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Well, I've done it and I've got the certificate to prove it too!

The one-day CC Manoeuvring Course was excellent.  There were 3 chaps and 2 ladies (including me) on the course, with one instructor and two vans.

The attendees were a broad mix of ages and experience and with a variety of towcars.  Between us, we owned old/new/small/large caravans, so a complete mixed bag.

It was great!  I found it very confidence-building and because the ratio is normally 12 attendees, two instructors and two vans, we had extra practice goes at each of the skills.  It was a very full day, starting at 9am and going right through until 4:45pm and both my neck and wrist ached from craning around and selecting reverse gear.

It would have been slightly more realistic if there had been some beautifully manicured grass that I needed to avoid churning up with my wheels (as per a CC site), but apart from that the exercises will, I think, prepare me well for the real thing!

I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it was money well spent!

Good for you, there will be no stopping you now..... the world is your oyster, hope you have loads of great towing miles.

Shirley

Well done you

I've always fancied doing one but as a rule I'm useless in a test/exam room. (Failed my CSE's at school went on to pass diploma's on OU courses..!) Thats how naff I am in front of other people so I've never had the backbone to achive what you have done...I'm really chuffed for you

both my neck and wrist ached from craning around and selecting reverse gear.

Sounds like you need to refine your wrist action.

Quote: Originally posted by Bob™57 on 26/3/2007

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Thank god for that! If I join the CC I wouldn't want you reversing into my van...it's not insured

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Cheers Pageant Man

- It was a pleasure meeting you too!

Thanks everyone!

It didn't just give me confidence, there were 'techniques' to learn.  Specifically, we were guided as to which window of our towcars to look back through and what needs to be aligned in this viewing window and when (and how much) to turn the steering wheel - in order to complete a correctly angled reverse manoeuvre, for example.

What I was really hoping to get out of it was the ability to give 'good' instructions to Mr Ulti-mates when (more usually) he is pitching the van.  Over the time we've been vanning, I've learned that shouting out 'LEFT' or 'MORE' is not really going to help him.  It usually earns me a rude expletive!   or the promise of a hasty divorce!

Now that I've done the course, I will be able to appreciate what it takes and 'FULL RIGHT LOCK' or LOOSEN OFF THE STEERING A BIT' are going to be much more meaningful shouts.  Either that, or 'GET OUT AND I WILL DO IT' if all else fails!!!

Well done Ulti-Mates - sounds like it's been money well spent.

My OH's favourite shout when I'm reversing is "turn the wheel the other way" followed some time later by "turn the wheel the other way"!  I'm then left wondering whether he's just repeating the first instruction, or does he now mean the other way?! 

Looks like we'll both be doing the course before the year is out.  For this year our 'van is on a seasonal pitch so, now it's there no more maneouvering until October.  Next year, however, we plan to be out and about in the 'van so there will likely be lots more reversing to be done...!