Sibbing with a motorhome?

[Poly]

Yep it's just for self and Mrs Fenlander Gurnard... well plus medium dog... with the possibility if one teen wanted to join us she can get a tent and just use our "facilities".

Like boats, vans always seem to leave people wondering if a bigger one would be better, or a smaller one would be more flexible and easier to just jump in and go!

So then we wondered if the motorhome which would cost around the same as a 30ft boat would enable us to get places in a very flexible way with the SIB inside and ready to go whenever and wherever.

I sometimes drift into dreamland in much the same way. However a quick wander round the inside of a Fisher 30 or similar soon brings me back to my senses. Dark, damp and cramped in most cases.

Then we wondered about a sub 6m RIB to extend our range with greater safety but I don't want to tow.

Beware a greater range just means you will be further from the expensive van you have just bought! Wondering why you don't want to tow? It can be a PITA sometimes, but so can assembling a boat (which you are now hoping to do even more often!).

Originally Posted by Max...

Think as well if you really want a shower - pretty useless and a PITA in many compact campers.

Beware there is a gender split on the importance of such creature comforts!

Originally Posted by Fenlander

I assume a SIB and outboard plus kit would all easily stow in a motorhome and we'd have cup of tea, shower etc all to hand.

I know quite a few mountain bikey types who have converted vans for this sort of thing. Insulation should not be overlooked unless you only want to use it June-Sept! Most have beds etc but have discovered that unless they are very lucky* they only use them on their own. In fact one has recently kitted out a new van with no bed, just small kitchen, toilet and shower. Another is talking about doing the same as its over 2 years since he actually slept in it.


* of course your definition of luck may be escaping the wife!

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by stray

We looked at all the motorhomes and conversions, but couldn't find anything that suited our needs or wallet, so I built my own.



The hardest part is getting the right van, after a lot of research I decided a long wheelbase hightop X250 Boxer/Ducato/Relay would be best for what I wanted. They are the widest vans in their class so being under 6ft tall we can sleep crosswise. I ended up buying a Citroen Relay and a write off Baily Pageant caravan for parts and made a comfortable 3 berth, with all the amenities we need. Total cost in 2011 for an 08 van, caravan, windows and other bits, was a shade over £10k. Amount of fun and freedom we've had, priceless.
We've been all over Europe in it, but now my daugher is at Uni I've altered the back to accomodate a SIB, that's why I bought the F-rib.

Looks you made a good job.... and Also like a lot of Fun!..
Good Budget too!!

[camelgas]

I have a bit of practical experience of larger motorhomes and the downside of anything larger than a VW/transit is parking, to big/tall for carparks, motorhomes often not allowed in lorry/bus spaces= parking headaches.

LWB low roof t4/t5 camper would be my prefered size/vehicle.

[Fenlander]

Poly some very good points.

>>Fisher 30<<<

Funnily enough a Colvic motor sailer around 28ft was dad's last sea boat. Like this in the same green and superbly finished.... http://www.western-horizon.co.uk/boat_images/4940.jpg

<<< why you don't want to tow?>>>

For all the negatives that many other folks don't mind... towed loads over the years (horses mostly but boats too) and don't want to again.

<<<assembling a boat (which you are now hoping to do even more often!).>>>

Yes you're right... if touring then unless we find a secure site and base ourselves there for a while it will be a daily inflate.

<<<escaping the wife!>>>

Sounds cheesy but luckily she is a true partner in all this and enjoys all these varied adventures.

<<<2 years since he actually slept in it.>>>

That's why the Hymer permanent high up double appeals. So many of the other van sized motorhomes have beds that when folded out prevented you from accessing the fridge/toilet or blocked the floor etc.

[Max...]

Day off work today David and we're spending the day trawling the three local motorhome dealers - not to buy but just to see what might work for a long summer trip as mentioned earlier. Just no way I think the old VW T5/6 is going to work with two adults + 9 yr old + 13 yr old and a load of summer holiday clutter. We got away with it BITD with the two of us in our early 20's and that was a hightop T3.

Going back on my buy/sell as just cannot do with all that hassle so might hire something like this, £650 week is pretty fair, going rate for a newish VW Cali is £800 week:

Motorhome hire holidays - Hymers - August 24th - 31st 4 berth for only £650 ! | eBay

Although if I was buying to keep as a general vehicle and occasional SIB use I would still go pop top T4/5 - everyday usage as noted earlier overides everything and anything bigger is a PITA. You can pick up a 2007/8 official VW California for under 30k - silly money but it will sell on for much the same. £50 - 60k new for a nicely specced one.

[jeffstevens763@g]

brownhills motor homes near me at Newark one of the biggest also lowdham near Nottingham for info.

cheers

[Stigomery]

Originally Posted by Max...

You can pick up a 2007/8 official VW California for under 30k - silly money but it will sell on for much the same. £50 - 60k new for a nicely specced one.

I'm guessing there is a seasonality to them, i.e. you might be stuck with it until spring 2017 and then take a year's depreciation rather than a few months?

I am not buying a camper, I am not buying a camper, I am not buying a camper... sneaks off to eBay just to look

[Max...]

Not with VW T5 Cali's - you won't get stuck with one...

[Stigomery]

This is what Fenlander "needs"

VW Cali Camper

[hadd]

Hi Fenlander you could do with one of these plenty garage space fixed double bed at the rear & drop down double bed over the cab plus large living space 👌

[Fenlander]

Lovely outfit Hadd but honestly a large motorhome and/or towing are just not my thing. Shame as the larger motorhome give more choice on the used market.

Stig that's quite a cool idea* and would impress van geeks every time you stopped but anything we have needs us to be able to leave the front seats and walk internally to a full standing headroom with all facilities in place.

*I reckon you could send Gurnard the base van and he'd make something like that with bits he has tucked away!

[Chunk]

Max, plenty of room in the T5 / T6. We usually have 2 adults, 2 kids and 2 springers in ours, plus all the other clobber. See 2 recent pics, one from late Feb and one from the ERR.
Went for a 4-motion Cali rather than Motorhome for all the size reasons mentioned but also it tows, launches and recovers more easily than a 2WD Motorhome.

[Max...]

Spent all day looking as mentioned earlier and have to say - what a load of cr@p. Same as always really, nothing changes - been going to Motorcaravan shows since the early 90's. We did not look at any Hymers' but all the coachbuilts really are horrible inside still, flimsy, cheap, claustrophobic, daft design and (non) usage of space. And blooming massive vehicles that would be useless visting little French towns, car parks etc.

Chunk - we're on the same wavelength I think - a nice VW conversion is what we'd still go for and squeeze the kids in somehow. I did look into this a year or so ago and spent ages in the VW Cali showroom. I came down in favour of the Beach with a removable kitchen pod but regardless they are all so much money.

[Chunk]

Have to say the Beach with a portable hob / BBQ is probably the best option. Unless the weather is atrocious we normally cook outside and the sink is too small to really use for anything other than washing hands or filling the kettle (why not use a bottle).
A lot of money, but you will get it back when you come to sell. I convinced the wife it was better being used in a van that gave us fun and family time than sitting in the bank getting bugger all interest.
Good luck on the search!

[Max...]

That's true - no better vehicle for lack of depreciation really.

I particularly liked the 2 rear seat model but these are very rare in the UK. This came closest to our older T3 with wide bed but windows all round (no full height wardrobe) for great panoramic views and a large bed compared to the Cali. You could then fit or buy the removable cooking pod. I know the Germans were much more into these (Multivan) types VW's than the Brits. We were shortchanged a bit though as the UK Beach is based on a much lower spec version than the German one.

Fenlander - forgot to say, one of the beauties of the Cali is the sliding seat rail system so you could just slide this forward somewhat to the travelling position to get the boat engine in the back and just use the top bed.

Anyone looking at these I can recommend the UK Cali forum - really helpful bunch on there:

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/home/

[SeanKent]

I've often thought a camper van would go very well with a sib and that I'd look into it when my boy gets a little older.

I've fitted transfers to a few campers, great big ones where the sides come out or little van conversions (I thought a LWB hi top sprinter was a common van to do this to). Some of the vans had been decked out to take motorcross bikes so had plenty of space in the rear (half height garage as the bed was above, still enough room to get a bike or boat under though). One I remember had a toilet and shower, was really well done.

I've often thought that if I was to look at a camper I'd look for something like this though;

Ford 6 Berth Motor home / Camper Van, with awning and sides. | eBay

plenty of room, out on the road no different to a car to drive (my Dad used to have luton backed vans and they were fine, though you're right about car parks) and has pretty much everything you'd need for a few nights etc.

[RIK]

I went down the VW California root
Dsg 204ps 4motion


Sent from my iPhone using RIB Net

[Fenlander]

Well our motorhome trial was under our noses all the time... Mrs Fenlander remembered her organisation has one for the benefit of it's people on a non-profit contribution basis and she's just sent me the details.

A tester 3-day break when available this summer is just £99 compared with £450+ for a hire company for the same vehicle/period.... and minimal paperwork/no small print.

It's a nearly new Bailey 665 6-berth as in the images below. Not exactly what we'd choose but it will be great start to seeing if we get on with one.

So... any ideas for a site next to the coast/beach within England (to keep the travel down to reasonable amount for just 3 days)... starting from West Cambridgeshire.

[jeffstevens763@g]

beadnell nr seahouses campsite on the shore well across the road launching in beadnell

cruse out to the farn isles long beach to walk the dog good pubs for food.

cheers

[Fenlander]

Thanks Jeff I'll give that a Google.