Is it me?

[Borris]

Excellent News!!

Will try again for the bags that fit in the bench drawers here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01GFX3Q56/?tag=vwcalifornia-21

Now they look very useful! I just have to find somewhere else to store all the sundry items currently kept in the three drawers.
Thanks.

 

[soulstyledevon]

I think Amarillo is right that you lose space by fitting the slide draw under the multiflex.
Which maybe an issue if you take a lot with you and need everylast cubic inch.

However Amarillo uses an awning when camping and I presume he empties his vehicle at each stop into his awning.

Myself, I prefer to use the van without additional awnings etc.
Thus, the slide out boot draw becomes invaluable. I can carefully store stuff and have easier access to it when required.
Everything that’s in that area, stays there the entire trip and no packing and unpacking is required.

This suits our camping as typically we stay 1-3 days before moving on somewhere different.
My aim is to setup camp within 15minutes and de-camp within 30.

 

[larrylamb]

I think Amarillo is right that you lose space by fitting the slide draw under the multiflex.
Which maybe an issue if you take a lot with you and need everylast cubic inch.

However Amarillo uses an awning when camping and I presume he empties his vehicle at each stop into his awning.

Myself, I prefer to use the van without additional awnings etc.
Thus, the slide out boot draw becomes invaluable. I can carefully store stuff and have easier access to it when required.
Everything that’s in that area, stays there the entire trip and no packing and unpacking is required.

This suits our camping as typically we stay 1-3 days before moving on somewhere different.
My aim is to setup camp within 15minutes and de-camp within 30.

Are you going to fit a drawer in your Ocean?

 

[Amarillo]

I think Amarillo is right that you lose space by fitting the slide draw under the multiflex.
Which maybe an issue if you take a lot with you and need everylast cubic inch.

However Amarillo uses an awning when camping and I presume he empties his vehicle at each stop into his awning.

Myself, I prefer to use the van without additional awnings etc.
Thus, the slide out boot draw becomes invaluable. I can carefully store stuff and have easier access to it when required.
Everything that’s in that area, stays there the entire trip and no packing and unpacking is required.

This suits our camping as typically we stay 1-3 days before moving on somewhere different.
My aim is to setup camp within 15minutes and de-camp within 30.

Maximum flexibility for us is key. During our trip around Europe we had four possible setups.
1. No unpacking: one adult on the bench seat; child seat in passenger footwell and child seat on passenger seat; one adult and two children in the upper berth.
2. Safari room: 4 Muji drawers stacked in safari room. Two 50 x 40 x 30 cm boxes in safari room; driveaway in safari room; child seats under multiflex. Lower bed made up.
3. Driveaway: Muji drawers and boxes in driveaway; child seats under multiflex. Lower bed made up.
4. Driveaway and safari room: set up as above.

What I hope to achieve with more effective use of the under bed space is to be able to sleep four without unpacking. Two boys on a half mattress behind the bench seat, bed size 150 x 100cm; two adults in the upper berth. Child seats fit in the front passenger area.

Or, lower bed made up by removing two custom made crates, approx 70 x 40 x 22.5 cm, and sliding under vehicle.

Or as 2, 3 or 4 above.

Much now depends on how our new G3 residence safari room will work and pack for us, and I will not know that until after we collect and use at Tenby.


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[soulstyledevon]

Are you going to fit a drawer in your Ocean?

Larry, I would say so.
The slide out draw really helped with organising our kit. Can imagine it will be just as essential, with the Ocean.
Who wants to trawl headfirst into a boot looking for things, moving X&Y to get to Z...

 

[Borris]

I think Amarillo is right that you lose space by fitting the slide draw under the multiflex.
Which maybe an issue if you take a lot with you and need everylast cubic inch.

However Amarillo uses an awning when camping and I presume he empties his vehicle at each stop into his awning.

Myself, I prefer to use the van without additional awnings etc.
Thus, the slide out boot draw becomes invaluable. I can carefully store stuff and have easier access to it when required.
Everything that’s in that area, stays there the entire trip and no packing and unpacking is required.

This suits our camping as typically we stay 1-3 days before moving on somewhere different.
My aim is to setup camp within 15minutes and de-camp within 30.

I can see it's advantages when away with just the van and no awning. It would also help to discipline ourselves into rationalising what we take with us. We always seem to take too much! What I am trying to get away from is that scenario when the item you need is buried right at the back behind the bench seat and you are having to kneel on wet grass whilst fishing around underneath the Multiflex with your bum and legs sticking out the rear tailgate after having first removed all other contents to create access. You could reach that area by leaning over the back seat but that's not that easy either. As you know, first you'd have to remove the head rests and then it's necessary to dangle over the seat back to reach the item concerned and my arms are not always long enough to reach everything comfortably. If the downstairs bed is in the ready to use position then the only way is to tunnel your way in from the rear. So the idea of flicking a catch or two and then sliding all of your camping kit out on a tray so that you don't need to stoop, kneel, tunnel or contort to get at it is the main appeal to me.
At this stage I'm not totally sure if a slide out tray would totally resolve this access/storage issue but it would certainly help. What is slightly concerning is the amount of space that it would either physically take up or stop me using fully. The research continues.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Borris
It doesn’t take up that much space in reality. Sloppy packing to begin with, will do more harm than the rack.
On a plus note, the rack can always be removed.
That’s why I built mine with easy to release catches.

Although, I’ve never taken it out since it went in

 

[Amarillo]

As you know, first you'd have to remove the head rests and then it's necessary to dangle over the seat back to reach the item

That is where we score another easy point. As we have child seats in positions 1 and 3 on the bench, headrests 1 and 3 are already removed and left at home.



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[Amarillo]

My reasoning behind the pull out tray idea is that you could easily and instantly get at the items stored immediately behind the bench seat but beneath the multiflex board level. This accessory would become even more useful when the downstairs bed is set up. Just pull out the tray and grab the item you are after, "simples"

A full depth sliding rack can be loaded to ~48 cm from the boot floor and slide out under the MF. However, the front part (the section between the back of the bench and the MF) can only be stacked to ~30 cm above the boot floor for the bed to be made up.

To pull out the sliding tray, either stuff above the front of the pull out will need to be unpacked or you will need a board ~150cm by 40cm resting on the wheel arch trim to support luggage above. At 1.5m long it will need to be a fairly rigid board to minimise bending in the middle (or stuff above fairly light).


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[Borris]

A full depth sliding rack can be loaded to ~48 cm from the boot floor and slide out under the MF. However, the front part (the section between the back of the bench and the MF) can only be stacked to ~30 cm above the boot floor for the bed to be made up.

To pull out the sliding tray, either stuff above the front of the pull out will need to be unpacked or you will need a board ~150cm by 40cm resting on the wheel arch trim to support luggage above. At 1.5m long it will need to be a fairly rigid board to minimise bending in the middle (or stuff above fairly light).


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If I do end up making a full length tray, I think I would try to overcome this issue by adapting your idea a little and making up a folding bridge to fit between the back of the bench seat and the front of the MF. The basic concept could involve the board you mentioned spanning the gap but with a hinged leg of the same width at each end. The hinged legs would of course stand in the free area outside of the tray sliders and should be able to be locked in the down position to give rigidity when the bridge is in use. The height of the top surface of the bridge would need to be no more than the 30 cm measurement. The bridge could be folded flat when not required and shouldn't take up much space.
As you suggested, such a contraption would enable both a long tray to be used at the same time as the downstairs bed and would enable it to be much easier to reach items stored on top of the bridge.
However, I need to give the whole tray thing much more thought before proceeding.

 

[Amarillo]

However, the front part (the section between the back of the bench and the MF) can only be stacked to ~30 cm above the boot floor for the bed to be made up.

I think this is incorrect. The height is ~40 cm.


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[Borris]

I think this is incorrect. The height is ~40 cm.


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Even better then!

 

[Amarillo]

This is great- two separate 3 seat bench Beach projects: one to maximise accessibility, the other to maximise capacity.


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