Now that all of the new 2005 tourers are on the forecourts, there’s more choice than ever for those seeking a new tourer – the same goes for the used forecourts, too. But before you get carried away and plump for the first caravan you fall in love with, take time to stop and think. Who is going to be using your tourer, how often, and what are their priorities? The answers to these questions will help you to choose a practical layout that will suit you and your family’s needs for some time to come. But rush into things and it won’t be long before
you realise that a cramped environment or a few inconveniences can turn into a major headache if you’re away for more than a few days. So just how should you start your search for your perfect caravan layout?
The first thing to do is to decide how many people you will regularly need to accommodate. Will you only ever need a two-berth, or might grandchildren want to join you in school holidays? Do you always want to take the whole family including your
mother-in law, or will some of them only come with you once a year? Remember that extra accommodation can always be provided by a pup tent or an awning, so start by choosing only want you want for yourself on a regular basis before worrying about others.
Secondly you’ll need to consider your towcar, and the size of caravan that will give you a good match (your caravan’s MTPLM should ideally be 85 percent of your car’s kerbweight). This should narrow down your search even further, but next you should
consider the features of the following layouts.
COMMON LAYOUT FEATURES
End kitchen This will create more room to move around in the main living area, but puts weight at the rear, which isn’t great for stability when towing. The doorway can get obstructed when the kitchen is in use, but the main door will help with ventilation and the rear window allows through-vision when towing.
Corner kitchen This is a good solution that offers plentiful worksurface, keeps the cook away from the main door, and frees up space in the living area.
Conventional side-kitchen This layout can create congestion when in use, both from people passing behind the cook and from those accessing the
washroom if it is located opposite the kitchen. This layout also tends not to offer a lot of worksurface.
End washroom This puts all the dressing, washing, changing and toilet facilities in one place, away from the living area, though at the expense of overall length. The design offers better privacy, since you’re not stepping from the shower into the living area, but often doesn’t allow through-vision on the road.
L-shaped dinette Love ‘em or hate ‘em, these give a real sense of space and can face either the door or tall offside window, which adds a light and airy feel to the area. But they do tend to make for a more
complicated procedure when making up the bed.
Side dinette The side dinette of this layout makes up into narrow bunkbeds suitable for children up to the age of 10.
This is also a popular layout for
couples wanting some extra space and the option of leaving the front dinette made up as a double bed.
Double dinette This is a good idea if you have
older children or more than two adults on board: the rear double dinette offers a second, separate area in which to eat, relax or sleep – it usually makes up into a double bed with a single bunk above.
Fixed beds Waste of space or great convenience: the debate continues. The choice is yours but an east-west full-width bed is best for length and width, and gets around the need for a ‘cut-off’ section to allow access when positioned north-south and adjacent to the washroom. Fixed beds usually offer good storage underneath for light but bulky items. In both types, whoever sleeps against the wall will have to clamber over their partner if they need to get up in the night. Central ‘island’ beds get around this problem. Fixed single beds are also now available.
Fixed bunks This layout is most common to six-berth tourers and, although the bunks take up some space, it means two of the beds are ready-made. If there are two children, they can have dedicated areas for sleeping and for amusing themselves on rainy days.
TWIN-AXLE OR SINGLE-AXLE?
Once a caravan’s overall size brings it’s weight over 1600kg, it has to go onto two axles. So if you want
a really spacious layout, you’ll probably have to choose a twin-axle. But there are still several factors to
consider. First, don’t let anyone tell you that
twin-axles are inherently more stable. It’s not true, even though most caravanners instinctively assume that four tyres on the road will give better stability better than two. The match between car and caravan, and the loading of the van itself will have a much more dramatic effect on stability than anything else. And remember that a twin-axle means that there will be twice as many tyres, axles and brake fittings to service and replace.
It is true, however, that most twin-axles are easier to reverse, but this is usually because they tend to be longer than single-axle models, and there is more tyre resistance at low speeds to keep things in line. But this advantage quickly disappears if you need to manhandle the van onto a pitch or at home,
when the extra resistance works against you, and you will probably end up having to buy some
kind of mechanical assistance product to help you do the job. You will also find that the insurance is slightly more expensive and that some sites discourage twin-axle vans.
DOOR POSITION
British caravans usually have the door located at the rear on the left-hand side. But its still worth considering other options. The Compass Corona 540 and the Elddis Avanté equivalent place the door at the front end by the seats. This allows visitors to come straight in and sit down without having to pass the cooking or drink-pouring areas. With the door open, it also lets in more light to the front dinette, as well as
improving the view and ventilation.
The ‘wrong side’ door is most often found on Continental models, and is not as great a disadvantage as you might imagine, although you will need to take care climbing out of the van on a roadside stop. Also, under some sites’ rules, you might have to pitch nose-inwards if you have an awning fitted,
to keep it on the correct side. This can ruin your view.
AWNINGS
Many Continental caravanners spend much of their time outside the caravan, often using it only to sleep in. If you can use the outside space effectively, space constrictions inside will be less important. An awning can virtually double your living space if used constructively. These days there are even heated blown-air outlets into the awning from the caravan.
Consider what type of awning will suit you best. If you just need somewhere to put wet wellies, then a cheap and easy-to-put-up porch awning will do the job. But if you are planning on spending time sitting and eating outside, go for a full-size awning. The chairs and picnic tables you will need must of course be carried somewhere, so work out the weights carefully. This is also a useful place to store the barbecue, too: just don’t use them inside the awning
Ultimately, the more constricted the space in
your caravan, the more an awning will help out. But make sure you buy a good one that fits your van properly: your caravan handbook will give you all
the necessary dimensions.
SO HOW DO I CHOOSE?
One man’s meat is another man’s poison, so it is impossible to say that any one layout is ‘best’. But taking the time to decide what matters to you will pay off in spades, and is vital if you aren’t going to end up disappointed after only a few weeks.
(Ever wondered where those ‘used only once’ vans come from?) So once you have a good idea of your needs, take yourself to a reputable dealership and look around. Don’t just focus on the make and model you think you have decided on, but look at others, too, so you can get an idea of the advantages and
disadvantages of each type of layout.
If, for example, you have decided on a four-berth on the grounds that the van will often be used by four, you will need to ensure that the layout allows enough room to pass in the corridor between the seating
area and the door. As a guide, look for a van with
a one-metre-wide-space in the centre. This will give about enough room for passing. Anything less than 90cm is really only wide enough for one person at any one time. And 500cm is the absolute minimum in terms of safety if you are carrying anything.
If you are opting for a five- or six berth model, carefully consider where everyone will sit to eat, and whether there is going to be enough space to get in and out of the washroom if someone is cooking. Always check whether you can open the washroom and oven door at the same time, without a collision – in which case you could seriously damage the door, and, more importantly, the cook.
Finally, take time to study the manufacturers’ brochures. Choose a layout that you have seen in real life, and one in which you have walked about, sat down, and put up the bed. No reputable dealer will mind you trying all these things before you buy. And most importantly, talk it over with the family:
everyone who will use the van regularly should have a say in the final decision. Happy hunting!
|
