No doubt this question has been asked a few times but as a newbie to the art of packing a caravan, I'd appreciate any tips or advice.
We have a Kia Sedona and an Adria Altea Severn. What is the best and safest way to pack? I am very aware of the need to be careful regarding weights etc, but as a family of six, I am wondering where we are going to put everything - an awning, two annexes, six chairs, table, a couple of camp beds plus all the clothes, towels, bedding, pots and pans etc! For short weekends away we won't need the annexes and will have a small porch awning instead.
We used to have a Folding Camper which everything but the clothes and food went into for travelling, we never had any problems but then it feels like the weight limits are much tighter this time round.
Pack your clothes in to 2 or 4 cases, then leave half of them at home.
Look at getting a multipurpose cooking pot like a large wok and perhaps a Remoska.
Give your children a small half size collapsible crate each and insist they can only take toys, electronic gadgets which fill the crate but do not extend above it.
I would suggest the awning and annexes go over the axle on the van.
Like some of your answers - leaving a child or two at home would certainly simplify things - oh well, only a few more years!
The kids don't take much and gadgets get left at home, we take a box of family games instead!
I think we're already down to the bare minimum on clothes as usually do a wash on site on longer trips away. They'll probably still go in the car, to be honest, although think hubby would prefer them in the caravan.
For cooking we currently have a cob and a tapanyaki grill, plus a microwave in the caravan. Hubby wants to get a cadac as he complains the cobb is too small, but then that's even more weight!
i read this with interest because i only have 2 boys who will be 5 and 8 next summer hol. i can see we are already out growing our carrying capacity and will need a larger vehicle to safely tow and carry our caravanning equipment.
do you have a roof box?
last year we travelled to the vendee via plymout roscoff towing our coachman amara 570/6 with our Mitsubishi outlender. we used a roof box not because the boot was too small but because i didnt want all of the weight behind the rear axle of the car.
in the roof box we carried the full awning and awning carpets, sun parasol, wind break and beach chairs and an inflatable boat. the awning poles were too long for the roof box so i carried these in the boot. i also carried our clothes in the boot packed in hold alls and also my sons bicycle plus a sat dish and various other bits and pieces. i carried my wifes bike and mine on a tale gate rack. next summer my 5 year old will want his little bike as well and the trail gator.
we took a trip with our nieces and sister inlaw recently and had to use the roof box because with my car in 7 seat mode there isnt much room left in the boot.
i dont carry much in the caravan because its already at 87% if loaded to the max. i weighed it with a gadget i have and without much in it(but packed as i normally travelit was already up to 1540kg.
maybe your answer is a massive roof box? i am considering a crew cab truck but i like to have the 7 seat option which is essential for you.
how about a VW caravelle or similar minibus type thing?
------------- First van bailey ranger 550/6
Now the proud owner of a coachman amara
Quote: Originally posted by Jo Poweredbygin on 07/11/2016
for those with bikes have you ever packed the bikes in the caravan or would this make them too heavy?
If you carry bikes in your caravan you must make sure that you do not exceed your total payload allowance.
I usually carry two mountain bikes in the caravan, weighing approximately 26kg. in total. I remove the front wheels and pad the forks, frame and rear wheels with old cushions. I have towed thousands of miles like this without any problems.
The caravan will have a undaden weight which is an empty van, or a Mass In Running Order weight which will include the gas and battery and a few other essentials and then you will have the gross laden weight.
You muct not exceed the gross laden weight and dont trust the chassis plate and handbook either. If in doubt get it weighed.
A pair of bikes maybe 50% of your loading allowance if the caravan uses the MIRO figure.
The payload allowance is the maximum weight of personal kit that you are allowed to carry. It can be calculated by subtracting the MIRO (the mass in running order ie. empty except for gas cylinder) from the MTPLM (the maximum weight that the caravan can carry).
These weights are normally found on a plate near to the caravan door.
I carry two bikes in the caravan ... use two Decathlon cycle racks ... fit perfectly, no need to take wheels, or anything off ... also great as parking units for outside when camping.
my caravan is actually designed to carry bikes where the fixed rear bunk is but with the bunk folded against the wall. i believe though its better to load the car to the max and the caravan to the min which is why i carry the bikes and awning on the car. my car actually has a max gross wt of just over 2500kg.so quite a lot can be carried but i have seen some 'SUVs' with max gross wts much lower.
it wouldnt be good to exceed the max axle weights for any period of time, if at all.
------------- First van bailey ranger 550/6
Now the proud owner of a coachman amara
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Topic: Packing the caravan
