I agree with the posts above. Some of the better built in bunks will take up to 11 stone, but be careful as the hinged metal bunks that you make up do take a lot less. For future proof reasons I believe you would be better off with the fixed bunks and end bathroom. Reason being that the bunks will take more weight and your kids "who are not getting younger" will have a bathroom big enough to be able to get changed in privacy. Downside is that these are very big vans and will need a substantial bit of kit to tow them with any degree of safety. This is only my opinion though and I must confess I am no leading authority on the issue.
thanks very much for all the advice and info, I really appreciate it. I have seen an Avondale Dart 5 berth and the top bunk takes up to 11 stone so that would suit my 8 year old who is only 4 and a half stone for a while to come. I will take on board all your comments when visiting a couple of caravan places next week. Thanks again and I will keep you posted. Ness
Hi
We started off with coachman genuis and had a end bathroom, , with three growing boys 10-14, decided that a end bathroom would be better , the wardrobe and toilet etc all shut off, so you could get changed etc etc behind closed doors!
A making changing clothes easier, with three boys and the ony female life was easier!!,
Depends if you have a awning, we found the boys slept in the awning, and only a couple of times in the caravan bunk beds.
Now they are grown and may just join us on hols we have the luxury of a fixed bed, (ooh so nice no bed making,) but i do miss the end batheroom so we are going to be changing to a twin axle fixed bed and end bathroom Ace Supreme twinstar
My other half wishes we had done some more investigation about our first van. It would have saved us loads of money. We started with a 1992 Abbey Piper It had a side toilet/shower room and bunks at the back seating/bed area at the front. I changed all the seat covers and made new curtains then we saw a 2003 bailey ranger with a beautiful end bathroom. it had sdie dinette which changed into bunks. After usng it for a year we realised that we had never used the shower in it (only for storage ) So Guess what????? we were passing a caravan salesroom as you do one sunny day and JUST went to have a LOOK. There it was an Avondale Dart Fixed Bed. All can say is FANDABYDOSY!!!!!!!! We Have had to go back to a smaller bathroom but we use the sites which have top facilities. The girls aged 15 and 16 have the single beds(seating area) and we have the luxurious fixed bed.We had to be really careful on towing weights because we tow with a peugeot 307 diesel so we have done lots o research into weights etc..
Let us know how you get on...... whichever you choose youll love it.
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