First night camping in new Beach

[Nolan]

We've had our Beach since the end of October and were keen to go somewhere reasonably local to give it a go (the kids were very excited about this!).

This wasn't as easy as it sounds as a lot of places we usually camp had shut down for the winter, the Camping & Caravanning club site in Graffham being somewhat of a favourite, so we settled for the Bat & Ball pub in Wisborough Green as it had some decent reviews.

All in all it was great considering it was cold and a bit muddy.

Some random thoughts:

The medium bed with the 3 seater bench and comfort mattress was pretty comfy, at least for someone used to camping in tents. I he'd to sleep at a slight angle at 6'1" but I slept very well.

The captains chairs were super heavy but I managed to get them out and back in again without damaging my back or the van.

I should probably have ordered the parking heater but the hookup allowed us to run a small oil filled radiator and we were warm once this got going.

Bat & Ball pub was nice, really nice warm toilets and showers and in summer it must be popular as there are lots of outside tables at which to enjoy a drink.

Comfort lighting is really good and allowed the kids to see what they were doing in the top bed.

Happy with the H7 exterior pack headlights, I'm sure LED would be nice but don't regret not getting these.

All in all a successful trip and probably the last one this year. We'll probably look at retrofitting a parking heater at some point but I'm sanguine about this as adding it to the order would have put the price outside of the cash we had available. We live near Bognor Motors who seem to have a good reputation so maybe I'll talk to them about this at some point depending on what effect it would have on the warranty.

Overall very happy with the Beach, I like that it's a great MPV most of the time, with the captains chairs fitted, and then makes a comfortable weekend camper when required which is exactly why we bought it

 

[sapto]

Thanks for sharing Nolan! Great to hear you made the right decicsion! I can not help on parking heater. My guess is check with your local VW centre (or where you bougth it) to be sure warranty is not affected in any case.

 

[Amarillo]

We've had our Beach since the end of October and were keen to go somewhere reasonably local to give it a go (the kids were very excited about this!).

This wasn't as easy as it sounds as a lot of places we usually camp had shut down for the winter, the Camping & Caravanning club site in Graffham being somewhat of a favourite, so we settled for the Bat & Ball pub in Wisborough Green as it had some decent reviews.

All in all it was great considering it was cold and a bit muddy.

Some random thoughts:

The medium bed with the 3 seater bench and comfort mattress was pretty comfy, at least for someone used to camping in tents. I he'd to sleep at a slight angle at 6'1" but I slept very well.

The captains chairs were super heavy but I managed to get them out and back in again without damaging my back or the van.

I should probably have ordered the parking heater but the hookup allowed us to run a small oil filled radiator and we were warm once this got going.

Bat & Ball pub was nice, really nice warm toilets and showers and in summer it must be popular as there are lots of outside tables at which to enjoy a drink.

Comfort lighting is really good and allowed the kids to see what they were doing in the top bed.

Happy with the H7 exterior pack headlights, I'm sure LED would be nice but don't regret not getting these.

All in all a successful trip and probably the last one this year. We'll probably look at retrofitting a parking heater at some point but I'm sanguine about this as adding it to the order would have put the price outside of the cash we had available. We live near Bognor Motors who seem to have a good reputation so maybe I'll talk to them about this at some point depending on what effect it would have on the warranty.

Overall very happy with the Beach, I like that it's a great MPV most of the time, with the captains chairs fitted, and then makes a comfortable weekend camper when required which is exactly why we bought it

Thanks for the review.

The lower bed can be made up without removing the captains’ chairs in two distinct ways:
1. Move the front seats forward as far as possible. With the stoppers and rail covers removed push the captains’ seats fully forward and the bed can be made in the usual way. This works best with just 1 captain’s seat so you have space to change.
2. Drop the front of the multiflex. Drop the bench seat and push back to the shortened multiflex. Fold down the captains’ seats (with headrests removed) and push back to the front of the bench. You now have an enormous bed using a shortened multiflex, the bench seat and both captains’ seats.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Bramco]

I should probably have ordered the parking heater but the hookup allowed us to run a small oil filled radiator and we were warm once this got going.

There are some cheap little fan heaters which would be faster than an oil filled radiator. I think we paid about £10 for ours. You don't need a huge one - the inside of the Cali is quite a small space to heat. Also if you have ACC, then don't forget the 'back' button - think it's called that, maybe 'rear' - this puts the remaining heat from the system into the back of the van and works for about 20 minutes or so. Obviously only works when you have just stopped.

 

[Nolan]

Thanks for the comments, I did think about leaving the captains chairs in and making the long bed but I figured it would be nice to have more usable space, especially as it was a damp weekend so moving in and out wasn't as easy as it would be in summer months.

The kids felt a bit sick in the back so next time I think I'll move the bench seat forwards so they aren't subjected to so much bouncing from the rear of the vehicle. This is with the lowering springs fitted.

I do need to find a smaller heater that does the job, hopefully something that will fit in-between the front seats. I did consider taking a small fan heater but I wasn't sure whether this would cause issues at the campsite if I started drawing ~2kW (I know some charge per usage but this one didn't seem to and it probably wouldn't have been an issue with so few people camping). I don't think it will be an issue at all come spring as it was fine once inside a sleeping bag.

 

[Amarillo]

Thanks for the comments, I did think about leaving the captains chairs in and making the long bed but I figured it would be nice to have more usable space, especially as it was a damp weekend so moving in and out wasn't as easy as it would be in summer months.

The kids felt a bit sick in the back so next time I think I'll move the bench seat forwards so they aren't subjected to so much bouncing from the rear of the vehicle. This is with the lowering springs fitted.

I do need to find a smaller heater that does the job, hopefully something that will fit in-between the front seats. I did consider taking a small fan heater but I wasn't sure whether this would cause issues at the campsite if I started drawing ~2kW (I know some charge per usage but this one didn't seem to and it probably wouldn't have been an issue with so few people camping). I don't think it will be an issue at all come spring as it was fine once inside a sleeping bag.

How big are your kids? Our boys can fit across the multiflex and on an extension I have made. The means the bench doesn't need to be lowered.

This makes the living space distinct from the sleeping areas. 4'9" is probably the maximum height for this to be comfortable.

We had been planning to camp overnight in Hayling Car Park this weekend, but I have just read that overnight parking in campervans has recently been banned.

=====
Why is HBC proposing to ban overnight parking at West Beach?
In a report, presented to HBC's Cabinet in June 2018, safety concerns were highlighted. Separation distance between motorhomes needs to be between four and six metres. Given that the car parks do not have bays marked out this is difficult to enforce. Safety is of paramount importance and as a consequence the decision has been taken to ban overnight parking by motorhomes.

=====

 

[Bellcrew]

How big are your kids? Our boys can fit across the multiflex and on an extension I have made. The means the bench doesn't need to be lowered.
View attachment 39668
This makes the living space distinct from the sleeping areas. 4'9" is probably the maximum height for this to be comfortable.

We had been planning to camp overnight in Hayling Car Park this weekend, but I have just read that overnight parking in campervans has recently been banned.

=====
Why is HBC proposing to ban overnight parking at West Beach?
In a report, presented to HBC's Cabinet in June 2018, safety concerns were highlighted. Separation distance between motorhomes needs to be between four and six metres. Given that the car parks do not have bays marked out this is difficult to enforce. Safety is of paramount importance and as a consequence the decision has been taken to ban overnight parking by motorhomes.

=====

There are three marinas on Hayling Island. The many hundreds of yachts moored there are berthed only the width of a pontoon apart from each other, say a meter and often a smaller distance to adjacent vessels.
Boats are just as vulnerable to fire with the added delight of the explosions caused by flammable gas leaking into the bilges.
The requirements of a 6 meter gap in a car park is ludicrous, the marine industry would be bankrupted overnight if they had to replicate this demand.
Any excuse to ban, the German and French local authorities are just so much better at seeing the benefits of visitors to their towns.

 

[Amarillo]

There are three marinas on Hayling Island. The many hundreds of yachts moored there are berthed only the width of a pontoon apart from each other, say a meter and often a smaller distance to adjacent vessels.
Boats are just as vulnerable to fire with the added delight of the explosions caused by flammable gas leaking into the bilges.
The requirements of a 6 meter gap in a car park is ludicrous, the marine industry would be bankrupted overnight if they had to replicate this demand.
Any excuse to ban, the German and French local authorities are just so much better at seeing the benefits of visitors to their towns.

Agree entirely. Someone in the council just doesn't like motorhomes on the beach. Here are the Traffic Regulation Order papers:
https://www.havant.gov.uk/traffic-regulation-orders
Fifth one down.

This gives more detail about the "experimental" ban which lasts 18 months before becoming permanent.
https://www.havant.gov.uk/sites/def... parking of vehicles adapted for sleeping.pdf

People are able to object:
https://www.havant.gov.uk/comment-proposed-traffic-regulation-order

 

[andyinluton]

Thanks for the comments, I did think about leaving the captains chairs in and making the long bed but I figured it would be nice to have more usable space, especially as it was a damp weekend so moving in and out wasn't as easy as it would be in summer months.

The kids felt a bit sick in the back so next time I think I'll move the bench seat forwards so they aren't subjected to so much bouncing from the rear of the vehicle. This is with the lowering springs fitted.

.

Have I miss read this or do you mean you don't actually need the middle row of seats to transport anyone - you just took them along for the ride & took them out at night to make more space?

 

[Amarillo]

Have I miss read this or do you mean you don't actually need the middle row of seats to transport anyone - you just took them along for the ride & took them out at night to make more space?

I originally assumed the captains' seats went camping with them, but now assume they were removed before leaving home and were replaced after arriving back home.

 

[Nolan]

I took the captains chairs out at home and left them in the garage before the trip and put them back after we got back. We only have two kids but often transport a grandparent or a couple of their friends so it's nice to have the flexibility 7 seats gives you most of the time.

Unfortunately the oldest is probably too big to sleep across now as he's getting tall, he's grown out of his sleeping bag as well Your board idea looks like a good one though.

 

[hirsty]

I had a diesel heater retro fitted to my Beach at an independent garage in Yorkshire (it was a pre-red'd demo & otherwise perfect) without issues.

I've posted about it before, I think it was about a grand all-in and took a full day to do. Essential IMO.