OCEAN to BEACH

[sidepod]

It would in your van as you have a non-removable fixed kitchen unit. That suits your needs well.

They make a bit more sense in a Beach where you don't need that capability all year round.

How does “needing to have the tail gate wide open to make a brew” make any thing remotely close to sense?

Do you open the kitchen door wide and stand out in the garden to make a cuppa in all weather at home? Of course you don’t, that would be idiotic.

 

[blondebier]

So a MPV, that changes with requirements. Thank you.

I'm perfectly happy with it being labelled a MPV. It's a cracking bit of kit.

 

[WelshGas]

I'm perfectly happy with it being labelled a MPV. It's a cracking bit of kit.

I agree.

 

[Amarillo]

I can go one better than that and be 'On trend' with a screenshot?
I too had a little too much time on my hands yesterday following our aborted dog(s) walk and pub lunch with the neighbours due to COVID issues.
I figured that when members first join, they base their decision to do so after reading the introductory welcome message on the forum homepage which contains the phrase "somewhere you can meet likeminded people".

You need to do better than that if you want to be ‘on trend’. Concluding you evidence with, “I rest my case” would help. But even better, “I rest my case” and then continue to argue, after everyone has sighed a huge sigh of relief, would be even more ‘on trend’.

 

[bob_summers]

for all the squabbling, this thread has been useful to me - I was still doubting my decision to order an Ocean and not the Beach which I thought would better serve our needs but was overruled at the household approval stage…

I’ve thought more about the onboard water and gas. Originally I could barely envision using them but reading through the thread, I can see certain advantages. Nothing that you would miss if you didn’t have them - but given that the Beach I specced was close in price to the Ocean (no coast here remember), there wasn’t really a financial hit , the only real drawback is carrying those facilities on trips where you know they won’t be used.

eg: A week long summer trip to the coast. We’ll use a tent - I know that sounds ridiculous, sleeping in a tent next to an Ocean - but we love the tent, it’s got loads of space and is worth putting up if staying in one place for a week (not for less time as it takes all morning to pack away). Cali kitchen etc doesn’t get used and the extra space of a beach would have been useful - if realistically there is any.

Vs: Winter walking weekend, free camping on a Pyrenean pass in minus temps or horizontal rain. Sure, forward planning makes this easily doable in a Beach but i’m not great at forward planning and can guarantee I’ll need something out of a box in the boot to make breakfast. No big deal but still… The self contained Ocean I think wins here.

Not having the luxury of retirement, the first scenario is about two weeks a year, the second is almost every weekend. Plus I suspect the Ocean makes an overnight Aire stop on a long journey a fair bit easier (although to be fair so does a night in a hotel!)

 

[blondebier]

Do you open the kitchen door wide and stand out in the garden to make a cuppa in all weather at home? Of course you don’t, that would be idiotic.

That would be idiotic.

The whole point is you're not at home. You're out and about enjoying life whatever the weather.

Sometimes you get wet, muddy and cold. But you remember making those cuppas (and fry ups) more than the one I made this morning.

 

[andyinluton]

That would be idiotic.

The whole point is you're not at home. You're out and about enjoying life whatever the weather.

Sometimes you get wet, muddy and cold. But you remember making those cuppas (and fry ups) more than the one I made this morning.

I remember getting frostbite in the Arctic, doesn't mean I'd want to do it again or particularly enjoyed the experience.

 

[sidepod]

I guess if you go the Sillypod route then you can save money on not speccing the night heater, I mean, what would be the point.
6am, heater comes on. All nice and cozy with the Mrs. “Pop the coffee pot on love”.
“sure, no worries, I’ll just let all this heat out whilst it’s brewing”.

 

[soulstyledevon]

I guess if you go the Sillypod route then you can save money on not speccing the night heater, I mean, what would be the point.
6am, heater comes on. All nice and cozy with the Mrs. “Pop the coffee pot on love”.
“sure, no worries, I’ll just let all this heat out whilst it’s brewing”.

With the boot filled with a kitchen. Where do you store other stuff. Like walking boots, clothes and other bits and bobs…?
Has to be one of the stupidest ideas ever.

I watched ABAB Vlog this morning.
Did have a little chuckle to myself, when they said the bed has to be made and in the seated position before the useless flippy stove can be used…

Must admit. I had bed envy at one point and then I saw how organised it looked in camp mode. The memories came blooding back and I felt very thankful that I’m now in the Ocean…

 

[blondebier]

It works for us and we fit in everything we need.

I'm not sure why anyone else really cares.

It's different. Your setup works for you as ours does for us.

When we're old duffers and the children have left home the Ocean might make more sense.

Until then, we've got a beach.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Where do you store other stuff. Like walking boots, clothes and other bits and bobs…?

Vanessa window bags for clothes etc, bits and bobs in the drawers under the seats, or, in the hanging storage on back of the driver seats. Dirty/Wet boots under the van.

 

[WelshGas]

I can hear the goalposts being moved here lol
Why would you happily camp in the Bedford and not in the Beach, had it been around then?

Didn't say I would not use it. As I stated, we could have had a smaller caravan with a Beach but wouldn't have bought it as a Campervan but as a MPV tow vehicle for a caravan then we could have had a 4 berth caravan and sleep in the MPV as well. Instead we had a larger caravan and a Bedford Midi MPV that could sleep 2.

 

[Amarillo]

With the boot filled with a kitchen. Where do you store other stuff. Like walking boots, clothes and other bits and bobs…?
Has to be one of the stupidest ideas ever.

I watched ABAB Vlog this morning.
Did have a little chuckle to myself, when they said the bed has to be made and in the seated position before the useless flippy stove can be used…

Must admit. I had bed envy at one point and then I saw how organised it looked in camp mode. The memories came blooding back and I felt very thankful that I’m now in the Ocean…

I guess the flip out kitchen would flip out with the two seat bench model, but then you have to contend with the lower multiflex.

There were just two of us camping for two nights in our Beach this weekend. I took the minimalist approach to packing and was overwhelmed with excess space. Still managed two cooked breakfasts (bacon sandwiches and coffee) and one cooked evening meal (pasta and bolognese sauce) with ease on the Cadac, OK, the bolognese sauce was pre prepared, but in the drizzle under the canopy was no issue at all. Just got the Cadac and gas out of the boot and set up on the grass. All food (including pasta) was kept in the fridge behind the front passenger seat. Side plates, bowls, mugs and cutlery all in the washing up bowl.

You can just about see the kitchen and dining set up here.

It would be trivial to move the dining area inside as the lower bed was not used. It would have to be quite extreme weather to want to move the kitchen indoors, but would not have been a major complication. A side panel on the windward side of the canopy would have helped in the drizzle.

 

[Amarillo]

Didn't say I would not use it. As I stated, we could have had a smaller caravan with a Beach but wouldn't have bought it as a Campervan but as a MPV tow vehicle for a caravan then we could have had a 4 berth caravan and sleep in the MPV as well. Instead we had a larger caravan and a Bedford Midi MPV that could sleep 2.

I can see that a Beach and two berth caravan for a family of seven would work well. Many options including parents in caravan, five children in Beach, or parents upstairs, three little ones downstairs, older children in caravan.

But I think I’d go for a Beach and a tent, with older children in the tent. Then there’s nothing to tow.

 

[WelshGas]

I can see that a Beach and two berth caravan for a family of seven would work well. Many options including parents in caravan, five children in Beach, or parents upstairs, three little ones downstairs, older children in caravan.

But I think I’d go for a Beach and a tent, with older children in the tent. Then there’s nothing to tow.

Exactly, a MPV to go camping.

 

[jMacdent]

With the boot filled with a kitchen. Where do you store other stuff. Like walking boots, clothes and other bits and bobs…?
Has to be one of the stupidest ideas ever.

I watched ABAB Vlog this morning.
Did have a little chuckle to myself, when they said the bed has to be made and in the seated position before the useless flippy stove can be used…

Must admit. I had bed envy at one point and then I saw how organised it looked in camp mode. The memories came blooding back and I felt very thankful that I’m now in the Ocean…

View attachment 84611

I've definitely got too much time on my hands!
I felt there must have been a time when we would have been all like minded?

 

[blondebier]

I felt there must have been a time when we would have been all like minded?

It's called "getting old".

 

[WelshGas]

I've definitely got too much time on my hands!
I felt there must have been a time when we would have been all like minded?

View attachment 84630

Definitely too much time. Things change over time as do requirements. But to spend all that time trolling for posts, then posting screenshots, to defend the indefensible .
The time could be better spent helping out others on the Forum , answering questions or detailing adventures etc:.

 

[soulstyledevon]

If you check out the screen shot above. This is a typical beach senario.

Picture this, it’s evening time. You’ve just cooked some soup (dinner) and made babies bottle.
Now before making the bed. You have to sort out a dirty pan, plus a couple of dirty dishes.
Therefore, you have to pack everything away (in the boot) before you can even think about getting the bed into position.
In the ocean, you can stick stuff on the ever present shelf.
Then you need to make the bed. You get the bed flat and then need to get the toppers down. You know the ones under all the bedding. Everyone gets out the van, you trip over your shoes and coats under the awning (that’s the only space left) twisting your ankle and dropping baby at the same time.
You finally start moving bedding about, where…? There’s no shelf…? Front seat? Nope clothes bags are there because the boots full with a kitchen.
The beds finally made, you all jump back in the van (apart from the one with the sprain) you undress for bed. Where do the daytime clothes go…?
Hold on, everyone back outside. Let’s get undressed in that icy crosswind. Unfortunately someone trips over the dirty soup pot, you simply couldn’t be arsed sorting. It’s 9:30pm and everyone is tired.
At some point you finally get sorted and can enjoy that massive bed…

Get a good nights sleep on that massive bed. Because come morning, you’ll have the Beach shuffle to sort with breakfast to throw in the mix…

 

[jMacdent]

Definitely too much time. Things change over time as do requirements. But to spend all that time trolling for posts, then posting screenshots, to defend the indefensible .
The time could be better spent helping out others on the Forum , answering questions or detailing adventures etc:.

Apologies. I'm actually between clinics at work and it only took me 5 minutes to find that one. It's likely we all started out with the same ball park ideology when joining...you just have to search a little. I just think it's a pity that somewhere along the way, it becomes more about vindication than sharing knowledge.

 

[WelshGas]

Apologies. I'm actually between clinics at work and it only took me 5 minutes to find that one. It's likely we all started out with the same ball park ideology when joining...you just have to search a little. I just think it's a pity that somewhere along the way, it becomes more about vindication than sharing knowledge.

No vindication necessary. You have an excellent MPV that can be used for camping and I have a Campervan that can also be used as a daily driver, move stuff admittedly with some limitations but always ready to camp at a moments notice.

 

[Amarillo]

Exactly, a MPV to go camping.

No. Definitely campervan mode for camping. If you like, a campervan in MPV mode for getting to the campsite.

But if you have to be camping to be a campervan, what is an Ocean when not camping?

 

[soulstyledevon]

I've definitely got too much time on my hands!
I felt there must have been a time when we would have been all like minded?

View attachment 84630

Yep
Circumstances change.
If you read through. I also state my previous vans were self-build and converted.
Again. These look similar but miles different to an Ocean.

As I mentioned earlier in the post.
I wish I had seen the light sooner…

 

[soulstyledevon]

@jMacdent you seen the post is now 6 years old.
How long have you owned your Beach…?

 

[jMacdent]

That would be idiotic.

The whole point is you're not at home. You're out and about enjoying life whatever the weather.

Sometimes you get wet, muddy and cold. But you remember making those cuppas (and fry ups) more than the one I made this morning.

I wish they made a thin Slidepod like in the new Hymer(?) Slides out lengthways and then propped up on a leg, leaving a useable amount of lower boot space still. I was also actually toying with the idea of a Hero Camper Columbus during the spring which has that great Kitchen in the back. Daydreaming. Not sure I want to get into towing. It wouldn't matter how spacious, warm or comfortable a van was, our boys would be up and outside at the crack of dawn playing with the other children in our camping group.