Caravan Showers

[baxtjhn@aol.com]

What are your thoughts about showers in caravans.

I have never used the one in our van,we tend to use C.C. sites which have excellent facilities.

I realise there is a need when using sites with less facilities.

Just wondered how many people actually use their shower in the van and how much cheaper a caravan would be without one.

You here about problems with damp in the shower area,whats the long term problems etc..

 

[JoannaLesley]

Same goes for cookers, John. Can't see why anyone needs them either. We like small, light caravans & they're getting harder and harder to find. Luckily, the continentals still have a sense of proportion!

 

[Surfer]

It appears that you guys are now in the minority as most people wamt showers and ovens. After all why not! I would have satellite and air con install if I could afford it.

 

[PaulA3]

I can't afford to use c&cc or cc sites may be its because they spend so much money on facillities the site fees are to much. So I use CLs and THSs and use all the facillites in my caravan. It makes me angry that the clubs spend all this money on thier sites to provide what I already have in the caravan, they should get back to basics and provide minimum facillity sites water, elsan point and skip, let the commercial market provide the super facilities.

The clubs are now even encourageing CLs to provide super pitches etc which puts the cost up, we need more sites not more facillities.

 

[baxtjhn@aol.com]

Paula.

understand what you are saying and can't disagree with you but its the old story..to each their own..

Could I also ask my original question which was not meant as a critisism,how do you find using your shower and are there any signs of dampness in shower/toilet area.

 

[petercoachman]

hi we like to go on da rallies with c&cc where they only supply water and elson showers etc are a must

 

[Jane4]

We have had our Swift Challenger for 18 months now, it has a fixed double and quite a small shower compartment. Since we have had it I have never used the site facilities, it is much easier to just get out of bed straight into the shower! There is no sign of damp although I always make sure the bathroom is well ventilated and dry off the floor once I have used it. We have been away about 150 nights in that time and have had no problems with the shower area.

 

[logan_5085367]

John,

we have never used the shower in our caravan.

Like yourself we are concerned about dampness and feel that the shower area in caravans is not designed well enough to prevent this.

We also use C.C and C.C.C sites most of the time,nothing wrong with wanting a nice clean place to spend your holidays and a shower that you can move in and not thump arms/legs off the sides.

This might not suit everyone but its our choice,we have also been to rallies with only basic facilities.

Thats the beauty of caravanning we all do what pleases us.

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

We are completely the opposite. We often use CL's, CS's and both club sites, but, we never use any of the site facilites. Like alot of other people we prefer to shower in the 'van, and can honestly say have never had any problems with dampness within the shower area. If you keep it well ventilated and dry off where possible you should be OK.

I personally think it would be an idea for those people who wish to use the site facilites maybe to have a key or some other means of entry to the shower blocks, those who do not require the amenities will then not have access, and possibly a reduction in the site fees. What do other people think?

 

[parker1158]

Hi All

We have never used the shower in our van, in fact i have fitted a rail so it can be used to hang clothes in. I personaly have only used the loo a couple of times and encourage the rest of the family the same. On a typical week away i only have to empty the cassette once when we leave the site

 

[Pete4]

We use the shower and toilet even if we're close to the facilities. In my view, we paid for the caravan gadgets so use them.

I have to empty the toilet every two days (there's five in our family). But the trip to the elsan point is only the same time takes as going to use there facilities myself so I guess I'm "going" for everyone.

The shower in the 'van is usually hotter and more powerful the the site showers anyway, plus I don't have to waddle there and back in flipflops etc.

 

[PaulT]

We rarely (about twice this year) use the site facilities and always shower in the 'van. Never had any problems with damp. Having paid a lot for my van with all the "conveniences" why would I want to trek across a wet and windy field (as it was last weekend) to attend to the call of nature or to have a shower. We often use Forestry Commision sites which (in most cases) have only water and foul water disposal points so we have no option but to be self contained.

 

[Janey1]

In our other caravan (the one that was stolen) I only used the shower once and that was when I was fully dressed and cleaning the bathroom!! Oh, how I laugh when I think about that (not). Hubby did though. I'll try not to make the same mistake in our new caravan.

 

[Guest]

Looking at the various replies so far I guess we will end up with about a 50/50 split between those who do, and those who don't. Another case of 'doing your own thing', which is no bad thing.

Personally we are in the 'those who don't' camp. I accept the walk factor and sometimes having to queue, but the cubicles are in the main much bigger, and in the case of both Club sites, are usually of domestic size and pressure. I actually bought a caravan where the bathroom was literally just that, a toilet with a shower tray, not one of these vans where the bathroom occupies a third of the van length. It can be used as a shower, but I prefer to keep it for emergencies. I may create disagreement amongst others but IMHO the hot water tank is not usually that big and probably number 1 in the shower gets the best provision, until it heats up again. With a family it must be very difficult. I also am loathe to run and fill an Aquaroll, plus empty the waste tank, every day, or even more often. I now see some outfits with 2 aquarolls outside the van, so more stuff for them to carry.

However, I have no quarrel with anyone doing exactly what is happiest for them.

 

[Pelyma1]

I'm one of those with 2 aquarolls, this is so I have a bit of spare capacity. We use the shower everyday in the van with no problems, but we only stay on sites without facilities. Each to their own I guess.

 

[CliveV]

Only trouble we had was the water running back down the shower tap pipe - we have one of the "silly design" ones that doubles as a tap which you pull out when you want a shower.

The water was going into the vanity unit and it took me a while to figure out where it was comming from.

Quick cure was fit a rubber washer sealed with vasalene and the permanent repair was to cut into the pipes to fit a proper shower head. Really is a silly design - made to allow water ingress back down the pipe.

Also used a Solar Shower which is great! Just put it on the roof of the caravan and feed the shower head thro' the roof vent. But watch out - they can get VERY hot by mid afternoon.

 

[VIP2006]

Hi john.b. - showers. I have only used the shower once in all of my time caravanning. I was on a site with no facilities, my van was new and fitted with a new battery. filled up the water barrel, undressed and turned on the shower, great and after a few minutes whilst being soaped all over, the water stopped. I asked my wife to check whether the pump was still running or was the water in barrel lower than the pump. Puzzled look from wife who shrugged her shoulders and continued to dry her hair. saying "have'nt got a clue" got out of shower dryed off the soap, checked and found flat battery, drove down to garage bought a new battery assured by garage that it was fully charged, connected it and tried again, after a few minutes same again. ever since have been very wary about ME using shower since.

in my young days and with my new caravan we travelled to Devon on the way there my son and my sisters boy were sleeping in the bunks when my sisters lad said "Aunty, if we use the toilet can we do logs and the reply was a resounding NO. consequently we never use the toilet other than for an p**.

 

[Stephen_5077753]

Hi, we both use the shower in our coachman amara.

The shower is a combined wc/shower/sink so not that big. It is a seperate shower hose though not one of the ones that double as a tap for the sink.

We both prefer using the vans shower to walking across a site to the facilities and shivering on your way back cos your still damp!

Im 6'1 and 17 stone, so maybe a tight squeeze for me but its not too bad. I run the water a few seconds to get me wet, switch it off, lather up and then run the water to rinse away th soap. Water is very hot and we can both shower this way easily from a full aqua-roll. The WC has a blown air pipe so thats warm enough for us and will help to combat the damp.

Each to there own again I suppose.

Steve

 

[emmerson2]

We never use the on-board shower, but have a double size toilet tent, abucket,shower hose and head from a breaker, asubmersible pump which is connected to the battery. One kettle of hot water one of cold, hey presto, nice hot shower with plenty of room. If we put it in the awning we don't even need to go outside. Works well for us. As has been said, to each his own.

 

[MONKEY1]

In answer to John B's question I believe the price to be around a few

 

[PaulA3]

In answer to John B's question I believe the price to be around a few

 

[MONKEY1]

I agree not expensive when you compare it to a hotel room, I certainly can not afford to stay in Hotels. If you compare it to

 

[RichardH]

if you want vans without cookers try the TEC range they dont have cookers and one or two didnt seem to have showers when we looked

 

[Lol1]

I always use the caravan shower, but until recently the better half has preferred the on site facilities. Being on holiday close to peak season could mean a queue for the showers and an untidy mess when she managed to get in. Now after being persuaded to use the caravan shower she has been converted. It may be that designing a caravan to encompass a shower room is more expensive but like caravans with cookers, it won't sell so well when it comes to changing your van if you don't have one. You could even say that some people buy their van on the strength of the washroom.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

I think Wendy had a good point. We use our van facilities. I really cant see the point in traipsing and queueing for showers when on getting up you can put on the blown air heating and have a shower there and then. The newer showers seem a lot better and Ive certainly got more room than I had in the circular type. Before showering I open the rooflight and rear window. The ones who wont use the toilets either make me laugh. What on earth did they pay all that money for not to use them or are they thinking of the resale value telling prospective customers that nobody as taken a dump in their toilets.