The 2015 8feet wide Bucanneer range.

[TheTravellingRooster]

Hi to you all out there. Am I missing something? Are the new 8ft wide Buccaneers being created for the travelling community in an attempt to lore them away from continental built caravans or has the law been changed to allow 8ft wide caravans to be towed by regular large 4x4's and large estate cars such as the Chrysler 300c Touring?

 

[RogerL]

The old 2.3m (7'6") width limit for trailers towed by vehicles under 3500kg MAM was abolished 2-3 years ago - so it's now 2.55m (8'6") for any car.

 

[TheTravellingRooster]

The old 2.3m (7'6") width limit for trailers towed by vehicles under 3500kg MAM was abolished 2-3 years ago - so it's now 2.55m (8'6") for any car.

Hi Roger. I am really behind the times on this one albeit I have never had any interest in towing anything wider than my current caravan - a 2001 Elddis Crusader SuperSirocco at 7' 4" overall width. That said I am aware that the newer versions of mine are 7' 6" wide.
Frankly I do not know how anyone driving a regular tow vehicle such as a Volvo V70 or similar and pulling one of these new 8' wide caravans could see the required area rearward of the fixed mirror even with a pair of Milenco Grand Aero mirrors fitted.
I have them on my V70 D5 SE Geartronic and when fully extended I can only just see the rear corner and the required area behind and sideways out from the line of the fixed mirrors on the car.
An 8' wide caravan on some of our narrower roads is a recipe for some serious damage from getting swiped by the likes of "White Van Man" and some of the trucks and buses.

 

[ProfJohnL]

The Buccaneer caravans have been used by the travelling community for some time now, alongside continental offerings, so nothing really new there.

The law regarding rear view mirrors and field of view I believe is unchanged so it is still up to the driver to ensure their outfit is compliant how ever that is achieved.

If you cannot find 'e' marked mirrors to give the required field of view you cannot legally tow the trailer.

As ever it is up to the driver to ensure their tow vehicle is legally capable of towing the chosen weight of caravan, so as the Buccaneer's and similar caravans tend to be heavier than more run of the mill tourers there is a more restricted range of capable tow vehicles.

Whilst these regulations apply to the majority of us, there are some who frankly don't care and will flout them with apparent impunity and seemingly get away with it because the authorities can't keep up with them.

As for their size being a hazard, What makes a caravan more hazardous than a bus or and HGV especially and artic?

I'll answer in part - the driver.

 

[TheTravellingRooster]

The Buccaneer caravans have been used by the travelling community for some time now, alongside continental offerings, so nothing really new there.

The law regarding rear view mirrors and field of view I believe is unchanged so it is still up to the driver to ensure their outfit is compliant how ever that is achieved.

If you cannot find 'e' marked mirrors to give the required field of view you cannot legally tow the trailer.

As ever it is up to the driver to ensure their tow vehicle is legally capable of towing the chosen weight of caravan, so as the Buccaneer's and similar caravans tend to be heavier than more run of the mill tourers there is a more restricted range of capable tow vehicles.

Whilst these regulations apply to the majority of us, there are some who frankly don't care and will flout them with apparent impunity and seemingly get away with it because the authorities can't keep up with them.

As for their size being a hazard, What makes a caravan more hazardous than a bus or and HGV especially and artic?

I'll answer in part - the driver.

Hi ProfJohnL. I assume that the Buccaneer Caravans that you refer to are the current current generation ones and indeed since Elddis/The Explorer Group started producing them.
I am surprised to see that the 2015 Buccaneers are not only 8' wide but are more than capable of being towed by a regular family estate car such as A Chrysler 300c Touring or indeed even the latest version of my Volvo V70 D5 SE Geartronic which I believe has a maximum braked towing limit of 2000kgs and is heavier than my D5.
Typically the Buccaneer Schooner comes in at :-
Shipping Length 8165mm / 26'9"
Overall Width 2455mm / 8'0"
Mass in Running Order 1840kgs / 36.14cwt EST
Plated M.T.P.L.M 2000kgs / 39.28cwt

The Caravel is a slightly lighter option which would be a better bet for towing and with a third twin axle being the Cruiser.

The driver is always the "Responsible Person" when it comes to automotive matters and especially when it comes to towing.
My comment about the extra width over that of mine and the Milenco Grand Aero mirrors was simply to emphasise the fact that a further 4" each side was going to be an issue for covering with mirrors albeit the Grand Aero model does have an option for extended rods/arms - but I believe that the mirrors will flap around like the wings on a seagull.
My comment about the 'White Van Man' & Trucks was simply because they are the two most likely to cause damage to the towing mirrors of caravanner's whilst towing their caravans and or wide trailers.
I know because I had my OS car mirror wiped off the car in a rural lane by a White Van Man - I could not get any further over and was in danger of mounting the grass verge in a lane with no footpath and only a hedgerow to stop me going into a ****.

To reiterate on your remark about "What makes a caravan more hazardous than a bus or and HGV especially an artic"? The same applies for/to a White Van Man.

 

[Raywood]

Like Adrias offerings Eldiss expect the caravans to be used mainly on seasonal pitches with only occaisional towing. The towing mirrors one is going to be a problem though and as far as I can see you will need a wider than average towing vehicle.
I would not want to tow one down some of the lanes in Cornwall though.

 

[TheTravellingRooster]

Like Adrias offerings Eldiss expect the caravans to be used mainly on seasonal pitches with only occaisional towing. The towing mirrors one is going to be a problem though and as far as I can see you will need a wider than average towing vehicle.
I would not want to tow one down some of the lanes in Cornwall though.

Hi Ray. I have never towed in that part of the world albeit I have towed in Somerset and I would think that towing a regular 7' 6" caravan would be precarious enough with 'White Van Man' aiming his delivery rocket through the lanes.

The towing mirrors and the likelihood of wider than average tow vehicles will probably bring a rash of American Monster Trucks like the Dodge Ram and the like.

Talking of Elddis/The Explorer Group and the Buccaneer range. Have they switched all of their production for 2015 season to the AlKo chassis as they had previously done when the Compass range was 'Re-born' for 2014 and beyond?

 

[ProfJohnL]

............................
Hi ProfJohnL. I assume that the Buccaneer Caravans that you refer to are the current current generation ones and indeed since Elddis/The Explorer Group started producing them.
I am surprised to see that the 2015 Buccaneers are not only 8' wide but are more than capable of being towed by a regular family estate car such as A Chrysler 300c Touring or indeed even the latest version of my Volvo V70 D5 SE Geartronic which I believe has a maximum braked towing limit of 2000kgs and is heavier than my D5. ................................

Hello TR.
No. my comment was not restricted to the current models.

Its not the caravans capability that makes it tow able, its the tow vehicle, and why is it surprising? Provided the caravans weight and size is withing the categories permitted to be towed by the class of vehicle, and the weights are within range what's to stop these caravans being towed? Despite the increased size, they are still smaller than many HGV's.

 

[TheTravellingRooster]

............................
Hi ProfJohnL. I assume that the Buccaneer Caravans that you refer to are the current current generation ones and indeed since Elddis/The Explorer Group started producing them.
I am surprised to see that the 2015 Buccaneers are not only 8' wide but are more than capable of being towed by a regular family estate car such as A Chrysler 300c Touring or indeed even the latest version of my Volvo V70 D5 SE Geartronic which I believe has a maximum braked towing limit of 2000kgs and is heavier than my D5. ................................

Hello TR.
No. my comment was not restricted to the current models.

Its not the caravans capability that makes it tow able, its the tow vehicle, and why is it surprising? Provided the caravans weight and size is withing the categories permitted to be towed by the class of vehicle, and the weights are within range what's to stop these caravans being towed? Despite the increased size, they are still smaller than many HGV's.

Hi again ProfJohnL. Well - I was not entirely sure simply because I had started the post and was quite specific about the 2015 Buccaneer range - this is the now 8' wide range from Elddis/The Explorer Group.

I agree with you entirely regarding the towing of anything whether it be a camping trailer or indeed one of these new models albeit as has been pointed out it is one in the same the same notion as Bailey with their Retreat range.
The ability to handle a tow-vehicle with one of these behind is very much down to a number of factors. The most important of course being the ability,competence & confidence of the driver. and that of the tow-vehicle to remain 'In Charge' but that does not necessarily mean having a Chelsea Tractor a Commercial vehicle or an American Truck type either.
You may not necessarily recall but I used to tow my same 1750kgs SuperSirocco with my 1997 Volvo V70 T5 CD Auto- albeit the maximum braked towing limit of that car was 1600kgs. Yes, I was towing at 97 - 98% with the caravan very carefully loaded and all accounted for - to only the 1600kgs. That was always and only ever going to be a temporary situation.
The V70 D5 SE Geartronic was the next logical step being that I did not want nor felt the need a Chelsea Tractor or very definitely not a commercial vehicle either.
The Travelling Community have been towing very very wide Continental built caravans with Mercedes Estates and Ford Transit vans for a very very long-time albeit often without extension/towing mirrors as you previously mentioned albeit you did not specifically refer to them.

 

[RayS]

Just caught up with this topic. Nothing material to add except that have Grand aero mirrors on extension arms and they are not noticably less stable than on the standard arms ( somewhat to my surprise, but tested over several thousand miles in all weathers)

 

[TheTravellingRooster]

Just caught up with this topic. Nothing material to add except that have Grand aero mirrors on extension arms and they are not noticably less stable than on the standard arms ( somewhat to my surprise, but tested over several thousand miles in all weathers)

Hi Ray. Thank you for your input,it is quite reassuring as I was actually considering investing in a pair of extended arms for my own Grand Aero mirrors.
My SuperSirocco is a 2001 model and although it is listed as the 2258mm ( 7'4" ) wide variant not the later model listed as 2300mm ( 7' 6" ) - the figures do not actually convert correctly but they are what are published on the Elddis blurb.

My mirror arms are already at the extreme of the clamps and at the extreme of the flat upper edge of the door mirrors albeit I can just see the awning rail at the very bottom on both sides - I would like the view to be from a little further out but also being mindful of the maximum projection dimensions that have to be adhered to.

I will look closely at what is involved when next I go to storage.

 

[MichaelE]

One thing i have noticed over the last few years are the scratches down my van due to over hanging bushes etc ans are on the increase due to less highway maintenance.
Really bad at the moment with big hawthorn branches hanging down.
I don't drive in the kerb but surely a wider van will aggravate this problem further?

 

[TheTravellingRooster]

One thing i have noticed over the last few years are the scratches down my van due to over hanging bushes etc ans are on the increase due to less highway maintenance.
Really bad at the moment with big hawthorn branches hanging down.
I don't drive in the kerb but surely a wider van will aggravate this problem further?[/quote

Hi Michael. Yes - link that to battered and scratched windows and it becomes a real incentive to drive further into the road and then risk some Myopic Van or Truck driver that will not slow down to allow one to momentarily move back in.
There is another issue in the areas that have the hedgerows butchered by the overhead trimmers - the thorns and 'Spears' that are left littering the road.
Recently I punctured in the V70 D5 with Pirelli P6000's on - NOT CHEAP the offending item was extremely close to the wall and I figured Oh S***. It turned out to be a 1.5" piece of Chicken/Pheasant Leg.
It was repairable after an overnight cooking and a £12.50 fee.