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Author Topic: Caravaning  (Read 12848 times)

Stavros

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Caravaning
« on: January 28, 2008, 10:38:55 pm »

So who else like me have a caravan' mine is a bit of an antique a Europe from the 70's .Proper caravaning no double glazing etc but has a heater what more do you want.


Stavros
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OMK

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2008, 10:57:19 pm »

Who loves ya, baby.
But try LIVING in one for any amount of time. Nay, try living in one without running water... shower... heating (brrr!).
Gimme a teepee everytime.

Mind you, an antique Europe, you say?
My uncle had one of them.
Great fun where we were kids. But these days I prefere the namby-pampy central-heating lifestlye choice.
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FullLeatherJacket

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2008, 11:41:06 pm »

Nay, try living in one without running water... shower... heating (brrr!).
Tell 'em what you found betwixt the sheets, Pedro.
FLJ  :o
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OMK

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2008, 12:21:06 am »

What, you mean the mouse poop?
Davey, that's the reason I never again shall return to Caravanville.

Stav', in case you're wondering, believe me, you really don't want to know.
By the way, if ever you're towing on the A38 from Bridgwater to Taunton, check the neat corner at Walford Cross. Mate, they've stuck a 50mph restriction there now, but you just HAVE to push that pedal to the metal when you see it.
To date I've managed to take 'er at 85mph without losing it.
Even more fun with a caravan on the back.
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djrobbo

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2008, 11:50:09 am »

Not long ago , got rid of mine........the last one i had was a german hobby..........double glazing.....seperate bedroom with permanantly fitted beds.....blown hot air central heating......shower....etc....etc.....only problem was i couldn't justify keeping the tweaked range rover i pulled it with...( 5.7 litre chevy v8 ) .

              Hey ho haven't got one now....do miss it.

                           regards.....bob.
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barriew

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2008, 02:04:09 pm »

About half the active members of my boat club are caravaners, me included, although I think this may be my last season. I reckon the costs of keeping my towcar on the road will finally make it unattractive.

Barrie
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Welsh_Druid

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #6 on: January 29, 2008, 03:52:22 pm »

1994 Elldis Knight - just under 14ft two berth - when new it was "top of the range" - all the usual goodies, full cooker, fridge, shower, pumped hot water central heating, electric or gas, GRP top and ends.  Been almost everywhere this side of what was the "Iron Curtain"  but now my wife is not well enough for us to use it.

Anyone want a (very) reasonably priced caravan ?   

I might just  manage to use it this year for the Mayhem meet ( OOH - think how many boats it will carry  ;) ) but its not likely.

Don B.
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elmo

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #7 on: January 29, 2008, 04:07:24 pm »

...... but now my wife is not well enough for us to use it.

Anyone want a (very) reasonably priced caravan ?   

Sorry to hear that Don... but Bob (Shipmate60) may be interested - he could park it up somewhere and then maybe practice overtaking it!  {-)
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botchit

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #8 on: January 29, 2008, 04:14:43 pm »

ive got a 1991 abbey lincoln all mod con for that era.used to tow regular with volvo auto then hit the kick down just to annoy the look at me subarus etc  as we got half way up a hill on a carriage way.might put it back on road for when were around llangollen or bala take a boat with me then.
Botchit
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alan colson

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #9 on: January 29, 2008, 08:39:19 pm »

I've got a Lunar Arriva GTS, only a small van but I do three or four shows a year in it, plus the main holiday to europe and the odd weekend as well, I tow with a Nissan X Trail diesel and still get 30+ to the Gallion. Looking to upgrade the van this year if I can find he money.
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Peter Fitness

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #10 on: January 29, 2008, 09:58:49 pm »

We've has a caravan of one sort or another for nearly 40 years. One became a permanent beach house until we moved to the coast in 1994, when we sold it. We got back into touring caravans in 2001, when my wife retired from teaching, and we currently have a 2007 Olympic (made in Australia) pop-top, 16' 6" long with twin beds, gas cook top, microwave oven, air conditioning and 12v lighting, tare weight of about 1200kg. My tow vehicle is a 2003 Mitsubishi Pajero (I think they are called Shogun in the UK) 4WD, 3.2 litre turbo intercooled diesel. Olympic is one of over 50 manufacturers of RVs in Australia - it is a huge market here, with the so called "grey nomads" an increasing part of that market. Grey nomads are loosely defined as retirees travelling the country in caravans or motor homes, spending their kids' inheritance {-) A couple of photos are attached.
Peter.
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Marks Model Bits

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #11 on: January 29, 2008, 10:39:38 pm »

We have gt a Swift Doublette, 22 feet long, all the usual comforts shower, heating, oven ect..........My towing vehicle is a 1993 Chevrolet G20 Dayvan with a 350ci V8, to tell the truth you don't really know the caravan is on the back!!! O0

Mark.
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Stavros

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #12 on: January 29, 2008, 10:44:23 pm »

Mark you could tow a house with that van and not notice it behing you {-)

Stavros
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Marks Model Bits

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #13 on: January 29, 2008, 11:11:13 pm »

Don't laugh Stavros, but where i used to live, the driveway was uphill, and so I could get my motorbike out of the garage I had to park the dayvan half on the drive and the other side on the grass.

Now the funny thing is, grass when wet is a bit slippery, and the first attempt to reverse the van up the slope resulted in alot of wheel spin and the van not getting very far!!!!!! can't think why that happened????

So, I had a bright idea......... why not take a run at the slope, can you see where this is leading????

Anyway I built up a bit of speed ( reversing) so the momentum would carry the van up the slope.  I mis-judged when to stop and ther was an almighty bang. On the front of our house was a 2 foot high brick wall and I hit it!!!!  I pulled the van forward to assess the damage...... The wall had been pushed back about 10 inches, the supporting pillar for the porch was at a funny angle the concrete capping blocks were on the ground. It was a bit of a mess to say the least!!!!! and there was NO damage to the dayvan at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not even a scratch on the chrome bumper O0 O0 O0

Mark.
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KenP

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #14 on: February 01, 2008, 04:03:38 pm »

The best part of caravanning is seeing how big a stream of vehicles you can get behind you !!!!!!!

No more comments in this vein please folks - we don't want to go down that particular road(!) again after last Sunday. Describe your pride and joy by all means but lay off its effect (actual or otherwise) on other road users. Thanks, Colin
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Mr Andy

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #15 on: March 21, 2008, 08:45:51 pm »

What do you lot think of the prices caravan parks charge these days? I'm of to Cheshire next week the lady is charging 10 Squids or less as it is a new site.

Andy. ;)
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KenP

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #16 on: March 22, 2008, 04:02:19 pm »

We tend to stop at Caravan Club sites. You know what you're getting and the pitches ar bigger than most commercial sites. However they are starting to get expensive, £15  for 2 Adults in the high season.

I have a Bessacarr 495 and tow with a Jeep Cherokee.  The Jeep is getting old, M reg, also fuel prices have increased so much that caravanning has become an expensive hobby.  Unfortunately it takes a 4X4 or big car to tow most of the modern caravans, guess the hobby will soon be priced out of existance.
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Mr Andy

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #17 on: March 22, 2008, 05:08:37 pm »

Ken I agree I have an M reg Discovery, and even though I always said I wasn't going far it is still very expensive to fill up, then to get hit by extorcionate prices at the parks, my OH phoned the Wirral Country Park and for the Thursday it was going to be 25 Squids. All these high taxes is just like a tax on having fun. >:(
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #18 on: March 22, 2008, 05:28:50 pm »

It's the same with marinas - they all charge what they can get away with.
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barriew

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #19 on: March 22, 2008, 06:04:29 pm »

WE are using Camping & Caravan Club sites more now as they offer lower rates to the senior citizens {-) Having said that, this will be our last year. The cost of keeping the car and caravan on the road for a year  (tax,service, insurance) will buy a decent holiday. That's before the ever increasing site fees. So after 30 years with our own van, and many years before that with Dad's,  2008 will be the last.

Barrie
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Stavros

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #20 on: March 22, 2008, 10:49:59 pm »

Well interesting one isn't it.Why does everyone think that you need a Chelsea tractor to pull a caravan eh,simple reason for this is as follows.Years ago when caravan was caravan and not as it is today with your electronic must have's,caravans weighed EXACTLY THE SAME SO WHAT HAS CHANGED.
It is simple my friends what has happened is quite elementary,nowadays the caravans can only carry a maximum of around 200lbs inside them simply because the ovl weight is the same!!!!!
Because of all the gizmo's you have what you can put inside them is far less,how many cars have you seen towing with suitcases inside the cars,picnic tables,Barbie's and the kitchen sink,whereupon in days gone by you could put everything inside and away you go.What has basically happened is with the intervention of modern cars etc the ovl weight of the towing vehicle has gone up thus reducing it's towing capacity,thus misguided thought of must have a  4x4's.
there is a simple soloution for this think ahead and buy an older vehicle,ah ha cries of anguish get rid of my 4x4 YES go out and buy a OMEGA est or a VOLVO these will out pull the majority of 4x4';s and they are by far more economical.I tow an old Europa which is a 4 berth caravan complete will all the food for a week and awning and everything i need and still get 40+ to the gallon and usually it is the 4x4 that hold me up,and I don't even use one of those namby pamby anti snake devices either don't need it cos my van is allways perfectly balanced and allways with a 75lbs nose weight.
So to those of you out there with the misapprehension of needing a 4x4 think again there are much cheaper alternatives out there and of course much better for the environment as well



Stavros
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Mr Andy

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #21 on: March 23, 2008, 08:14:45 pm »

Stavros I'm sure that a lot of tax free cars are more than capable of towing a newer van, but it still boils down to greedy site owners and the goverment taxing everything off the road, one of my local petrol stations is charging £1.17.8 a litre for diesel, now thar is horrendus because of what our greedy goverment is taking from it, boycott sites this year let them see we will not be fleeced, I should think for you boat owners needing marinas this will not be an easy option.

Andy.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #22 on: March 23, 2008, 08:26:50 pm »

Marina costs down South are horrendous. I used to moor my previous 25ft boat in Chichester Marina. To do the same with my smaller 21 footer would now cost over £2,500 pa. The boat is worth maybe £4,000. I actually keep it on a drying pontoon near Emsworth which costs £1,200 but the boat is only afloat for around 3.5 hours on each tide which obviously restricts when you can come and go.

Obviously it doesn't make much sense for the amount of use I get out of it but....
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Mr Andy

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #23 on: March 23, 2008, 09:49:02 pm »

I suppose Colin you need to have your boat out often to justify having it. Last year I used my van twice we decided if it isn't used at least five times this year it will have to go, I fanncy a camper van, I don't feel I'd be tyed so much to caravan parks.

Andy.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Caravaning
« Reply #24 on: March 23, 2008, 10:00:53 pm »

Andy,

Sailing is probably a different experience. When it's good it can be sublime, and there is nothing like watching the sun go down on a warm evening while sitting in the cockpit with a glass of wine. Other times, when you are pushing into a wind against tide situation with the boat jumping about all over the place, it's raining and the nearest shelter is several miles off you do wonder why you are doing it.

I don't do racing, just cruising around and creek crawling in the Solent is enough for me. Lots of really nice places although it does cost to park!

I know what you mean about camper vans though. The trouble is that if you get one big enough to be comfy you are limited to where you can drive it to some extent and, from what i've seen, you can't just stop anywhere you fancy so you are probably still tied to official sites to some extent. Maybe the answer is a comfortable car plus enough cash to check in wherever takes your fancy, but then that risks not being able to find somewhere at short notice. No easy answer unl;ess you are a millionaire or something!

Colin
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