2018 Buccaneer Barracuda review
- Thread starter LizziePope
- Start date
- Aug 23, 2009
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I was just reading this review in the magazine. I wouldn't consider anything from the Explorer Group until there is a huge improvement in their quality and reliability. I'm incredulous that anyone should even want a 32" television in their caravan but to actually lose a window to it.................. Get the scrabble out and get a life. You're away in the great outdoors so appreciate it rather than spending time glued to the TV. Holidays never were about gadgets, gizmo's TV and anything that needs charging with a USB point. In fact neither was life. Life used to be about simple pleasures, of the company of loved ones, friends and family. Board games, radio, books, evening strolls, frosty morning rambles to get the paper. This van, for me, sums up what is wrong with society today and what is wrong in caravanning these days. Sorry but no thank you I want to look out on the English countryside not be fixed to a TV screen.
- Oct 12, 2013
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- Mar 14, 2005
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Martin24 said:
Hello Martin,
Each person has an equal right to choose how they spend their holidays, Just becasue someone makes a different choice on what they do for entertainment, or fulfilment does not make their choice any less valid than your own. :huh: Phrases like 'get a life' are inane and offensive, in that they seek to belittle others
hmy: .Like you, I preferred to use my caravan holidays to look at what's around the locality, and I am please that all my children now grown up with husbands and partners, still enjoy taking active holidays including camping, walking, climbing surfing and other physical activities. None of them have taken on a caravan yet other money priorities have to take precedence until their student loans, mortgage payments and babies are more manageable.
In case you hadn't noticed, the world has been changing. Social media has become an highly significant part of managing contacts with friends and acquaintances, both socially and professionally. Life is very different for our youngsters compared to our own formative years, and looking back and remembering how our parents had very different aspirations to our own, and how we had access to home telephones and personal transport when at the same age our parents did not. So each generation seems to break the boundaries of our parents, often causing distress and some alienation of their parents views and standards.
But through all this certain aspects of human life still hold true, like making good friends at all ages, but even good friends can drift away through teh needs to make a living further away. I often think of those I considered to be good friends from school times past, and wonder what their up to now.
But today's youngsters are more likely to keep in touch becasue of the availability of social media, and I'll bet that my children are still in contact with far more school and university friends than either you or I are, becasue they manage it through emails and other social media.
Life to-day is different, their are different pressures and different accepted norms for social behaviour, That doesn't make what went before or comes after not a "life" its just different.
The Buccaneer may not suit your life needs or choices now, but others will have different needs or choices. May I suggest another phrase - Live and let Live
Yes life today is certainly different - on average we check our smart phones approximately 150 times per day - connectivity is all the rage however I reckon it’s time to place that cellular aside and reconnect with society - nonetheless that bucanner barracuda does look appealing
- Oct 12, 2013
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Martin , like yourself we have two kids still getting educated and it's hard work but when we go away we go to chill out with both having stressful jobs , we do the walks and country , will let them play out and get plenty of fresh air from morning till night , we talk , they even bring there homework away on a weekend because we normally leave on a Friday afternoon straight after school ! Then on an evening time they chill out we have a telly at one end they have theirs at their end ( not quite 32" though)
- Nov 11, 2009
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Our granddaughter comes with us quite a lot and during the days we are out and about and she has her phone tucked away. Yet at night she can spend a good couple of hours messaging, or phoning her friends. She doesnt watch tv hardly at all but enjoys cards and board games. Unfortunately she seems able to beat me most times. I wish that I had had cheap connectivity as in the 1970s we had to go to a phone box to call our parents as we were too broke to afford a phone. In the mid 80s I was posted to Canada for a year without the family and again the sole means of communication was our weekly letters via BFPO. Again couldn’t afford phone calls as a routine as all our money went paying off a mortgage at 15% with a lousy £:$ exchange rate. So in many respects I welcome the current ease of connectivity. But I’m not sure the Buccaneer would be for me despite being a nice caravan.
- Jun 20, 2005
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Fads come and go.
Years back Bailey brought out a S6 Vendee with the bedroom at the front and lounge at the rear . Didn't last long!I
I suspect the TV in place of a side window wont last long either.
However if it was a drop down or fold up aircraft type TV then I can see the attraction.
Years back Bailey brought out a S6 Vendee with the bedroom at the front and lounge at the rear . Didn't last long!I
I suspect the TV in place of a side window wont last long either.
However if it was a drop down or fold up aircraft type TV then I can see the attraction.
- Nov 11, 2009
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If you had an external camera you could send external movies to the screen and use it as a surrogate window.
- Nov 11, 2009
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Then you just switch it to "art" mode and savour the beauty of the World's artists. I guess that the next generation will have roof mounted drone controlled from in the caravan using the tv as a monitor. You could then pretend to be a Predator pilot!
- Nov 16, 2015
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ProfJohnL said:otherclive said:
Get a big enough drone and lift the caravan
Meduim size one would do.
And Woodlands Camper has banned me from training Dusty Dog, on the drone, anywhere near the caravans, very sensible too.
- Jun 20, 2005
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EH52ARH said:ProfJohnL said:otherclive said:
Get a big enough drone and lift the caravan
Meduim size one would do.
And Woodlands Camper has banned me from training Dusty Dog, on the drone, anywhere near the caravans, very sensible too.
Rubbish!"
The nearer the caravans the better
Apologies to Parksy in advance :kiss:
- Jul 18, 2017
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The biggest issue with the Barracuda is the payload as it can only be increased by a measly 10kg. Once you have fitted the motor mover the payload is reduced even further. Adding an air con as one of the options reduces it even further. There is also the temptation to put things under the island bed at the rear which could create stability issues. This is a well built caravan and you can see the Hymer influence.
We do not have a Barracuda. As for TV we have one on the front chest of drawers and another in the bedroom area connected to a satellite dome for Sky so that we can record and watch. We do go out during the day but stay in the caravan in the evenings so watching Tv is our form of relaxation. Playing Monopoly or scrabble is too strenuous on the brain after a day out enjoying yourself. However as said in other posts, every one to their own.
We do not have a Barracuda. As for TV we have one on the front chest of drawers and another in the bedroom area connected to a satellite dome for Sky so that we can record and watch. We do go out during the day but stay in the caravan in the evenings so watching Tv is our form of relaxation. Playing Monopoly or scrabble is too strenuous on the brain after a day out enjoying yourself. However as said in other posts, every one to their own.
Not my cup of tea at all but it would be interesting to see the market research that backed the decision to build this caravan. It's a big investment by the makers and I can't help but wonder i it's an ego trip by some senior executive - i.e. 'ours must be bigger/better than theirs or the result of a seriously researched niche gap in the market.
It will be interesting to see whether it remains in the catalogue for more years to come.
Someone must be doing the market research correctly - see the popularity of the rear longitudinal bed centre washroom lay out which appear to be making the same sort of impact the first fixed side bed vans made some years ago.
It will be interesting to see whether it remains in the catalogue for more years to come.
Someone must be doing the market research correctly - see the popularity of the rear longitudinal bed centre washroom lay out which appear to be making the same sort of impact the first fixed side bed vans made some years ago.
- May 7, 2012
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The rear island bed does seem to be an answer to the problem of a fixed a bed with access either side and not the squeeze around the foot you get with the side beds. It does take up a lot of length though and so like all layouts you have to compromise and here it is the reduced space further up the caravan or the sheer size needed to avoid this. It will work for many people and it should continue to sell. With cars getting lighter however it may not sell as well long term.
- Jul 18, 2017
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As said the danger with end island beds is people shoving everything under them making the tail of the caravan heavy which could cause problems when towing. On our Lexon 640 the issue was warmth in the bedroom, but this may not be an issue with ALDE heating however then you may have a lot of extra weight behind the axles due to the ALDE system.
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