by Chris Jefferies
Winter storage can be a great way of protecting your caravan from the elements and potential thieves during the low season.
But before you pack it away, there are a few key steps you should take to minimise the chances of finding problems when you come back to collect it in the spring.
In this video, we catch up with Aiden Devlin from Whale, who explains how to properly drain down your water system, including the pumps and shower heads.
We also take a look at the different types of water filters on the market and how they need to be looked after in the winter.
Top tips on measuring your caravan’s noseweight and buying a gauge
by Chris Jefferies
Of all the numerous things that new caravanners need to get their heads around, noseweight can be one of the most confusing.
The Caravan Club lists seven alternative names for noseweight, and the issue is complicated every time you change your towcar.
To help explain the situation to newcomers and those looking to brush up on their knowledge, Towergate Insurance has recently published a handy guide to noseweights.
They explain why it’s so important to get the noseweight right, as it can affect how your caravan tows and make your towcar’s tyres wear out more quickly.
The insurance provider also has some helpful tips on how to choose a noseweight gauge, and how to load your caravan efficiently to avoid tipping the scales.
To find out more about how to get balance right in your van, read Towergate’s original article: How to measure your caravan’s noseweight accurately.
Eterniti Caravans hails NEC success after order book fills up to May
While last month’s NCC Motorhome and Caravan Show proved to be a wholly positive experience for the vast majority of manufacturers in the industry, Eterniti Caravans arguably had the most encouraging week of anyone at the NEC.
The caravan manufacturer had been apprehensive heading into the event, as this was the first public test of their debut range of caravans.
In reality though, the NEC in Birmingham was as busy as ever with this year’s Motorhome and Caravan Show attracting a record number of visitors with nearly 100,000 tourer enthusiasts heading to the Midlands during the course of the six-day event.
And the debut of the first ever Eterniti models proved popular among the assembled visitors, with the first purchase coming as early as 11am on the opening day, ten completed by the end of the day, and a steady stream continuing throughout the week.
The firm’s two twin-axle Genesis models, the IB4 and BB5, dominated sales with customers seemingly captivated by the range of features that included the Eazzzzzy slide system for additional storage among other things.
Afterwards, commercial director Neil Boulton admitted that the public response had exceeded his “wildest dreams”.
“We always knew we would have a good amount of interest but we never expected to take such a high volume of sales in our first show, it’s such a great position to be in to have the production already full until May 2013” he said.
Prices in the Eterniti Caravans range start at £21,999 for the two-berth Chronicle EB2, and MTPLM weights range from 1,300kg to 1,999kg. To take a closer look at these new ‘vans, click on the photo slideshow below.
Aberdeenshire site in great shape before Caravan Club handover
The husband and wife team of Ken and Florenza MacCallum have been praised by officials from the Stonehaven Town Partnership following another busy summer season.
Mr and Mrs MacCallum are currently employed as the warden and assistant warden of the Queen Elizabeth Caravan Park and while the pair have faced many a challenge over the past couple of years.
But few have compared to this summer at the Aberdeenshire site where unpredictable weather conditions disrupted the traditionally busy holiday season.
However, as the Mearns Leader reports, their efforts have not gone unnoticed with the chair of the Stonehaven Town Partnership Douglas Samways praising the duo for keeping the site busy and well-maintained.
“Mr and Mrs MacCallum have done a great job and this is reflected in the numerous letters of thanks that are on display in the office,” he said.
“I thought it may have been quieter… but Mr MacCallum has informed me that this season was certainly busier than last and that’s great to hear.”
The park is now set to be handed over to the Caravan Club who will spend £1.75million on revamping the site before opening for business in summer 2013.
Club members are advised to prepare for 5 November, when prices and information for the Caravan Club’s sites network for 2013 will go live.
From Mickey to Roary: a short history of caravans in cartoons
by Chris Jefferies
The charm of caravanning has won over animators and cartoon creators alike for more than 70 years, and indeed the development of the two has almost gone hand-in-hand.
Back in the 1930s, caravans were just starting to make an impression on the public, with more and more people starting to see the appeal of taking your home on the road with you.
At the same time, Walt Disney was pioneering some of the world’s first animated cartoons, with loveable characters such as Porky Pig and Donald Duck.
Of course the most memorable of all the Disney characters was Mickey Mouse, with his iconic smile and enormous ears.
But what some people may not know is that Mickey was a caravanner, as this 1937 cartoon shows:
In this episode of Mickey’s adventures, he wakes up in his trailer and with the help of his pal Goofy, hitches up for a memorable road trip.
Mickey’s caravan seems to have incredible amounts of storage space, with a bath popping up out of the floor, giving the sleepy Donald a refreshing morning soak.
But it’s not all easy riding, as Goofy’s towing skills leave a lot to be desired and their wacky trip nearly comes to a disastrous end.
As the allure of caravanning continued to grow ever stronger into the 1960s, so did the temptation to use tourers in animated TV shows.
In an early episode of the Magic Roundabout, we find out the Dougal is also a keen caravanner, although clearly no-one has introduced him to the concept of corner-steadies:
The hapless dog eventually calls on the help of the friendly heifer Ermintrude who helps to get him up and running.
But it doesn’t end there, and with caravans now becoming a ubiquitous part of daily life it was only a matter of time until we got a cartoon with a caravan as a main character.
Readers with younger children may already be familiar with Roary the Racing Car, which has been running on Channel 5 for the past five years.
The show, which is from the makers of Bob the Builder, centres on Roary and his racing adventures, but also regularly includes Rusty the Caravan, a lovable curmudgeon who is always reminiscing about the good old days.
It may not have the timeless qualities of Mickey Mouse or the Magic Roundabout, but if this show can get another generation of kids into caravanning then it surely deserves every success:
VIDEO: Wheel Solutions explains the importance of caravan wheel balancing
by Chris Jefferies
Uneven wheel balancing is a problem that you would be more likely to associate with your towcar than your caravan, but it can be just as serious for tourers.
With badly balanced wheels, a caravan can vibrate strongly and this can significantly reduce the lifespan of your bodyshell.
However, this fault isn’t as immediately noticeable as it is when a car’s wheels are unbalanced, so carrying out regular wheel balancing tests is very important.
In this video, we meet Richard Moorse from Wheel Solutions, who explains that these checks needs to be carried out whenever you change a wheel and during your annual service.
We also take a look at the company’s state-of-the-art machine, which uses lasers to measure the exact dimensions of the wheel and tyre assembly.
Electrical faults blamed for New Forest caravan fire
The devastating effects of a caravan fire were witnessed at a site in the New Forest last week, when one tourer was completely destroyed in an out-of-control blaze.
As the Daily Southern Echo reports, the fire erupted inside the caravan at around 10:30pm on Friday (October 26th) evening, completely gutting the interior of the tourer.
An inspection by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service later pointed to the overheating of a number of electrical items onboard the tourer as the main causes of the caravan blaze.
The vehicle in question had been parked around the Ringwood Road area of the New Forest, on the Woodlands Site which is usually used by fairground workers.
In addition to damaging the caravan, two other lorries were damaged, along with a metal barn.
The fire comes just days after a 28-year-old circus performer was left with serious burns on his head, arms and legs following a gas cylinder explosion onboard his tourer.
Four-month delay for French breathalyser kit fines
Plans to implement fines for any drivers caught without a breathalyser kit in France have been postponed until March 2013.
The Institute of Advanced Motoring (IAM) revealed that the proposals have now been delayed, meaning a reprieve for many of those motorists from the UK and beyond who have yet to purchase the required kits.
Caravanners and campervan users are among this number, with drivers facing fines of around 11 euros unless they carry the recommended kits.
These plans were originally due to be introduced from November 1st, but have now been put back by four months.
Despite the delay in initiating the scheme, the IAM’s director of policy and research Neil Greig believes the proposals will provide a much-needed boost to road safety.
“The new French rule is a genuine attempt to reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents,” he said. “As always, the best advice for road users is not to drink and drive at all.”
Skegness Stadium to host caravan destruction derby
Campers heading to the Skegness Stadium next month may be advised to leave their tourers safely locked up at home.
That’s because on Sunday (4 November) the sports arena will play host to a special motoring event to celebrating the upcoming Guy Fawkes Night.
And this party is going to be an explosive one, with a variety of destruction derby-style shows planned to take place during what will be a crash-packed extravaganza.
But while the various clapped-out cars on display are sure to provide a banging good time, it is the presence of a few carefully selected caravans that could prove of interest.
The banger and caravan destruction will see eight cars and their tourers engage in the unadulterated joy that comes with these car collision cacophonies, as the Lincolnshire Echo reports.
It could provide a welcome tonic to would-be caravanners, coming at the start of what is traditionally the most accident-heavy time of the year.
VIDEO: Upgrading the Whale heating system on the 2013 Elddis Avante
by Chris Jefferies
Elddis has fitted a brand new heating system to its mid-range Avante collection for 2013, including an under-floor mounted space heater and a rapid heat-up water heater.
Built by Northern Irish company Whale, the new system frees up more space on the inside and saves weight as well.
In this video, we talk to Alan Bateman from Elddis, who explains that this new heater allowed him a lot more freedom when it comes to designing the caravan layout.
We also find out about the Avante’s new Watermaster IC, which saves you from ever having to adjust your pressure switch again.
Prices in the Elddis Avante collection start at £14,499 for the two-berth 462 layout, while MTPLM weights range from 1,270kg to 1,639kg
End of a campervan era as VW calls time on the Kombi after 63 years
Caravan and camping fans with a sense of tradition could well shed a tear for the death of the Volkswagen Kombi, which will no longer be produced after the end of this year.
It will mark the end of 63 years of the endearing camper van design, with the last few models set to be built on December 31st 2013 – the date that the first of these unique vehicles was produced.
While no longer built in the UK, the Volkswagen Kombi remained a part of the company’s plans in Brazil – South America’s biggest car buying country.
However any hopes of this demand continuing have been scuppered by new government regulations.
Officials are now calling for all new vehicles to come with anti-lock brakes and dual front airbags as standard, meaning an end to the production of the more simplistic Volkswagen Kombi.
But with some 251 of the vehicles produced each and every day, there should be plenty of leftover stock for any truly passionate collectors out there.
Volkswagen will continue to make the California campervan, and the company has plans to launch a new compact Caddy van in the new year.
Blackpool circus performer injured by caravan gas explosion
The performers of Gerry Cottle’s Wow! Circus are today wishing for the speedy recovery of co-star Jumma Karani after he was injured in a serious explosion aboard his caravan.
As the Blackpool Gazette reports, the 28-year-old Ghanaian suffered severe burns to his head arms and legs after a 19kg propane gas cylinder exploded aboard his caravan.
The incident occurred at the Burton Road Industrial Estate in Marton at 11am on Tuesday (23 October). Mr Karani was subsequently airlifted to hospital following the blast.
One of his colleagues, Gareth Ellis told the news provider: “The explosion was just like a fireball.
“We don’t really know what happened. He had a problem with his gas cooker.”
He is now being treated in the specialist burns unit of the Wythenshawe Hospital and is said to be in a critical but stable condition.
Firefighters are now investigating the cause of the explosion.
It follows a ‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="http://www.caravantimes.co.uk/news/parks/south-east/caravanner-rushed-to-hospital-after-surrey-camp-site-blaze-$21381776.htm">similar accident aboard a tourer in east Surrey last August, which left a 30-year-old male with serious burns.
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