I'm looking to purchase my first poptop caravan (max 16')...
Guru, on another thread said "Go for END lounge. NOT a dinette."
I do prefer the idea of a front 'lounge'/cafe style dinette but I'm wondering if there are any advantages/disadvantages of having the seating/meals area at the front, rather than in the centre?
Thanks!
villatranquilla said
09:33 PM Jan 23, 2017
have had both and love the seating at the end - our is actually at the rear as we have a rear door. This leaves the 'kitchen' free of people.
KevinC said
10:04 PM Jan 23, 2017
For what it's worth, we've owned two Jayco vans both of which have been a pleasure to own. Our next one will be different in that the door won't be as close to the end of the awning. How we sit to eat our meals is no big deal. Most of the time we sit outside anyway. But what is important to us is the awning covering the door so the rain doesn't wet the door, the step, the mat, and the people trying to get in or out. So if you get a chance to pick your layout, don't think of a (front) club lounge as a place to eat, think of it as a reason for the door being closer to the middle of the van and out of the weather. Just our experience. Good luck with your new van.
macka17 said
10:42 PM Jan 23, 2017
Last pop top was Di's Fav,
16 ft 6in inside. Single axle semi Offroad Compass.
Rear U lounge. rear side door.
Galley in centre, stove sink etc one side. Fridge\pantry with wktop and Aircond on other.
with bed at front.
BUT Singles are the way to go. Just have coupla sheets of ply under mattresses to rotate across van. then when you turn mattresses round diagonally.
One double bed for exercise. Then back again.
2 Singles gives full walkway right through van
rather than half van dinette. half bed.and only 8 ft long,
leg space.
Even better. is removing fixed table and just have a mobile
collapsable one when needed.,
With usual ext table chairs outside under roll out.
That opens up van even more.
Why waste over half the van floor space for the few hrs you spend in bed.
HWS coupled to sink and ext shower unit mounted into ext wall.
with tent, (ext or mounted to wall of van.) and Portapotti.
2 water tanks under.
A coupla lengths of 6in sewer pipe coupled with drain pipe, tap.
Mounted under sink for waste.
Makes you full independant with coupla panels and battery.
Go anywhere.
That van had fixed Stainless HWS built in.
This one I fitted an ext "supply on demand" HWS coupled to inlet and gas bottle.
linked to sink. with shower\Porta potti in Ext tent.
Notknowing what you towing with.
THAT van was 1420kg's EMPTY. 1700+ full.
This 535 Coromal Capri, Full height Semi O\R is 1.95 full.
and tandem.
The Coromal do some very nice. Lighter weight vans if you look around.
all good to tow.
Not best quality but reliable. Definitely better than any Jayco.
Plus plenty on market.
AND. Dinette is the most uncomfortable space wasting item in a caravan
after 50 odd yrs in them. Along with fixed double\queen beds.
Radar said
10:58 PM Jan 23, 2017
KevinC wrote:
For what it's worth, we've owned two Jayco vans both of which have been a pleasure to own. Our next one will be different in that the door won't be as close to the end of the awning. How we sit to eat our meals is no big deal. Most of the time we sit outside anyway. But what is important to us is the awning covering the door so the rain doesn't wet the door, the step, the mat, and the people trying to get in or out. So if you get a chance to pick your layout, don't think of a (front) club lounge as a place to eat, think of it as a reason for the door being closer to the middle of the van and out of the weather. Just our experience. Good luck with your new van.
KevinC hi we could not agree more, yes that is the reason we purchased a centre door this time, the last caravan was a front door, every time the weather turned we got wet.
I can't make a full comment yet as we have not been on the road with our new caravan, we leave in couple of days for a month and we hoping for some foul weather to cool us off after the extreme hot weather in Brisbane the last few weeks to test our reasons for purchasing a centre door caravan.
Enjoy your travels.
NannyJam said
03:12 AM Jan 24, 2017
Thanks so much for the replies everyone! Some great ideas and useful comments! And yes, absolutely want 2 singles - but there will be no rotating for exercise though! haha (That made me laugh! Awesome idea though, and so easy to convert the singles to a double! Very clever!)
Peter and JudyH said
11:18 AM Jan 24, 2017
Radar wrote:
KevinC wrote:
For what it's worth, we've owned two Jayco vans both of which have been a pleasure to own. Our next one will be different in that the door won't be as close to the end of the awning. How we sit to eat our meals is no big deal. Most of the time we sit outside anyway. But what is important to us is the awning covering the door so the rain doesn't wet the door, the step, the mat, and the people trying to get in or out. So if you get a chance to pick your layout, don't think of a (front) club lounge as a place to eat, think of it as a reason for the door being closer to the middle of the van and out of the weather. Just our experience. Good luck with your new van.
KevinC hi we could not agree more, yes that is the reason we purchased a centre door this time, the last caravan was a front door, every time the weather turned we got wet.
I can't make a full comment yet as we have not been on the road with our new caravan, we leave in couple of days for a month and we hoping for some foul weather to cool us off after the extreme hot weather in Brisbane the last few weeks to test our reasons for purchasing a centre door caravan.
Enjoy your travels.
Our Starcraft poptop has the centre door. This was more by luck than good management as Judy liked the layout that meant you didn't have to squeeze around between the end of the bed and a cupboard as in some other vans - our last one was like that..
We have had vans now with doors at front, rear and centre and must say we prefer the centre door for all the reasons mentioned above. The L shaped lounge/dining is opposite the door.
We generally eat outside anyway and use the portable BBQ we have
It suits us, but may not suit everyone......
-- Edited by Peter and JudyH on Tuesday 24th of January 2017 11:20:07 AM
PeterD said
12:48 PM Jan 24, 2017
When looking at van layouts don't just look at what looks pretty. Vans with the heavy items concentrated close to the centre of gravity are much more stable than vans with the heavy weights on the ends. This means kitchens in the middle where you don't have ovens and fridges on either the front or rear walls.
-- Edited by Webmaster on Tuesday 24th of January 2017 03:59:56 PM
Sarge9 said
10:37 PM Jan 24, 2017
NannyJam, you have a predicament, it is some time since we bought our van a Traveller Storm (16'6'), we bought it because it has front cafe seating, it is our 6th van... so we knew want we wanted AND it has double bed... We have a surprisingly big open floor space as well. And as was pointed out the door is inside the awning cover. We do eat inside as often as outside, we also enjoy each having our own couch by sitting sideways, to read, footle, watch tele or what ever. Down side, no ensuite. and apparently no-one makes one (that I can afford) and keeps our floor layout.
We can seat four adults to a meal in our cafe or more often, to play 500 and not see the others cards...
Looking is half the fun..
Sarge.
PeterD said
07:34 AM Jan 25, 2017
NannyJam, did you get my PM (personal message?)
macka17 said
02:06 PM Jan 25, 2017
Sarge.
Look at Evernew. He does ALL layouts just about.
and will build what you want.at whatever size.
When I was down in Melb looking recently.
16-16ft 6 in. there were truckloads of them. late '90's.
some as new, and every interior known to man.
I just missed one '99. 16ft6 with under 10000kms on it and kept in garage.
Hi :)
I'm looking to purchase my first poptop caravan (max 16')...
Guru, on another thread said "Go for END lounge. NOT a dinette."
I do prefer the idea of a front 'lounge'/cafe style dinette but I'm wondering if there are any advantages/disadvantages of having the seating/meals area at the front, rather than in the centre?
Thanks!
16 ft 6in inside. Single axle semi Offroad Compass.
Rear U lounge. rear side door.
Galley in centre, stove sink etc one side. Fridge\pantry with wktop and Aircond on other.
with bed at front.
BUT Singles are the way to go. Just have coupla sheets of ply under mattresses to rotate across van. then when you turn mattresses round diagonally.
One double bed for exercise. Then back again.
2 Singles gives full walkway right through van
rather than half van dinette. half bed.and only 8 ft long,
leg space.
Even better. is removing fixed table and just have a mobile
collapsable one when needed.,
With usual ext table chairs outside under roll out.
That opens up van even more.
Why waste over half the van floor space for the few hrs you spend in bed.
HWS coupled to sink and ext shower unit mounted into ext wall.
with tent, (ext or mounted to wall of van.) and Portapotti.
2 water tanks under.
A coupla lengths of 6in sewer pipe coupled with drain pipe, tap.
Mounted under sink for waste.
Makes you full independant with coupla panels and battery.
Go anywhere.
That van had fixed Stainless HWS built in.
This one I fitted an ext "supply on demand" HWS coupled to inlet and gas bottle.
linked to sink. with shower\Porta potti in Ext tent.
Notknowing what you towing with.
THAT van was 1420kg's EMPTY. 1700+ full.
This 535 Coromal Capri, Full height Semi O\R is 1.95 full.
and tandem.
The Coromal do some very nice. Lighter weight vans if you look around.
all good to tow.
Not best quality but reliable. Definitely better than any Jayco.
Plus plenty on market.
AND. Dinette is the most uncomfortable space wasting item in a caravan
after 50 odd yrs in them. Along with fixed double\queen beds.
KevinC hi we could not agree more, yes that is the reason we purchased a centre door this time, the last caravan was a front door, every time the weather turned we got wet.
I can't make a full comment yet as we have not been on the road with our new caravan, we leave in couple of days for a month and we hoping for some foul weather to cool us off after the extreme hot weather in Brisbane the last few weeks to test our reasons for purchasing a centre door caravan.
Enjoy your travels.
Thanks so much for the replies everyone! Some great ideas and useful comments! And yes, absolutely want 2 singles - but there will be no rotating for exercise though! haha (That made me laugh! Awesome idea though, and so easy to convert the singles to a double! Very clever!)
Our Starcraft poptop has the centre door. This was more by luck than good management as Judy liked the layout that meant you didn't have to squeeze around between the end of the bed and a cupboard as in some other vans - our last one was like that..
We have had vans now with doors at front, rear and centre and must say we prefer the centre door for all the reasons mentioned above. The L shaped lounge/dining is opposite the door.
We generally eat outside anyway and use the portable BBQ we have
It suits us, but may not suit everyone......
-- Edited by Peter and JudyH on Tuesday 24th of January 2017 11:20:07 AM
When looking at van layouts don't just look at what looks pretty. Vans with the heavy items concentrated close to the centre of gravity are much more stable than vans with the heavy weights on the ends. This means kitchens in the middle where you don't have ovens and fridges on either the front or rear walls.
-- Edited by Webmaster on Tuesday 24th of January 2017 03:59:56 PM
We can seat four adults to a meal in our cafe or more often, to play 500 and not see the others cards...
Looking is half the fun..
Sarge.
NannyJam, did you get my PM (personal message?)
Look at Evernew. He does ALL layouts just about.
and will build what you want.at whatever size.
When I was down in Melb looking recently.
16-16ft 6 in. there were truckloads of them. late '90's.
some as new, and every interior known to man.
I just missed one '99. 16ft6 with under 10000kms on it and kept in garage.