On a cruising sailboat and a RV, you need some way to get around when you are traveling that is easier than taking everything with you for short trips.  With a boat, you get a dinghy.  And with the RV, you also get a “dinghy” or, as some call it, a “toad” (since it is towed).  There is a lot of consideration when selecting your dinghy including the size, weight, and can it be towed on all 4 wheels or will you need a dolly trailer or a full trailer to carry it.

We selected the Jeep Wrangler 2 door model because it is functional, not too large or heavy, and can be easily towed on 4 wheels even with an automatic transmission. After shopping the area around Miami, we found just the model we wanted and it had already been used as a tow.  We added the auto-braking system and the tow rig to connect to the RV.  And we were ready to go.

So, we looked around the state to find an easy, yet interesting location to test the tow and to use the RV on a trip.  Between Christmas and New Year 2023, we decided to drive up to central Florida to a small town called Floral City and stay at an RV park named Trails End.  It was a 288 mile trip from Miami.

So we hooked up “Moonshadow” and bravely took off. The trip was uneventful, and we were happy with how easy the hookup was and how well she followed. The park was as advertised – at the end of the trail, nestled in cypress trees and along the Withlacoochee River. We borrowed a canoe from the RV park manager to check out the local area on the river. We also took the Jeep over to Mount Dora for a day trip.

Once home, we started prepping for our bigger summer/fall trip leaving in May. We have a lot to do to get ready. So now the real adventure begins.