First weekend trip, here's what happened

[Perfectos]

Thanks everyone for sharing their thoughts and comments. I think we're going to get the Ikea King memory foam mattress topper, it seems that's popular, and not too expensive. I'm going to give the bed set up a few dry runs this week, in advance of the weekend!

All good advice above

Bring the mattress into the house, get out the California supplement booklet, page 18, 20, 21
Decide which length bed you want to use in the van
Make up the component parts of the mattress by zipping in the correct order. ( you may have the parts fitted in the wrong order) the component parts are designed to remove the bumps from the shaped seats,, there are various thicknesses of component parts.
Practice folding and unfolding the mattress, it can seem like The krypton factor when your in the van trying to lay out and pack up the mattress the first few times.
I use the full multi flex (flap extension raised) pushed back as far as it will go to the rear tailgate, the comfort mattress sits on smaller fixed section of the multiflex when not in use (folded correctly,)
Pull the three seat forward, to create the space for the back to lay the seat into the flat bed position. Push the flat bed back against the multiflex.
Pull the whole mattress forward, then lay it back out away from you toward the rear of the van. ( I leave a fitted sheet on even when folded)

Headrest, I leave all three of the rear seat ones at home, so I don’t have to store them whilst camping.

Cab Front and side screens, I don’t use the standard ones supplied with the van , I prefer to use thermal silver screens, attached to the inside of the window with suckers, easy to fit and remove, good insulation from sun and keep heat in, very good black out.

I have a roof topper ( club shop) no windows version, offer a very good black out and additional protection from wind chill etc, easy to fit and leave on whilst camping, my kids get too hot up top with it on and the heating on all night.
I usually prewarm the van 20 minutes or so before bed time, heater set on 3 for about 30 minutes total (10minutes after bed), then the heater is off all night, sleep in minus 4, no problem (individual 3 season sleeping bags)
Pop the heating on in the morning, if it’s chilly for 30 minutes to take the edge off, without overheating everyone in their sleeping bags.

Leaving the van, I usually leave the roof up, Roof bed in down position ( ie where it is when the roof is down) pull the tamber cover forward to close off the roof space, set the alarm as normal ( the alarm has a volumetric sensor that can be set off with wind pressure if the roof is left up with the upper bed pushed up).

Additional storage for clothes ; Vanessa window bags and packing cubes

Couple of photo of the screen, topper and Vanessa window bags.

 

[Borris]

I think that's right, just play about with the various configurations.

Do you have a 4 seat, 5 seat or 5+2 seat Beach?
Difference here:

Good video here of the 5 seat and 5+2 seat bed:

It shows the long bed first with the shortened multiflex and then the medium bed with the full multiflex. What is not explicit in the video is the shortened and full multiflex.

If you make the ultra long bed, you will need to move the driver and passenger chairs fully forward.

Both excellent videos. However for anyone currently deciding which version to buy, the My California video omitted two important points:

1. Yes the three seater bench is designed primarily for seating rather than as a bed. However the undulations are overcome if you option the VW Comfort mattress which is designed to compensate for these bumps and provides a perfectly flat surface on which to sleep. Some find it rather firm so you may need to add a topper or something else to suit. The end result is a huge comfortable double bed.

2. With the two seater configuration you get a storage box and can sit upright on the rear seat however that's not the whole story. With the two seater you have to put up with a multiflex board which is neither multi anything or flexible. It is also lower than in the three seat version. In practice it means that the boot space is much more compromised and you won't be able to fit certain items into the boot e.g Waeco Dometic cfx 35 fridge/freezer. It also limits your potential for imaginative storage. The three seater Multiflex board is higher and is hinged so you can alter the length to give you extra leg room inside. We have a CaliCap pull out tray with a comprehensive storage system in our seven seat Beach. We couldn't do than with the two seater Multiflex.

I'm not saying that one version is better than the other as that would be purely down to personal needs however the pros and cons are a little more complex than described in the aforementioned video.

 

[Anthony1]

A (perhaps rather obvious) awning tip: if you're at all dubious about the weather, make sure the poles are set low enough that water drains off .

On one van we rented, I had to get up at 1am to empty out the large puddle that had formed, but the rain had then stopped, so I then went back to bed, thinking I would adjust things in the morning, only to be woken at 4am by the sound of the awning collapsing under the weight of a large lake...

On the mattress topic: self-inflating mattresses are also worth considering, if you can find one (or two) that are the right size for your bed. Not always as warm as memory foam (which is good or bad depending on the time of year), but they can take less space, and are adjustable to suit your level of pregnancy.

Just set one leg lower than the other and it will drain using gravity

 

[Anthony1]

All good advice above

Bring the mattress into the house, get out the California supplement booklet, page 18, 20, 21
Decide which length bed you want to use in the van
Make up the component parts of the mattress by zipping in the correct order. ( you may have the parts fitted in the wrong order) the component parts are designed to remove the bumps from the shaped seats,, there are various thicknesses of component parts.
Practice folding and unfolding the mattress, it can seem like The krypton factor when your in the van trying to lay out and pack up the mattress the first few times.
I use the full multi flex (flap extension raised) pushed back as far as it will go to the rear tailgate, the comfort mattress sits on smaller fixed section of the multiflex when not in use (folded correctly,)
Pull the three seat forward, to create the space for the back to lay the seat into the flat bed position. Push the flat bed back against the multiflex.
Pull the whole mattress forward, then lay it back out away from you toward the rear of the van. ( I leave a fitted sheet on even when folded)

Headrest, I leave all three of the rear seat ones at home, so I don’t have to store them whilst camping.

Cab Front and side screens, I don’t use the standard ones supplied with the van , I prefer to use thermal silver screens, attached to the inside of the window with suckers, easy to fit and remove, good insulation from sun and keep heat in, very good black out.

I have a roof topper ( club shop) no windows version, offer a very good black out and additional protection from wind chill etc, easy to fit and leave on whilst camping, my kids get too hot up top with it on and the heating on all night.
I usually prewarm the van 20 minutes or so before bed time, heater set on 3 for about 30 minutes total (10minutes after bed), then the heater is off all night, sleep in minus 4, no problem (individual 3 season sleeping bags)
Pop the heating on in the morning, if it’s chilly for 30 minutes to take the edge off, without overheating everyone in their sleeping bags.

Leaving the van, I usually leave the roof up, Roof bed in down position ( ie where it is when the roof is down) pull the tamber cover forward to close off the roof space, set the alarm as normal ( the alarm has a volumetric sensor that can be set off with wind pressure if the roof is left up with the upper bed pushed up).

Additional storage for clothes ; Vanessa window bags and packing cubes

Couple of photo of the screen, topper and Vanessa window bags. View attachment 44554View attachment 44555

Where did you get the Vanessa window bags? They look very useful. Can you put the seat back, up with them attached?

 

[Perfectos]

Where did you get the Vanessa window bags? They look very useful. Can you put the seat back, up with them attached?

Hi Anthony1
Yes you van operate the seat as normal up and down, they are very useful
I bought mine from Campervantastic ( mine are pair) one for each side rear window.

 

[CannonDale]

All good advice above

Bring the mattress into the house, get out the California supplement booklet, page 18, 20, 21
Decide which length bed you want to use in the van
Make up the component parts of the mattress by zipping in the correct order. ( you may have the parts fitted in the wrong order) the component parts are designed to remove the bumps from the shaped seats,, there are various thicknesses of component parts.
Practice folding and unfolding the mattress, it can seem like The krypton factor when your in the van trying to lay out and pack up the mattress the first few times.
I use the full multi flex (flap extension raised) pushed back as far as it will go to the rear tailgate, the comfort mattress sits on smaller fixed section of the multiflex when not in use (folded correctly,)
Pull the three seat forward, to create the space for the back to lay the seat into the flat bed position. Push the flat bed back against the multiflex.
Pull the whole mattress forward, then lay it back out away from you toward the rear of the van. ( I leave a fitted sheet on even when folded)

Headrest, I leave all three of the rear seat ones at home, so I don’t have to store them whilst camping.

Cab Front and side screens, I don’t use the standard ones supplied with the van , I prefer to use thermal silver screens, attached to the inside of the window with suckers, easy to fit and remove, good insulation from sun and keep heat in, very good black out.

I have a roof topper ( club shop) no windows version, offer a very good black out and additional protection from wind chill etc, easy to fit and leave on whilst camping, my kids get too hot up top with it on and the heating on all night.
I usually prewarm the van 20 minutes or so before bed time, heater set on 3 for about 30 minutes total (10minutes after bed), then the heater is off all night, sleep in minus 4, no problem (individual 3 season sleeping bags)
Pop the heating on in the morning, if it’s chilly for 30 minutes to take the edge off, without overheating everyone in their sleeping bags.

Leaving the van, I usually leave the roof up, Roof bed in down position ( ie where it is when the roof is down) pull the tamber cover forward to close off the roof space, set the alarm as normal ( the alarm has a volumetric sensor that can be set off with wind pressure if the roof is left up with the upper bed pushed up).

Additional storage for clothes ; Vanessa window bags and packing cubes

Couple of photo of the screen, topper and Vanessa window bags. View attachment 44554View attachment 44555

Excellent idea to pull the tambour cover forward to isolate the roof space, why did i not think of that. Vanessa window bags are a must have.