If you've dreamed of buying a boat or a camper the past couple of years, you know how high prices have become, with very little room for haggling.
High demand during the pandemic, combined with low supplies, meant there were few bargains and you had to take what the dealer offered.
But for 2024 the picture is changing.
Mindy Rath and her 4-year-old son are hoping this is the year they buy a new boat.
"We are always looking to cash in on the deals, and there are some really good deals right now," she said.
With pandemic shortages over, boat show organizer Mitch Renfro says boat dealers are willing to deal once again.
"Inventory wise, the boats are back," he said,
Recreational boating has been growing in popularity, with almost 12 million boats currently registered in the US, according to the National Marine Manufacturer’s Association.
The RV industry association, meantime, reports 11.2 million households own an RV, with more than 1.4 million sold in the last three years alone.
Smaller options appeal to more buyers
Nick Raymond of Blue Compass RV says one reason for the surge are new smaller options, that don't require a full-size pickup truck to tow.
"Some of these are only 3,000 pounds," he said, "and can be towed by a standard SUV or minivan.
And there is an RV for every budget, with small towables starting around $15,000, and larger motorhomes $200,000 or more.
Nor do you need to spend a fortune on a pricey campground, which can now cost over $100 a night in popular spots.
Cheap campsites at parks
Dave Barak of the National Parks Service says you can save money and create fun memories for the whole family by bringing your rig to a national park.
In state and national parks, you can camp for as little as $25 a night,
"In 2022, we had about 2.5 million overnight RV stays in the national parks," he said,
Interested?
Barak says go to the NPS website, look up "find your park," and you can search for parks with RV and boat accessibility near you
Whether you own an RV, a boat, or are just dreaming of buying one, you can save money this way.
"There are about 430 national parks," Barak said. "Only a quarter of them charge an entrance fee."
So with better selection of both boats and RV's, and more deals available, you can make sure you don’t waste your money.
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