What Pitch
Ok, so most, but not all, members are fairly clear about what sort of pitch they need, depending upon touring outfit. However, we have seen examples of rarities for sale that might just pose more of a conundrum for pitching up, and keeping the minimum distances
between the solid (ie, none awning) sides of a caravan or MH. Namely, slide out extensions, on both Caravans and MHs. Not the big fifth wheel types, but smaller type outfits. Comparatively rare at the moment, but given how quickly folks like to try something
new (fixed, transverse, drop down....etc...), then a small outfit offering such increased space might quickly catch on!
But which pitch to book, which way around to pitch, could you still have an awning, can the car still go alongside? Or will it be banishment to the outer reaches, having to book two pitches, not allowed on certain sites?
All interesting debating points, or something for the Club to give us the definitive answer?
Comments
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We saw one of these on a site recently. It was positioned so the extending side was just about level with the peg. Wether they had been told to do this, or done so as it seemed the right thing to do, I have no idea. No idea what they would have done if
they wanted an awning, as the extra width would have made it difficult fitting it in. When we have seen 5th wheelers they have been pitched in a similar manner. As the extra width is about 80cm there could be some pitches where this would violate the 6 metre
spacing. However, I would think generally spacing is not that tight and wardens can tell them what pitches they are not permitted on.0 -
I expect if the trend continues the CC will just put in maximum widths like they suddenly decided to put in maximum lengths A few years ago.
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Depends how popular they become BMB, could the Club afford to put discriminatory widths in place? Could lose a lot of members. Anything that gives more space while away touring is bound to prove popular. Club should be getting its thinking cap, on now, not
waiting and then reacting once the horse has bolted!0 -
They could introduce a few jumbo pitches as C&CC have done. At an extra charge, obviously.
Sorry, I wasn't thinking. That would mean users would need to book the extra large pitches. Could the system cope?
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Good idea!
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it does seem a bit strange that a single vehicle with, say, an 80 cm slide out and a total width just over 3m, could be more likely to breach any spacing rules than a large TA caravan, Range Rover, awning, barrels etc all side by side...with a total
width of 8 or 9 mtrs....
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The barrels don't count BB, only the actual caravan/MH.
6m required between facing walls of vans/MHs, only 3m between awning and adjacent car on next pitch, but I think you know that.
MH (5th wheeler) or caravan with slide out is quite a bit wider than a TA caravan.
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Ok, so most, but not all, members are fairly clear about what sort of pitch they need, depending upon touring outfit. However, we have seen examples of rarities for sale that might just pose more of a conundrum for pitching up, and keeping the minimum distances
between the solid (ie, none awning) sides of a caravan or MH. Namely, slide out extensions, on both Caravans and MHs. Not the big fifth wheel types, but smaller type outfits. Comparatively rare at the moment, but given how quickly folks like to try something
new (fixed, transverse, drop down....etc...), then a small outfit offering such increased space might quickly catch on!But which pitch to book, which way around to pitch, could you still have an awning, can the car still go alongside? Or will it be banishment to the outer reaches, having to book two pitches, not allowed on certain sites?
All interesting debating points, or something for the Club to give us the definitive answer?
Whilst they may be interesting debating points I myself don't see this type of van becoming really popular. IMHO definitive answers from the club are not necessary at this point in time regarding pitching this type of unit as they are so few & far between.
I feel wardens will use common sense should this type arrive on their site0 -
The barrels don't count BB, only the actual caravan/MH.
6m required between facing walls of vans/MHs, only 3m between awning and adjacent car on next pitch, but I think you know that.
MH (5th wheeler) or caravan with slide out is quite a bit wider than a TA caravan.
TA caravan std width approx 2.35m....
MH with slide out of 80cm, approx width 3.15m...
yet, in the eyes of CC and the 'spacing regs', this one isolated unit (which probably looks lost on a 9m pitch) is considered more of a fire risk than that same 9m pitch full of caravan, car and awning?
it may be the 'roolz' but 'it don't make a lot of sense'
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Ten years ago we chuckled at the thoughts of folks towing a bedroom around with them, but that trend certainly caught on. Fifth wheelers are still rare, percentage wise, although for our last few visits to Exeter site, there have been around half a dozen
there each time we have used site. A smallish van, or MH with slide outs would be really good, increase internal space easily, so it will just take a few on Club Sites, all those captive wallets looking to upgrade, and they might take off big style. Manufacturers
are always looking for some new gimmick to keep sales up. Beds have done French, Island, transverse, hanging from roof, back to singles, not much more left to do with a bed, but put a sliding side in and it's a whole new layout twist! Could have a central
footstool between side loungers!0 -
They could introduce a few jumbo pitches as C&CC have done. At an extra charge, obviously.
Sorry, I wasn't thinking. That would mean users would need to book the extra large pitches. Could the system cope?
Some people who don't have a slide-out van would just book them, regardless of the cost, just so they have more space.
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they are becoming a little more popular, certainly in the MH area.
IH have a slide out on a 6.36m front lounge PVC, it extends the lounge sideways into a transverse bed.
Adria have a rear slide out on their compact SP, a 6m coachbuilt with an extending bedroom.
neither of these (solo on a normal pich) could be considered as causing 'risk' compared to a 'full house' car/caravan/awning outfit.
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I'd forgotten the slide out rear end! That will blow the Club's "length of outfit! box on booking information.
Doesn't have to be huge!
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I do not think these units pose a significant problem on most sites, pitches are plenty wide enough to allow a bit of leeway.
And as said , they are not that common, so if necessary they could be directed to a pitch at the end of a row.
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I do not think these units pose a significant problem on most sites, pitches are plenty wide enough to allow a bit of leeway.
And as said , they are not that common, so if necessary they could be directed to a pitch at the end of a row.
...but are they?....
i thought there was a real space issue on some of the adjacent non-awning pitches, ie just the minimum spacing that allows for a 'normal' (2.35m) van (+ car) to be 6m from the next van.
in that case, a 'wide' 8 foot Hobby or the latest Baileys, also 8 foot, would be encroaching by 15cm or so into that no-go area...
perhaps the booking for will need to ask how wide the unit is, as well as how long?
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The biggest constraint is going to be towcar weight and licence restrictions, so we aren't about to see an avalanche of them any time soon.
I note a previous post refers to a cluster of fifth wheelers at Exeter. Isd that because roads further west can't cope with them? Another constraint on such developments.
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I have been very interested in a couple of vans with slide out sides. However Eterneti was quickly defunct
and another by the 5th Wheel company in spite of the added space had very little storage.Getting more space without becoming ever longer and wider could be a big selling point and if someone gets it right those cramped pitches
are going to be inadequate. This brings the discussion back to booking and in a club (or country) where booking is the norm, pitch specific booking will be needed and if as NTH points out someone in a tiny caravan books them because they want the space another
client would be turned away.One can already book and awning pitch. This should provide ample room unless an awning is used, I can't see the CC needing to have a system permitting individual pitch booking. More likely it would be manahed by pitch allocation as seems to be the
case with large RVs0 -
i see the Eterniti weighed bang on 2 tonnes, so a meaty towcar required to pull it, no doubt.....
and as CY says, for a slide out caravan, adding weight will just push the towcars ever larger...
the two MH i mentioned earlier, are both well under the 3.5t limit as they are both conversions done on a small van, rather thsn some of the units in TDA's link where rather large vans are stretched even further.
either way, as AD say, matching pitches to different sized (larger) units will become more tricky, especially on some of the more constrained sites.....
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I have been very interested in a couple of vans with slide out sides. However Eterneti was quickly defunct
and another by the 5th Wheel company in spite of the added space had very little storage.Getting more space without becoming ever longer and wider could be a big selling point and if someone gets it right those cramped pitches
are going to be inadequate. This brings the discussion back to booking and in a club (or country) where booking is the norm, pitch specific booking will be needed and if as NTH points out someone in a tiny caravan books them because they want the space another
client would be turned away.One can already book and awning pitch. This should provide ample room unless an awning is used, I can't see the CC needing to have a system permitting individual pitch booking. More likely it would be manahed by pitch allocation as seems to be the
case with large RVs..but the point is that, while the awning is allowed to be closer to the next van, the caravan/mh must be 6m away..you cant have a caravan (or part of one) where our awning goes....
adding a side slide out, widens the vehicle and it then encroaches into the awning spaces....awning allowed but not caravan....same as not being parked correctly to the peg...
so wider vehicles cant maintain required spacing as that spacing has been 'designed' to fit with a regimented pitching system and 'normal' (2.35m wide) vans....
this new concept will cause apoplexy in the 'sites department'
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i see the Eterniti weighed bang on 2 tonnes, so a meaty towcar required to pull it, no doubt.....
and as CY says, for a slide out caravan, adding weight will just push the towcars ever larger...
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Thats true but club sites are already awash with towcars like that.
Oh for a world where one could just turn up have a look around for a pitch that suits and go elsewhere if one couldnt be found
...ah, yes.....that site's called 'Camping Nirvana'....we're off there in January.....
yes plenty of RRs about....but with the changing license restrictions will this be the same in 10, 20 yrs time....
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The only real places it will cause problems is on more restricted sites such as Baltic Wharf, where you have a lot of non awning pitches next to each other. In this instance if they are a bare 6 metres apart, it will not be possible to maintain spacing.
This could also apply with a non awning next to an awning pitch. However, where you have awning pitches next to each other, there should be no problem, as the spacing should be at least the width of an awning and car + aquaroll etc and an additional 3 m for
the gap. This would gives a minimum of 7 metres, so adequate for the 80 cm extension. OK it may not be possible to put a full awning up, but they would just have to accept that there choice of rig restricted them to a porch or pull out. So to summarise on
most sites not an issue, unless lots more start appearing. On a few sites it may be necessary to get folk to phone to book, as with extra long outfits.0 -
Interesting. We thought it was bound to cause some debate, and don't forget, the slide out doesn't have to be restricted to one side of unit only, some have two! At the moment, it looks as though it will be banishment to an allocated pitch, and possibly
not able to stay on selected sites!CY, you are partially correct about narrow lanes further West, although we stayed on a private site with a huge American unit 20 years ago on a regular basis. They parked up just above Bodinnick Ferry near Fowey, no chance of crossing river with it, so it
stayed put on site. They were full timers, and towed a car as well.But these new breed of sliders will go almost anywhere, travelling they are only size of a normal van or MH, and I mean small ones as well. The beauty is, the space is delivered where you need it, when on site. Personally, I can see them catching on once
folks realise just how much more comfort they could deliver. As for towing/driving them, folks will find a way, just as we have done!0 -
Every slide out unit will require considerable lenght of weatherproof seal, and at present the UK manufacturers seem to be unable to produce a standard 'van that is watertight. I don't see further opportunities for dampness being attractive to the masses.
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i see the Eterniti weighed bang on 2 tonnes, so a meaty towcar required to pull it, no doubt.....
and as CY says, for a slide out caravan, adding weight will just push the towcars ever larger...
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Thats true but club sites are already awash with towcars like that.
Oh for a world where one could just turn up have a look around for a pitch that suits and go elsewhere if one couldnt be found
...I think that can be done in some countries with plenty of space and thousands of sites just not on small islands
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Every slide out unit will require considerable lenght of weatherproof seal, and at present the UK manufacturers seem to be unable to produce a standard 'van that is watertight. I don't see further opportunities for dampness being attractive to the masses.
..I think the watertight van is evry ones nurvana inciuding other than the uk
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