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snakyjake · 08-22-2011, 11:00 PM

Like to get a short trailer 16-20 ft, but notice the dinettes are in the front. For boondocking, this makes no sense to me. When parked at a dead end forest service road, or backed onto a river....I want to look at it!

Why hasn't AS built a rear dinette/lounge on the shorter trailers?
Why haven't Airstreamers demanded a rear dinette from AS?

Or am I missing something important by having the dinette at the front, and looking at my tow vehicle instead of the river?

Thanks in advance,
Jake

wkerfoot · 08-22-2011, 11:25 PM

Probably because there is not enough room in the 16-20 ft trailers to put the kitchen and bathroom in the middle. There was a 1950 something Safari with a front kitchen and front bathroom.

Bill

Quote:

Originally Posted by snakyjake

Like to get a short trailer 16-20 ft, but notice the dinettes are in the front. For boondocking, this makes no sense to me. When parked at a dead end forest service road, or backed onto a river....I want to look at it!

Why hasn't AS built a rear dinette/lounge on the shorter trailers?
Why haven't Airstreamers demanded a rear dinette from AS?

Or am I missing something important by having the dinette at the front, and looking at my tow vehicle instead of the river?

Thanks in advance,
Jake

snakyjake · 08-22-2011, 11:35 PM

I was thinking the bed and dinette location should be switched. Sleep in the front, lounge at the rear where the view is.

tvoneicken · 08-23-2011, 12:17 AM

Totally agree with you, we also never understood why someone would want to sit in the front of the trailer looking at the TV or at the road. We ended up with a 23FB partly for this reason (the other part being a real queen sized bed). It has the dinette with big windows on the curb side, which is where the view is 90% of the time in our experience. Unfortunately the CCD seats are not good to lounge, so I'm in the process of changing them out.
If you look at a 16' and imagine changing the rear bed for a dinette, it becomes pretty awkward to get in&out of the seats. You'd have to squeeze by between the cabinets and the table. The entry door in the front helps a lot in this respect for the front dinette. I suspect the door can't be moved to the rear easily because of the wheel well (I haven't looked at it in detail though).

clancy_boy · 08-23-2011, 12:21 AM

Probably has something to do with balance and tongue weight for the trailer. Additionally - the tanks are usually always in the rear so it would make a bigger issue to run the plumbing all the way back through the frame to the rear. Must be an engineering issue that complicates this option.

snakyjake · 08-23-2011, 09:47 AM

I just want the tow hitch on the opposite side of the 16 footer. Then I'd be happy. Can't imagine this would cost AS any more money to do, and I would think make a lot more people happy and excited.

snakyjake · 08-23-2011, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvoneicken

...dinette with big windows on the curb side, which is where the view is 90% of the time in our experience.

This is an interesting perspective that I need to think more about. All the RV parks I've been to the view is at the rear or no view at all. While boondocked off pavement, the view is either side or rear.

This is why I think the aft dinette is the best. But I figure I'm not the minority, so AS must have a good reason for a forward dinette, or too stubborn to change.

tvoneicken · 08-23-2011, 10:09 AM

It seems to me that RV parks never have any view, so it really doesn't matter, and if you look at your TV at least you're seeing something "safe" ;-) Joke aside, we mostly boondock and go to state/nat'l parks. Usually curb side or rear is where the view is, I don't hesitate to put the trailer in diagonally or sideways to optimize.

AS can't just put the hitch on the other end on the 16' because you need more than 50% of the weight in front of the axle, probably something like a 60/40 ratio, otherwise it would be absolute hell to tow.

Pony Keg · 09-13-2011, 12:22 PM

Airstream does make a 20' with the dinette on curb side. The two large windows pictured are located at the dinette. This is our 2007 20' LS/SE. Great floorplan, great manuverability, and great views that are not of the back of our truck.

FlashSilver · 09-29-2011, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snakyjake

Like to get a short trailer 16-20 ft, but notice the dinettes are in the front. For boondocking, this makes no sense to me. When parked at a dead end forest service road, or backed onto a river....I want to look at it!

Why hasn't AS built a rear dinette/lounge on the shorter trailers?
Why haven't Airstreamers demanded a rear dinette from AS?

Or am I missing something important by having the dinette at the front, and looking at my tow vehicle instead of the river?

Thanks in advance,
Jake

When I'm parked next to a river, I'm going to be outside until it gets dark. And then it doesn't matter what your view is. I park my unit to optimize the position of the sun. I want my awning side on the east so I can sit outside and eat my breakfast with the warming of the morning sun, and have the shade in the PM when I drink my sundowners. The geography doesn't always allow this, but usually it's not a problem.

Having said that, I agree that a rear dinette ( as in a 25' FB) is much perferable to a front dinette for a variety of reasons.

mandolindave · 09-29-2011, 06:22 AM

I like the bathroom privacy ( I can leave the bathroom window open while showering to keep the humidity down ) I like the front dinette so that my view
is of all of the fun going on. ( I don't go to campgrounds very often. Music festivals are my primary destinations ) It doesn't matter much, all I use the camper for is to sleep and use the bathroom.
Obviously Airstream thinks of me when when they design trailers.
Because......... it's really is all about me.

dkottum · 09-29-2011, 10:17 AM

Airstream now makes the 25' models (2012) with dinette either in back or in front. We choose the front dinette.

Most of our travels these days are to destinations where we spend a great deal of time, unhooked from the truck. I like the bed in back (less activity outside), and dining in front (more activity outside). Depending on the campsite, we'll check out the views sitting under the awning, enjoy our friends passing by the front dinette, and open up the bedroom curtains to the stars at night.

doug k

Jammer · 09-29-2011, 10:27 AM

I think this must vary regionally. In Minnesota and the surrounding area, I've never stayed in a location where there was any view to the rear of the campsite. It's almost always obscured by vegetation. We usually unhook for other reasons but it does allow us to take advantage of the view out the front of the trailer.

InsideOut · 09-29-2011, 11:40 AM

I suspect it also has something to do with the shorter length and the axle/wheel well placement. It's easier and to tuck these under a bed or in a closet at the rear of the trailer. In longer trailers there is more overhang to the rear of the axles.

That coupled with the weight of the water tanks - makes it more feasible to have them near the axles than up front. However, our '56 Safari has the bathroom, kitchen and tanks at the front, but when it was made "new" it did not have tanks at all - it was a "park model". Our dinette is to the side (so that is what you see when you open the door) and the beds are in the back. But with all the windows we have - it really doesn't matter - sometimes we feel as though we are in a fish bowl as it is!

Shari