shore your sleeping quarters will still smell fishy
    .

    nope, I have a RTT on the D-max and a stretcher tent I carry as well.
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  15. #15

    Re: traveling options

    Quote Originally Posted by Dignity View Post
    The attachment doesn't work for me unfortunately.

    Attachment 127680

    hope this works for you
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