7/26/05 A little planning for a family vacation budded into a business idea for Martin Van Enoo.

Van Enoo started Central Coast RV, a motor home rental business based in Lompoc about a month ago, after he scoured the Internet to find a rental nearby for his family's Easter vacation.

The closest place he found was in Camarillo, but everything was booked and he had to go all the way to Irvine to find a mobile home.

"I found this niche in the market and there was very little supply (of motor homes in the area)," he said.

Van Enoo, who also owns the women's fitness center, Curves, in Lompoc, learned the RV business by attending a workshop in Las Vegas. He found out how to handle insurance, set rates, create an Internet site, and that the busiest season for the business is typically June to September and the holidays.

Rising gas prices are a concern, but the cost is insignificant to most travelers, he said. "Most renters don't go far. It's not like they're going on across-the-country trips."

Also, he said, experts predict rec vehicles are going to become ever more popular as the baby-boomer generation grows older.

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"It's predicted in this industry, it's going to continue to grow in an important way in the coming years," he said.

So far, renters have included a group headed to Las Vegas for a bachelor party, families going on vacation and a family that just wanted a mobile home to spend a few nights in Templeton on the land which they plan to build their dream house. The longest trip was to the Grand Canyon.

Van Enoo started the business with a 31-foot, 2005 model motor home that has four sleeping areas, a TV, DVD, plenty of storage space, a VCR and other amenities.

Central Coast RV also offers a 24-foot 2002 Winnebago that is owned by Rich Mires, the owner of Lompoc Cruise & Travel. Mires and his daughter, Jennifer Orozco, contract out with Van Enoo to rent it. The travel agency has helped spread the word about the new rental business.

"We just got started last month and it seems to be working well," Orozco said about the arrangement. "It's almost paying for itself."

The family still has plenty of access to the Winnebago whenever they want it, she added.

The 24-foot motor home does not have a DVD player, but it has plenty of storage, three sleeping areas and one thing Central Coast RV's bigger rental does not have - a CD player and stereo concealed in a exterior panel. The music system is by the outdoor sun shade canopy that folds out from the side of the mobile home.

Van Enoo also has an arrangement with Earl's RV Rentals, which focuses more on renting travel trailers. Central Coast RV refers anyone who inquires about a travel trailer to Earl's and Earl's refers motor home renters to Van Enoo.

It makes a lot more sense to rent a motor home than buy one, Van Enoo argued.

"When you buy a motor home, you are paying for it every month whether you use it or not," he said. "When you rent one, you only pay for it when you use it."

Another plus is the mobile homes in rental businesses are pretty knew, he added. Rentals are typically only a few years old before they are sold to make way for newer models.

Business has been booming and the motor homes have almost booked solid in August.

"The Internet is the key," Van Enoo said.

His site, www.centralcoastrv.com, can be found easily on Google, Yahoo and MSN. Van Enoo set up the site himself. It includes information about rates, extra supplies that can be included, pick up and drop off days, an application and pictures of the rentals.

Van Enoo does a background check on renters and he charges mileage for anything over 75 miles a night and 700 miles a week.

Van Enoo is optimistic the business will thrive, and he hopes to capitalize on the success he's already experienced.

"Next year we will add to the fleet," he said. "Other than Earl's, there's nothing else in Santa Barbara County."

Central Coast RV can be reached by calling 291-6706.

Mark Abramson can be reached at 736-2313, Ext. 126, or mabramson@lompocrecord.com.