Beach Spec

[Amarillo]

You need more small compartments to store things to keep organised. It's a PITA having to riffle through all your gear to find something.

I feel that we have that one nailed for our 3 seat bench Beach:
The bench is kept forward, so it doesn't need moving to make the bed. In the boot, the multiflex is pushed up to the rear of the bench. Under the multiflex go four stackable translucent drawers (1 x H: 30 x W: 44 x D: 55cm, 2 x H: 24 x W: 44 x D: 55cm; 1 x H: 18 x W: 44 x D: 55cm); they fit perfectly under the multiflex, with a small triangular void in front due to the slope of the bench back.
1. base layer clothing goes in the Van Essa window bags
2. emergency use hookup cable goes in the void in front of the stackable draws, so do the children's chairs
3. 18cm drawer contains dry food and tins (pasta, beans, pineapple rings, etc)

24cm drawer contains eating/drinking utensils (plates, mugs, corkscrew, water jug, etc)
30cm drawer contains cooking utensils
24cm drawer contains miscellaneous items (washing up liquid, collapsible bucket, etc)​

4. the stove goes between the two stacks of two stackable wardrobes
5. big items go behind the stackable wardrobe and multiflex (tent awning, gas bottles, bag of boots, etc)
6. light items go above the multiflex (duvets, fleeces, mattress topper, bag of swim wear, etc)
7. bench drawer 1 - nappies, wipes, cream, etc

bench drawer 2 - children's books
bench drawer 3 - dogs' food​

8. behind the front passenger seat goes the TV and foldable toilet and fridge, the fridge is secured to the rails with straps and keeps the toilet and TV in place
9. one dog goes in a basket on the middle seat, one dog goes on the floor behind the driver
10. wintercoats and rain coats hang on hooks
Note: we travel with just the middle headrest as the boys go in child seats and don't need the bench headrests

When we set up at a campsite, the awning tent comes out first and is put up. Gas, kitchen table and stackable wardrobe all go in the tent and the kettle goes on. The table, children's table, chairs and children's chairs all go in the tent. The boot is now empty except for the emergency hookup cable and bag of boots.

The multiflex is moved back and the middle headrest and child seats go in the boot, along with the bag of swimming things. If required, the roof topper comes out from the chair cavity. From the cabin, the dog baskets go into the tent, the roof is popped up, front seats swivelled and the lower bed made up.

Note: now that we have an effective and secure boot prop, the Bromptons, toy bikes and children's bike trailer do not need to be unloaded from the bike rack.

Setting up at the campsite is done by one adult, while the other adult explores the campsite with the boys.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Amarillo, yes it takes some working out.
We have had to adapt with having gone from just the two of us to now three.

This year we have done things slightly different again and moved the fridge from behind the passenger seat to under the multi. Downside is, it's no longer attached to the rails because we can't get into it without sliding clear of the multi. Hence the need to create a sliding rack. We also keep our Cobb oven and stove box behind the fridge and is a pain to get to at the moment.

Next purchase is the Vanessa bags when they are back in stock. They look really useful and means we can get rid of our clothes from under the multi giving us even more space.

We have our seat positioned where the bed folds out. This also gives us massive boot space, more than we need. We used to have it further back when it was just the two of us, but we now use a base seconds, where we stick the Cali table and chairs so we have somewhere under shelter and out of the wind to sit whilist baby goes to sleep.

 

[MattBW]

I just dropped my Beach off at the Coventry Van Centre for a service and check over. Bumped into Justin, who sold it me. We had a catch up and I showed him the slidepod.

He is a sales guy who has used both the beach and the Cali SE/Ocean which I think is why my handover was so good.

He was saying that the Beach is getting more and more popular to the point they can't get them in to have on the forecourt because the allocation is selling almost immediately. We talked about the residual value too and he showed me a 7 year old Cali SE that was valued at about £36k, thats impressively low depreciation isnt it.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Yes
It's a major plus point to California ownership if you do intent to replace the vehicle.
We were very much thinking about it, but the Addblu factor was putting me off with the new motors, then roof corrosion put the final nail in the coffin.
Decided to stick with what works at the moment. Maybe the next gen (T7) might persuade me.

 

[Max-Felix]

@tritone30

By all means disagree...

Beach Spec

.
...but at least give an explanation, opinion, something, anything (!) instead of just hitting 'disagree' with the whole post. There was I hope some useful info and photos linked to help anyone sitting on the two/three seat fence.

This 'disagree' negativity is a bit of a bummer on here especially from those who hardly give anything back in terms of constructive info or never post...

 

[phillme]

max ... when using this site with an I phone it so easy to hit disagree or one of the others just by scrolling down .... most prob done by mistake ....

 

[Max-Felix]

Hmm, not sure, I've heard that before but the mention of him above would have sent an alert so he can remove it if a mistake. Or he could post some constructive info to *help* others as to why he thinks (presumably as the owner of a three seat Beach) my post is disagreeable....

 

[Amarillo]

Hmm, not sure, I've heard that before but the mention of him above would have sent an alert so he can remove it if a mistake. Or he could post some constructive info to *help* others as to why he thinks (presumably as the owner of a three seat Beach) my post is disagreeable....

I found plenty to disagree with you about in that particular post, but as so much is a matter of personal preference chose, up til now, to remain silent.

One of the great advantages of the three seat bench Beach is the cavernous storage under the made up downstairs bed which swallows baby seats, an unused driveaway awning and cooking gear for an overnight stop without using full camping paraphernalia.

 

[soulstyledevon]

I wouldn't take the disagree to heart to much. It's a forum and we are all individuals with different needs, expectations and uses.
It would be pretty boring forum if we all agreed all the time

 

[C&C]

Yep, all quite confusing to begin with.

The only electric you'd have in a layby or wild camp spot is 12V cigar lighter to charge a phone or plug in a light. If you want to boil a kettle via the three pin plug socket you'd need to be on hook-up at a campsite.

Most people with a Beach have a one or two ring portable gas camping stove.

A Waeco type fridge will run off the leisure batteries for two/three days & you could add solar panels if you need more / indefinite.

My Beach didn't have a factory heater so I had a diesel Eberspacher retro fitted under the drivers seat - makes all the difference to usability & is the only real essential in UK.

Can I ask who you used to install your heater? Looking at doing this later this year - thx!

 

[hirsty]

I'm in Yorkshire & went to Exploria who were excellent:

http://www.exploria-online.co.uk/heating.aspx

 

[C&C]

I'm in Yorkshire & went to Exploria who were excellent:

http://www.exploria-online.co.uk/heating.aspx

Thank you!!