Caravanning

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Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 3123

So, who else is a caravaner here? We're investing in a new one, as when I was up to Luss at the weekend, setting up the tent with midges all around was hell.

Any tips for the novice van owner? I already tow a fair bit with the boat, but is towing a van much different?

Towing with a 6.2 litre, 451 BHP car is... fun, shall we say? Laughing

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:08 pm

6.2 litre, 451 BHP car

are you sure that's a car Laughing

sounds more like a truck to me Wink

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 3123

C63 AMG. It's a beast. I used to have a BMW 5 series, and the wife an Audi Jeep (That would come in handy now Embarassed

), but the BMW had way too many service issues.

So I got a Merc. And stuck a towbar on. Not the best idea, but hey! Very Happy

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:31 pm

Quote:

the wife an Audi Jeep (That would come in handy now Embarassed)

why the embarassed face Laughing

we're not mind readers Wink

to keep on topic - wish I could offer advice but I can't, only to say that I used to have most fantastic holidays in a static caravan down in Devon (county in the south of the UK for others)

trailer trash it was not ! Laughing

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:50 pm

Craig, any resemblence to J. Clarkson just went out of the window.

'GET OUT OF MY WAY!!'

Please save your money by staying in a hotel instead of having a caravan depreciating on your drive for 50 weeks a year, then spending the other two dragging it around where I can't overtake it.

Or only travel at night, another Clarkson idea i think.

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 2628

Who are you and what have you done with Craig???

Now a campervan, that I can relate to
You could paint rainbows and flowers on it and go hugs trees Laughing

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 3123

Roy - I am fully aware of Mr Clarkson's opinions regards caravans. That's the only time myself & the great man shall disagree.

Regards depreciation, my dad has had 5 caravans, and made a profit on all but one of them.

Doesn't having a car that says 6.3 on the side, but is really a 6.2 not count for ANYTHING? Laughing

Nanny - I was looking at campers, but you can't reverse a boat down a slipway with one. Plus, I'm frugal, and parting with 60K on camper doesn't make sense.

Of course, I could upgrade the boat, and spend 60K on a boat that we can sleep on. However, that can't be towed. Mooring at Cameron house is about £150 per foot, so a 40 ft boat is going to mount up.

Then, there is the hippy thing. Confused

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 4:30 pm

Go with the hippy thing. Very Happy

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 2628

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 4:55 pm

You know you want to.

LINK

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 3123

I sometimes wonder if you lot DELIBARATELY want to give me a stroke Shocked

I already have high blood pressure. You want to finish me off! Bastards!

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:24 pm

Peace and love, dude! Cool

Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Quhj6PEboCU

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 3123

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si0WTCMrksw

From 20 secs onwards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4RgHHHOvrU

That one was brought to my attention by SlapHappy - very appropriate for this thread. Thanks, Slap!

EDIT: After doing some diggin', here's the article related to the video above.

http://www.topgear.com/uk/jeremy-clarkson/clarkson-texas-12-1995

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 6:09 pm

being in the US I can't compare our towing styles/equipment with those of our friends across the pond.

but to answer your question, I pull our 27' 5th wheel camper with a ford F250 7.3L turbo diesel.

but having done both, camping on land and on the water, I much prefer the water.

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 6:13 pm

Do they have Airstream in the UK? I don't see as many nowadays as I did as a kid, but I understand they still have rallies on occasion.

Or you could get a Teardrop. Shouldn't cost much to have one shipped over. Mr. Green

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 6:23 pm

Top Gear - Caravan Conkers!

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 7:31 pm

Roy, I rather guess you're enjoying that Wink

In a evil gloved hand kinda way.

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 8:45 pm

Craig,
If they can do this with a poxy 1.4 Renault engine, imagine what your 6.2 would do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UCZF_UnG10

BTW I'm with Clarkson on caravans, so don't bring it down south. Laughing

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 7:17 am

Craig and friends on the way to sunny Bognor

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 9:16 am

Craig makes a wrong turn...

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 9:22 am

awww poor Craig Laughing

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 5:18 pm

How about a trailer tent? We've had a couple. Currently got one of these.

Don't use it much now - we bought a static a few months ago. Wasn't sure about going to the same place all the time, but when we thought about it, we always took the trailer to the same 2 campsites anyway!

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 3123

Aye - Dad had a static at Pettycur Bay, near Kirkcaudy. Fell out with site owner Wallace - AKA prick.

He's had a fair share of trailer tents too, but with 2 young kids, then I'm not sure if the space is a bit limited?

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 9:10 pm

One suggestion- Back up camera!
My towing rig came with a camera that displays on the navigation/systems panel as soon as I engage the electric motor in reverse. There is no reverse gear. Being high on glass cockpits, I am sure that you would enjoy that. I thought that I would never need that, but will never tow without one again. Bolt on versions are available for cheap.

As what you tow gets heavier, engine power is not as important as braking power. Boats are light. Caravans or towed mobile homes with slideouts, showers, tubs, microwaves and plasma TVs get pretty heavy. The trailers have aux brakes but the tow vehicle needs to be able to stop things in a failure. Being a hybrid, our tow vehicle uses regenerative braking until the batteries are full, then friction brakes. I try and monitor battery charge levels and go into decompression or jake braking before friction braking. Its our second Lexus and has used less than 10 percent of its brake linings in 40 thousand miles.
For the record, I do not caravan.

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 5:57 am

Quote:

not sure if the space is a bit limited?

The Camplet will sleep 4 in the main trailer & room for a camp bed in the awning. We previously had a Trigano 340 - that would take 3 in the awning, but was a bugger to put up. The Camplet awning is part of the structure & folds out like an old fashioned pram hood. I've had that ready for occupation in a little over half an hour.