22' CCD versus Safari

[KIMILI]

Originally Posted by BeBop

For those of you that opted for the 22' CCD, what were your main reasons for choosing the unit. I am torn between the 22' CCD and Safari. I like the dedicated desk space and "open" interior of the CCD, but have some reservations regarding the purported "3 season" construction. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

AS makes a 22' Safari with a desk?!

Still would choose the CCD, it's easier to clean and we just love the sharp, modern looks of the CCD line versus the older, boring...safari pattern's.

[cosmotini]

Originally Posted by KIMILI

Dennis,
I gather she means the overhead plexi glass storage doors that are common on the ccd line. They have a hole on each side for you to slide them left and right (open / close). .

Aha. Now I understand. Thanks KIMILI.

[dmac]

We chose the Safari 25. The price is less than a CCD 22, the extra 3 feet in length and 6" in width is nice, and the layout provides bed/sofa/dinette all at the same time. I prefer the warmer feel of the Safari over the colder, industrial, look of the CCD - but that is just personal preference.

[Silvertwinkie]

Although I do appreciate more each day the CCDs, we both agree with DMac and did the same thing for basically the same reasons.

[andyfuson]

I think preference is the key here. I fell in love with the CCD interior. You just can't compare it to anything else. I seem to remember that the Safari did not have the wrap around front windows, and the plusher interior was not for me.

I have camped in upper 20 degree weather, but between the electric heat and the gas furnance, I had fun. The only mistake I made was not draining the sprayer line on the toilet when I winterized the trailer for the first time, and it froze. As with most mistakes, I learned my lesson.

We have had ours for a year now, and it is just a pleasure to be in, period.

Andy

[0CarbTwinkie]

Originally Posted by andyfuson
The only mistake I made was not draining the sprayer line on the toilet when I winterized the trailer for the first time, and it froze. As with most mistakes, I learned my lesson.

I made the same mistake, and we had started our first trip of the season. Dripping from the valve. I turned off the water to the toilet. It took 5 days of searching dealers along our route to find a new valve. The good thing was we were able to use the pull out fawcet from the sink to use as flushing water. This is positive on the All-in-one cammode.

I should mention that the number 5 rubber stoppers are availble at Wine/Beer making supply stores.

[sandyb]

Originally Posted by BeBop

2004 design change...that was the pivotal piece of information I needed. With the sealed underbelly & heated tanks I think the CCD would be well suited for the purposes I have in mind. It could also explain why I see more '02 & '03 units for sale than I would have expected.

We are debating beteen the 03 and 04 for the same reasons. It is that big of a deal to not have the underbelly? And what is the heated tanks? We would be traveling alot in Northern Calif and wondering if the underbelly would be needed and if it gives it better resale value?
Thanks,
Sandy

[Aria]

When we were looking for our first Airstream we were undecided between the 16 ft and the 19 ft. We thought our first should be small to start. We decided on a 19 ft. There was never any question about Safari or CCD. The CCD with it's aluminum interior, NO CARPET. But, we decided to start with a Vintage and discover if we enjoyed the travel trailer adventure. We located a 1967 Globetrotter and made minor repairs. Our next one a CCD..19 or 22 will be the question.

[Motoman]

We also like the CCD line but would like to address a couple of items. The interior and those front curving windows are great! Our first Airstream was a 22' 2005 CCD. We wanted the 25 but our 6 cylinder Cherokee (not a Grand) wasn't rated high enough to tow the 25 '. I thought the desk would be great for my amateur radio hobby and the dealer installed a short antenna near the rear roof vent and ran the coax under the shower to the desk. As it turned out I didn't get to use my radios very much the first year, ended sitting at the table more than the desk. The narrower body made it difficult to pass each other at the galley, there ws no floor space where our big dog could lay without us telling her to move so we cuold get from one end f the trailer o the other. I had to bend over in the shower while shaving and the 46 or 48 inch wide bed at the front was narrow when our little dog snuggled in between us.

A year later, having bought a larger tow vehicle, we happened upon a used 2005 25' CCD at a dealer in TN while on vacation. After much sole sourcing we traded our 22 in for the 25 and finished our trip with the 25. A great move for us. Bed is full double bed width, 54", the extra 6" width in body makes it easier to move around at the galleywithout bothering each other, bigger tanks, and "L" shaped sofa so other people have a place to sit and enough space to even take our larger dog with us without telling her to move every time one of us gets up. I also like the furnace heated under-belly tanks since we do go out camping in cold weather, either boondocking, or to parks that don't have electric hookups. We had more than 10 nights below freezing during our recent one month trip and did not have electricity seven nights during the entire trip.

The 22 was easier to see past when towing, fit into smaller spots and can be pulled by a lot of the small SUV's and pickups that don't have the capacity to tow the 25' models. The Safari 22 or 25 might be better if you do alot of cold weather camping since it doesn't have all those windows that lose heat. I believe there may be more storage in the more conventional under dinette and ceiling mounted cabinets in the Safari also. The electric heated tanks on the 22' CCD and Safari would drain the battery before morning and typically can't be used boondocking; the 16,19 and 25 CCD and Safaris have forced air heated tanks which is better if you shun RV parks.

Think carefully about how you will use it, where and if you will long for more space in a year or two and then make your selection. We couldn't anticipate upgrading our tow vehicle, otherwise it ouwld have been much cheaper to but what we really want the first time.

[RoadKingMoe]

Originally Posted by Motoman

The electric heated tanks on the 22' CCD and Safari would drain the battery before morning and typically can't be used boondocking; the 16,19 and 25 CCD and Safaris have forced air heated tanks which is better if you shun RV parks.

Agreed about the electric heat strips in the 22s (and 23 Safari?). But there are some options.

1. Winter boondock in the trailer with it still winterized, with a Porta-Potty and bottled water along. Use a dishpan and toss the dishwater out the door instead of down the drain. We put the potty in the shower in our 34 and "shower" with baby wipes.

2. Run a generator all night when winter boondocking. I haven't tried that, but I'd think one of our EU2000s on Eco-Throttle might handle it. In fact, even in a campground with electricity, I'd want the generator for the heat strips in case power went out if the tanks weren't empty. The furnace fan is enough of a drain on the batteries without heat strips.

What would be a deal-stopper for us is the less than double-sized bed. I guess if it proved problematic, the shorter one could always sleep on the dinette, or better yet, couch.

[Foiled Again]

The Safari SE's really seem to be bridging the gap between the two styles. I really like the front dinette on my 25 FB SE... and I rather intensely disliked the one in my 22 CCD. The difference. The one in the Safari is a lot bigger and no wheel well means four adults can really sit there. There are actually two layers of back cushion, so if you want to sprawl out, just take the first one out. The cushions are thicker and don't have the lumpy little sausage rolls of the CCD - so sleeping on it is VERY comfortable, while you really need to add an air mattress to use the CCD dinette for sleeping.

One thing that's really better in the CCD are the overhead cabinets. The bottom is actually a little bigger, plus there is one big cabinet because of the sliding doors. The Safari cabinets at first seem to be more convenient because of the lift doors, but you can't store as much and having 2 small ones rather than one big one costs a little bit of space and flexibility too.

I see they now make the 27 FB in a CCD.... Temptation! But no, not unless I win the lottery.

Paula Ford

[Silvertwinkie]

Wow a 27' CCD FB. The list of letters keeps getting longer.....CCD FB LS SE.

[TIMEMACHINE]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

The Safari SE's really seem to be bridging the gap between the two styles. I really like the front dinette on my 25 FB SE...

Paula Ford

Paula,

Don,t you mean the "rear dinette" on your 25 FB SE? And I agree, it is a great set-up for lounging.

John

[Steve & Susan]

When we were shopping for our AS, I fell in love with the Safari, and momma fell in love with the CCD. We asked back in 2005 if the Safari cabinetry and furniture could be put in the CCD interior (exposed aluminum, CCD lighting, etc.) and were told that it could be done but that it was going to be expensive. We settled on the CCD (surprise!) and lo and behold, the Safari SE comes out (2006?) which is exactly what we wanted to do as a custom.

Oh well, we LOVE our CCD as is and probabbly wouldn't trade it for the same thing in a Safari SE.

[Silvertwinkie]

[QUOTE=szy8xj and lo and behold, the Safari SE comes out (2006?) which is exactly what we wanted to do as a custom.
[/QUOTE]

Had a simiar exp back in late 2003 when I ordered our Safari. I had asked for the front panoramic window and the "CCD/Classic" windows. No go and 6 months later the CCD came out.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by TIMEMACHINE

Paula,

Don,t you mean the "rear dinette" on your 25 FB SE? And I agree, it is a great set-up for lounging.

John

Wow, that was acute cranial rectal inversion on my part wasn't it? Nice catch John.

Paula

[uwe]

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

Wow a 27' CCD FB. The list of letters keeps getting longer.....CCD FB LS SE.

Like at Harley Davidson.

[David Ludwig]

I owned a 22 CCD for 2 months and traded up to the 28. I found that I did not use the desk as much as the dinette for working, that area becme a catchall for my stuff, and I found that the "open plan" meant that the frame was constantly torqueing, which was pulling out the screws that anchor the dinette seating to the floor. I also found making the front bed difficult.

[Foiled Again]

Boy, you are right about it being difficult, and I made it WORSE by replacing the mattress with an innerspring that weighs about 100 lbs. I had it cut at all four corners so it could be flipped so it wouldn't wear all on the one side you get in and out.

But I solved the problem. I took a piece of seatbelt material about six feet long and sewed a loop in one end that would fit around my wrist. I then screwed the other end to the near side of the bed ran it under the mattress toward the window, allowing the loop to rest tucked behind the bedding. When changing the bed, I grab the loop and pull the mattress into a vertical position, then slide on the bottom sheet and drape the top sheet and spread over the top, tucking them under my "lifter". I drop the mattress and tuck in the sheet at the bottom. If I want to flip the mattress, I just lift it and shove the bottom end away from me and let it flip.

It's still heavy and awkward, but it works.

Paula