Brand new caravanners here x 2

Tim1964
Tim1964 Forum Participant Posts: 12
edited October 2016 in Introductions #1

Hi All,

Tim and Lorraine here, two new caravanners in Sussex. In fact we're so new we haven't even picked up our caravan yet. Just put down a deposit on an incredibly nice, clean and genuine looking 2 berth yesterday!

Looking forward to picking it up and having our first night out in it in a couple of weeks. Of course it's not the ideal time of year to start, but I figured this is the best time of year to grab a good deal, which I believe we have done.

Am currently organising all the bits and pieces like insurance, storage and a tow bar for the car!

I'm hoping this will be a great new hobby for us for many years to come. Maybe we'll see you on one of the club sites soon.

Tim

Comments

  • ADD46
    ADD46 Forum Participant Posts: 437
    100 Comments
    edited October 2016 #2

    Tim & Lorraine

    Welcome to your wonderful new hobby and way of life. Have you got your first outing planned yet? Enjoy all the excitement of buying everything you need and then relax with a nice glass of something In your new caravan. It's a magical time. 

  • Tim1964
    Tim1964 Forum Participant Posts: 12
    edited October 2016 #3

    Many thanks. Yes we're going for a one nighter in a couple of weeks. Maybe somewhere only 20 - 30 miles from us so we don't have too much towing to do on our maiden voyage!

    Tim

  • ADD46
    ADD46 Forum Participant Posts: 437
    100 Comments
    edited October 2016 #4

    Tim & Lorraine

    Good luck with your maiden voyage. Take your time and enjoy the journey on roads that you're already familiar with. It will be worth all the planning and excitement. We're going away for Christmas for the first time this year and I can't wait. Smile

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,192 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #5

    Hello and welcome to CT and very soon to caravanning, you won't regret it .

    Best advice,

    stay local, as you are, for first trip, increase you've forgotten anything vital . 

    Don't go silly on equipment and nice looking things, wait and see what you really need. For now bits from home will suffice, but it's nice to have your 'van getaway ready! We all have unnecessary items, weight and expense!

    Lengthy as they are two threads on here, surviving without ehu and another bio pods. Well worth the time it takes. But there's plenty more.

    Lastly if you're unsure ask, were a friendly bunch on here with hundreds of years experience between us.  There is no silly question - we all continue to learn

  • Tim1964
    Tim1964 Forum Participant Posts: 12
    edited October 2016 #6

    Many thanks for the advice. Hopefully we won't have to go too mad with buying extras as the 'van is coming with pretty much all the kit, even down to the pots, pans and plates.

    I've been looking at the various topics on this forum and I must say it seems to offer a wealth of great tips and advice.

  • Jood
    Jood Forum Participant Posts: 120
    edited October 2016 #7

    Welcome Tim1964. Great to see new people getting excited about Caravanning. It's a wonderful hobby and I hope you enjoy it as much as we have for the last 16 years.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,581 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #8

    Welcome to the forum and if you have any queries please ask for help as there is a vast amount of ecpetience on here. If you have problems on site you will find most caravanners friendly and only too willing to help.

  • john321
    john321 Forum Participant Posts: 10
    edited October 2016 #9

    Hi tim .and the rest of you . Names john . Nice to know me and the mrs arent the only new ones to caravaning. But sadly as we are buying new . We cant pick ours up till feb . But so looking forward to it .like yourselfs busy getting things together . Booking
    sites for w.ends etc . Hope u enjoy it . Good luck 

  • Trini
    Trini Forum Participant Posts: 429
    edited October 2016 #10

    Hello Tim & Lorraine. Just read your post as we (Sue & Andrew) are sat in our van near Bridlington, having had a week of dry mild weather and we will be away over Christmas and again in February.  So dont just think of this as a seasonal hobby.

    Good luck and enjoy yourselves.

  • Tim1964
    Tim1964 Forum Participant Posts: 12
    edited October 2016 #11

    Thanks for your kind and welcoming comments everybody. What a great week we've just had for caravanning, it's been encouraging us all the more! We're hoping to get out at least one weekend per month over the winter and hopefully more. I'm sure we're going
    to have plenty of questions for you but can't think of any right now! Enjoy the weekend especially if you're out in your 'van (I'll be stuck in a hotel conference room for a business seminar all weekend!). Tim

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,666 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #12

    Welcome to Club Together, Tim and Lorraine.  Congratulations on your new purchase and all the best for your maiden voyage.  Do let us all know how you get on.

    David

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
    1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited October 2016 #13

    Welcome to all the couples new to caravanning that've posted on here. hope you enjoy this hobby (way of life for some of us) as we do.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #14

    Welcome to CT and continue to enjoy

  • crusader
    crusader Forum Participant Posts: 299
    100 Comments
    edited October 2016 #15

    Welcome to the mad house we hope you enjoy your new caravan and are looking forward to your adventures. Don't forget any help someone will have the answer, either here or even on a site, just ask we don't bite (only if we have our teeth in
    Laughing)

    Paul

  • Merve
    Merve Forum Participant Posts: 2,333
    1000 Comments
    edited October 2016 #16

    Welcome Tim and Lorraine.  You're gonna love it! 

  • Tim1964
    Tim1964 Forum Participant Posts: 12
    edited October 2016 #17

    Thanks everybody. Looking forward to Thursday when the tow bar's being fitted to the car! Then only another week or so from there until we pick up the 'van and have our first night out.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
    1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited October 2016 #18

    Thanks everybody. Looking forward to Thursday when the tow bar's being fitted to the car! Then only another week or so from there until we pick up the 'van and have our first night out.

    Best of luck with your first night out. Should you have any questions following on from that don't hesitate to put them on here. There's always someone who will be able to give you good advice.

  • kaenergas
    kaenergas Forum Participant Posts: 171
    edited October 2016 #19

    Welcome to the world of caravaning, there will be a few hic-ups   from time to time, but remember there's always someone on here that can help with good info and practical ways to solve them, enjoy your first trip, 

     

  • Tim1964
    Tim1964 Forum Participant Posts: 12
    edited November 2016 #20

    Hi Everybody,

    We picked up our caravan yesterday and towed it the short distance to our storage facility and attached campsite. I'm happy to report that we only had a few minor hitches setting up for the first time before enjoying a cosy night in. We already have a couple
    more one night outings booked taking place over the next few weeks.

    Just one question...while we were towing yesterday, we noticed  clicking sounds coming from the tow hitch area. The tow bar is a brand new detachable unit and the caravan hitch looks to be in good order with an alco stabiliser. I'm guessing the noise is
    the friction pads in the stabiliser??

    Apart from that it seems to tow really well.

    Thanks Tim

  • QFour
    QFour Forum Participant Posts: 442
    edited November 2016 #21

    If it's a new towball it may need the paint cleaning off. Have a look here

    http://www.al-ko.co.uk/edit/files/how-to/how-to-remove-towball-paint-for-first-use.pdf

    You may also need an extended neck towball ..

    <li><a href="http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/CaravanClubApps/Applications/JoinOnline/joinasmember.aspx">
      Join online now </a></li>
  • QFour
    QFour Forum Participant Posts: 442
    edited November 2016 #22

    Don't know what happened with last post. Pressed a wrong button somewhere Happy

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #23

    Is it a modern van with the Alko electronic stability gizmo? It could be that clicking on and off trying to initialize.

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2016 #24

    Tim, before today when tugging the van I've noticed a discernible 'electronic click' due to the hitch/stabiliser doing its job, particularly on uneven/slippery ground. When you've hooked up the van & Plugged in-as long as the green light is on you're good
    to goHappy

  • Hallsontour
    Hallsontour Forum Participant Posts: 199
    edited November 2016 #25

    Oh Tim, I'm sorry to say but you've started something in your life now. You do realise that once you've started camping it's a drug that's impossible to give up, once you're hooked that's it!! At least it's a healthy drug though. Healthy for your mind and
    body, not so great on your wallet!! Enjoy, I'm sure you'll love it. Welcome to the club.

  • Tim1964
    Tim1964 Forum Participant Posts: 12
    edited November 2016 #26

    If it's a new towball it may need the paint cleaning off. Have a look here

    http://www.al-ko.co.uk/edit/files/how-to/how-to-remove-towball-paint-for-first-use.pdf

    You may also need an extended neck towball ..

    <li><a
    href="http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/CaravanClubApps/Applications/JoinOnline/joinasmember.aspx">
      Join online now </a></li>

    Write your comments here...Thanks, yes I think the most likely thing is that it's a brand new bar with black paint! I will remove it before our next trip

  • Tim1964
    Tim1964 Forum Participant Posts: 12
    edited November 2016 #27

    Oh Tim, I'm sorry to say but you've started something in your life now. You do realise that once you've started camping it's a drug that's impossible to give up, once you're hooked that's it!! At least it's a healthy drug though. Healthy for your mind and
    body, not so great on your wallet!! Enjoy, I'm sure you'll love it. Welcome to the club.

    Write your comments here...Yes it looks like we've caught the bug already. We have got 2 x one night trips booked already over the next few weeks!

  • Dean99
    Dean99 Forum Participant Posts: 1
    edited February 2017 #28

    Hello all. I have recently bought a Ford Transit conversion. Nice conversion but needs some TLC. Never done anything like this before so I am looking forward to my first night away. If I like it, may well invest in something more elaborate. In the meantime, I just need to work out how the fridge works!

    Any advice is always welcome and looking forward to learning the simple things, like emptying my toilet and waste water tank. I'm obviously so easily pleased :-)

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2017 #29

    HI,  Deans61  --  Welcome  to  the  Caravan and  Motorhome  Club!

    Sorry  to  be  so  formal  but  we've  just  been  "Rebranded"

    today  and  it  does  take  some  getting  used  to embarassed wink !

    If  you  browse  thro'  these  threads  you  will  get  answers

    to  questions  you didn't  know  you  had  ==  But  dont  go

    overboard  with  getting  bits  and  bobs  before  you  have

    discovered if  you  like  the  pastime  and  if  you  have  some

    of  the  kit  already  in  your  kitchen  etc  .

    The  one  thing  you  Must  Pack  and  Must  Never  Forget

    is  ==>  your  Sense  of  Humour  - two  if  can  afford  them 

    laughing