by Dan Cartwright
A few weeks ago I wrote a “top tips for Newbies” article about trying before you buy. Encouraging people entering the leisure vehicle market to make their purchasing decision based on their holiday and family requirements not how or which type of Leisure vehicle to drive to your holiday. I suggested that newbies try a caravan and motorhome manoeuvring course to gain confidence, dispel myths and preconceptions, freeing their buying choices to focus on that all important holiday.
I was subsequently contacted by the Caravan and Motorhome Club who assured me that both courses were as useful for the experienced and the inexperienced and invited me to come along and sample what happens on these courses. The Caravan and Motorhome club are the country’s biggest leisure industry training organisation, training up to 1800 people a year. What better way to spend a few sunny days out the office and see what I can learn. I Attended a day of the caravan towing course and a day of the motorhome manoeuvring course… and heres what I found.
Before talking about each course individually the first thing I found is – nobody knows everything and old dogs can learn new tricks. I drive or tow vehicles just about every day but I learned a hell of a lot, from the theory behind why things are done a certain way, to some really good tips and even some essential safety aspects that we had been unaware of. I consider myself confident and able with both caravan and motorhome but most of my learning is evolved learning over years, I can manoeuvre but why am doing it that way and is it the best way?
Caravan manoeuvring
The course focus’s on 5 key areas below and is both theory and hands on. Your instructor will guide you through manoeuvres and talk through the theory behind each section.
How to ‘hitch up’ and tow safely and efficiently
How to manoeuvre an outfit forwards and backwards, easily and confidently
How to ‘load’ and how it affects towing
Curved reversing – nearside and offside
Everyday safety checks and the laws affecting caravaners
In one day I learned and improved my towing and towing safety more than in the last few years. Even hitching I found I was attaching the lighting cable un-safeley, I was levelling wrong (pulling forward on the levelling blocks instead of reverse) and why you have to rub new tow balls… and thats just hitching!
Motorhome manoeuvring
The course focuses on the 6 key areas below, you can bring your own motorhome which is great as much of the course is about confidence building and familiarisation so using your own set up is a great idea.
The principles of driving a larger vehicle
Manoeuvring an outfit forward and backwards
Simple maintenance information
Straightforward safety checks
The laws affecting motorhome drivers
Feedback from the one-to-one on-road session
The biggest thing I learnt from the motorhome course was about simplification, there are so many little tips and hints that just make motorhoming less stressful. From the correct way to set the split mirrors every time! to marking the rear axel so you can always see it in the mirrors when manoeuvring. This makes the manoeuvres so much easier for motorhomes of any size.
So who should attend the course? Well these courses do offer something for everyone. Even if you consider yourself an old dog you really can learn new tricks. Perhaps you are a couple looking to share the driving more, or you’re a family looking for those “stress free” journeys. Caravans, motorhomes and cars have changed a lot in the last decade and you may want to check you are doing things the best and safest way for modern caravans and motorhomes, I know I wasn’t. It is fair to say that I am committed to better driving standards and have been a member of the IAM for 15 years and I believe everyone should consider refresher training at regular intervals to stay refreshed, updated and always learning. If you have a leisure vehicle and a couple of days then these courses are all over the country, the instructors are friendly and knowledgable and you will leave being more confident, safer on the road and safer on site.
You can find further information here forMotorhome Courses and Caravan Courses
