What kind of ware?

loopymum

Hi Newbie here, looking at buying a campervan if the right one comes up, in the meantime have just purchased a small caravan for €375 12ft*6ft from my sister, what kind of Ware, Enamel, Melamine or regular delph?

In all honesty the caravan probably fits the bill better as we are 2 adults with a 2yr old who still sleeps in a cot, has a buggy and carseat and I would probably bring the kitchen sink if I could.

So any tips and hints for beginners welcome, did go camping out of the back of a car for a year in Australia but a different experience compared to camping with a toddler.

Argos has both the http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=30001&langId=-1&productId=745276Melamine and http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=30001&langId=-1&productId=752564Enamel

Just wondering what you would recommend from your experiences.

Thanks
Chris

peasant

Really depends on how much driving you do (very bumpy roads!) and how well you wrap your stuff.

There ARE people out there that drive champaign flutes around, wrapped in layers of foam.
We on the other hand are really hard core and use stainless steel plates that have been camping with the family for the last 30 or 40 years or so ...gives that nice, homely prison athmosphere

Cheapo thick mugs work well for tea and coffee, arcoroc glass is fairly bomb proof as well (wine or beer just doesn't taste nice out of plastic) and as for crockery it's really up to you what you prefer.

Melamine has the advantage of being fairly light, which helps to keep the weight down.

fits

Tesco have some lovely melamine ware at the moment. Worth checking out at one of the bigger stores.

http://direct.tesco.com/product/images/?R=200-9104

http://direct.tesco.com/pi/Product/6/SS07200-1396TPS101222.jpg

Also Aldi had melamine dining sets last week, may still be some left over.

loopymum

peasant wrote:

Really depends on how much driving you do (very bumpy roads!) and how well you wrap your stuff.

Will be heading towards Beara Peninsula and Kerry to start with, so probably bumpy enough. Definitely wouldnt want to be wrapping up things too much. Would take the fun out of camping.

Another question, would it be better to try and have more weight in the caravan or keep it as light as possible?

Will be using a 3ltr turbo diesel double crew cab jeep to pull it. I just ask because the jeep isnt as bouncy with a canopy on it.

Thanks

peasant

Not that experienced with towing a caravan, but the general rule is to keep it as light as possible. They usually don't have that much payload anyway.

Also make sure to keep heavy items low down and near the axle.

On Kerry roads, make doubly safe that all drawers and cupboard doors are securely locked and can't open while you're driving.

dollydishmop

With regard to ware. I bought an entire set from Just Kampers. its all melamine and so far so good, seems hard wearing. The set included 4 mugs, 4 plates, 4 bowls, 1 salad bowl, 1 serving tray. It all has little vw camper logos all around, but my dim memory recalls they possibly do a plain set. Let me know and I'll dig out a link for you.

My ma bought me a couple of tin mugs (the type I used in the brownie guides when on summer camp), and all I can say it watch out when you've got a hot drink in it. The tin heats up, including the handle, and its difficult to hold a boiling hot tin handle.

I also throw in a couple of pottery mugs (love a bucket of tea for brekkie, and I've never found bucket sized melamine mugs. But these sit handily on top of a table cloth I carry so no risk of breaking whilst travelling.

In the caravan, Ma always had china plates etc, safely stored in a proper caravan plate rack. They didn't budge an inch when travelling.

I guess you can take what you like, as long as you find the right way to store it while travelling.

With regard to weight in the caravan, as far as I recall the important bit is balancing it and taking note of the nose weight. Do a google for caravan nose weight for more info on this regard, as my caravan days were quite a while ago.

KoNiT

Ensure positive nose weight of approx 70-90 kg depending on what your pulling with. You've a large 4x4 so 100+kg should be ok.

Ensure caravan isn't heavier than the car or it will push you all over the road or off it.

Keep weight central & low or slightly forward of the axle. Do not keep heavy stuff (eg awning) at the back of the caravan or the car will become unstable & start "snaking"... not nice, I've been there!

Pack caravan as "last in, first out" (Step, bikes, toy tractors, sink, piano, etc,)
You've a 4x4 so make sure the hitch isn't too high so that the back of the caravan is low to the ground. Don't forget to check tyre pressures incl 'van & adjust your headlights. Have fun

The baby will be ok in the caravan, might thow a wobbler due to the lack of cot! Luckily each of our's (apart from the current 1yr old) slept ok in the caravan.

http://www.gocaravanning.com/caravans/beginners/beginners.htm

http://www.gocaravanning.com/caravans/using/towing_guide.htm

Get this book - The Caravan Manual (3rd Edition) by John Wickersham ISBN: 9781859603338 It has good info & is an easy read.

Have fun!!!

loopymum

Thanks everyone for all the replies.:)

Picked up melamine ware in Aldi for a tenner and some camping saucepans, camping cutlery and a few other bits and bobs.

Think we will be fine towing the caravan, partner had no trouble with it when we picked it up the other day. Guess I will have to learn to drive with it too Took me about 10 days to get really used to driving the jeep on our lovely twisting roads, but would drive it anywhere now (except bloody multi-storey carparks).
Will keep all heavier items in the back on the jeep, lots of cargo space luckily for us.

My sister and her husband have done some diy remodeling on the caravan as the tables and seats were a little rickety anyway.
The main seating area now boasts a double bed frame instead(planks of wood) with the cushions on top, they also removed the bunks so we have plenty of space for the travel cot, couldnt see him sleeping anywhere but his cot to be honest! he adores it! so thats coming with us, luckily he sleeps in a travel cot anyway!

We do have all the bits if we decide to put everything back in the original way but it suits us, will throw the bistro aluminium dining set we have into the back of the jeep.

Hoping to head off this Thursday to Kerry, torn between the Peacock campgrounds near Kenmare or Mannix in Cahirciveen sounds fantantic, Peacocks is alot closer but Mannix sounds great and has gotten great reviews on the web. 90 miles to Caherciveen and 40 to Peacocks.

Anyone got any other ideas? Must have a beach we can walk to! Once the boss is happy we are mightily relieved:D

Dont really want to do an awful lot of driving whilst we are there, just want to chill and relax really.

Thanks again everyone

Chris

dollydishmop

Good luck and have a lovely time in Kerry

loopymum

dollydishmop wrote:

Good luck and have a lovely time in Kerry

Thanks! will do. Looking forward to it!

Chris