Hello, I'm Paul & a complete newbie to all things caravanning.

[Paul_374370558]

After a lifetime of camping (I'm in my mid 50s!!) my wife Sue(she's even older than I am but I daren't say by how much!!)& I have finally decided to put our trailer tent out to grass and take up caravanning.

We haven't actually got a van yet as I'm not easily parted with my hard earned cash until I'm absolutely sure what it is I want, so I am spending all my spare time researching about caravans, towing & cars etc etc and I must say I am just about starting to suffer the effects of information overload!

The only really positive thing I have done to date is book a manoeuvring course with the C&CC to take place soon (September 2008) as the thought of towing and manoeuvring a van scares me a little. (I could not for the life of me reverse with that old trailer tent!).

So hopefully, after the course, providing I'm confident about the prospect of towing a van, I will be spending quite some time on these forums seeking help & advice and I look forward to sharing my thoughts and asking lots of questions.

 

[andyandkate]

Hi Paul. we are new to this too. Good luck with the course , we are thinking of enrolling on something like that too. Let us know how you get on.

Regards

A & K

 

[Chaps]

Welcome to the forum Paul. You're doing the right thing in taking your time to make sure you make the right choice. We took around 3 months doing research and visiting lots of dealers before parting with our hard earned cash. Was definitely worth it though as we're sure we made the right choice.

Cheers

Claire & Rob

 

[Paul_374370558]

Hi Andy & Kate,

Thanks for the good luck message. I'm looking forward to the course and I will let you know how I get on. I rang the Camping & Caravan Club yesterday as the paper work I had just received about the course stated that only fee paying persons are permitted access to the training area or classrooms! I was intending going with my wife, Sue & they said she would probably end up standing around for 8 or so hours with nothing to do as there are usually no facilities available at these venues. I really don't expect her to do that so I guess I'll have to go on my lonesome.

Cheers,

Paul & Sue

 

[RayS]

Hello Paul, welcome aboard and many years of happy caravanning. Excellent idea to take a manouvering course, but you may still find situations where positioning the van is difficult.

The answer is a motor mover that is fixed to the van and drives by friction rollers on the tyres. With these you can spin a van in it's own length, move it up onto a levelling board, hitch up without fear of backing into it and possibly avoid some domestic loss of harmony. there are several good makes available - read the postings in the Technical and Equipment and Accessories sections. You should get one fitted for under