Caravan manoeuvering courses- are they worthwhile?

[CarolineSimon]

Hi,

I have finally decided to bite the bullet and do a proper caravan manoeuvering course from one of the two big clubs later on this year.

It is a day & a half long and covers both practical & theory for hitching up & towing etc.

My experience in towing to date is fairly limited as we have a large outfit so I have never reversed or parked it or had to put it in a tight space,or hitched up on my own.

I thought it was about time in case I ever wanted to use it with the children whilst my Husband was working!

If anyone has done these courses I would be interested in how you got on with it, especially any Ladies who found it useful.

Thanks in advance.

 

[cris_408518]

Can't see that any training is a waste.

Good instructers often have ways of explaining the hows and whys with little tips to make things happen the way you want and how they should.

Just go for it and don't worry, if it helps you do what you want and helps with your safety you have nothing but positives to gain.

 

[Viking1]

Hi Caroline

I have been on one.

My was only for a day and was run by the C, C, C I fort it was good.

The day started with in a class were you learnt all about law and bit of other things.

Then we got show how to load a caravan up and how to use nose wait gangers and how to hitch up has well were you are on your owe or you have some one with you.

Then later on we were show and had a go at going back wards with the on in a state line after that had a go at reveres in to a tight space and at the end of the day got a bit of paper just say I dun the courses.

mark

 

[Steve L]

Any training on safe practices and manouvering is very worth while.

Having a HGV license and thirty years of towing was my guide to towing. Being able to confidently reverse and manouver forward through tight situations takes the stress out of towing.

My wife is quite happy to get behind the wheel of our outfit which at 39ft overall is quite a challenge, but she does it well and above all she takes her time.

You are taught the safe coupling proceedure and observation practices before manouvering on site. Then a practical session under the watchfull eye of the trainer put's the theory into practice.

Finally when you've done that you can go on holiday and pitch competently much to the annoyance of the curtain twitching men who wonder, how the blazes does she do it?

You see despite the ego's etc, more than half the fella's can't reverse either.

I often offer my assistance to anyone having difficulty with their caravan and the biggest bug-bear to the novice caravanner is trying to perk neatly on a crowded motorway service area.

Go for it and have fun at the same time.

Steve.

 

[Royston]

Hi Caroline,

Well worth the time and Money, I went on one which was held at Norwich, Lots of ladies shared the course , the confidence that you get sharing with all the other people whilst trying to reverse in a straight line for the first time, with out knocking any bollards down, watched of course by your fellow students and yourself watching others.The course is not only about towing , but the everyday chores, such as setting the van up for towing how to hitch and unhitch the van from the towball.The encouragement that was given to the people who where the most nervious was shared by us all.Every body passed with flying colours.

The added bonus if you belong the cc club insurance is you get % discount on your insurance.

I can assure you you will not regret it.

heres to happy towing Royston.

 

[Marc1]

Go for it and enjoy the experiance. I have not trained with either of the clubs but have met several people who have. All the caravaners who I have talked to have said what a help it had been.

Marc

 

[Hamer_5041128]

Caroline,

My wife went on a C.C one and a half day course at Ruthin. She now has no problem towing our large twin axle with our Shogun.

We were at the Chatsworth C.C. site and my wife towed to the pitch. I got out and went to stand on the pitch. Two couples were sitting on the next pitch and on realising that my wife was going to reverse our caravan onto the pitch the men turned their chairs round to watch. My wife did a perfect reverse( I had my fingers crossed for her ).

One of the men made a comment about it must be just luck. His wife turned on him and said he could not reverse and his reversing was an embarressment to her. To say he went red in the face was an understatment

I say go for it Caroline but keep up the practice afterwards.

Good luck.

Hamer.

 

[popupJohn]

One day on a CCC course taught me more about manovering than I had managed to tech myself in 15 years towing trailor tents/campers etc.

Well worth the cost

 

[Martin_E]

Although I have my HGV Class 1 (and have done for many years), when I bought our van they had training as part of the price, so I did it, if nothing else it surprised me at what a good steering lock I had on my car. I guess the point is that it doesn't matter how much experience you have it is always better to do something that may improve/enhance it.

So go for it.

 

[CarolineSimon]

Wow! Thanks everyone for your responses, I'm glad that you all have positive things to say about the courses.

I am booked on the day & a half C.C. at Kimberley (Nottingham) beginning of June and am now really looking forward to it.

My Husband drives for a living and makes it all look so easy as he can reverse on a sixpence! I tend to panic a bit-typical girly so I think the course will help calm my nerves!

Lucky I have got a few mths to go as the handbook arrived yesterday with the course paperwork & it said to read through all of it before doing the course - well blimey its about the size of the C.C. sites directory so it will take me till June to read through it, Babies dependant of course.

Wish me luck everyone!

If anyone else is doing that course let me know as it would be great to say hi to fellow forum users.

 

[Noel_374241077]

Its well worth the experiance, money well spent and gives you confidence in handling your van.

Noel & Jen

 

[ProfAlGoogle]

Worthwhile, in my opinion they should be made compulsory.

Allan.

 

[MrsMothy]

I did the CC course at Ruthin a couple of years ago before we collected our first caravan and I think it was money well spent. I get a bit embarrassed by the attention that 'vertically challenged me' gets when I tow but I towed alone and set up on one particular weekend late last year with my husband joining me later. The warden claimed that my pitching was better than any other he had seen all season. I put it down to the instruction I got from Jules on the course. From what I hear, all the courses are much of a muchness but what they seem to do is make you slow down and think before you do anything else. If you get chance...do one!

 

[Maz_5041035]

Wow! Thanks everyone for your responses, I'm glad that you all have positive things to say about the courses.

I am booked on the day & a half C.C. at Kimberley (Nottingham) beginning of June and am now really looking forward to it.

My Husband drives for a living and makes it all look so easy as he can reverse on a sixpence! I tend to panic a bit-typical girly so I think the course will help calm my nerves!

Lucky I have got a few mths to go as the handbook arrived yesterday with the course paperwork & it said to read through all of it before doing the course - well blimey its about the size of the C.C. sites directory so it will take me till June to read through it, Babies dependant of course.

Wish me luck everyone!

If anyone else is doing that course let me know as it would be great to say hi to fellow forum users.

We did the CC course at Kimberly 2 years ago & we both found it very useful and it certainly helped with towing confidence. There were 6 or 7 others on the course as well so there was lots of practice at hitching & unhitching. You spend most of the day standing up outside so if it's chilly take something warm & it's best to take your own lunch, easier than trying to get to the local shops.

 

[Ray_374246710]

Hi Caroline, I am new to touring and did the course last year with my son. We had a great time and learnt loads of useful tips and techniques from the instructors. One thing I will say is try to get fully immersed in the experience, the more you put into the training event the better you will do. Have a great time and happy caravanning.

Ray

 

[ANN_374233635]

Hi Caroline

I have just done the 1 day course at Ruthin with Jules. It was a most enjoyable day. I have been towing for 15 years and just wish I had done this earlier. I now feel I have much more confidence to have a go when we get to a site rather than just driving there and then letting hubby take over to reverse. Always felt embarrassed that someone was watching, now I don't care, so long as I just keep moving slowly. Jules made me believe "I can do it".

 

[alex_374294702]

I have just complweted a couse with a trailer driving instructor near Preston, 3 hrs of hard work reversing, reversing and reversing but I arrived home and in great triumph reversed caravan on to drive next to existing arked car and it was just perfect. Three hours well spent. it has given me cofidence to think and correct a move as it starts to go wrong not after it has well and truely gone wrong.

 

[CarolineSimon]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all your positive replies.

As an update I am pleased to say that I have now completed my day & a half C.C. manoeuvering course last wkend.

Out of the 6 people on the course there were 4 Ladies!!

Anyway we had a great instructor who was very patient and good at explaining everything and I now understand a lot more about the technical side of towing as well as having an understanding of how to reverse left & right into spaces and general towing my van.

I just need to practice a bit more I think!!

Anyway it was well worth it and I would recommend a similar course to anyone who is interested.

Our participants ranged in age and experience but all got on well and supported each other too.

Caroline