Jay Leno tours the new Land Yacht...

[LL2]

IMHO Jay acted cold and disinterested... at the beginning it looked as if someone had disturbed his daily nap!

[DKB_SATX]

bredlo: I certainly agree with you that there are nicer appliances to be had out there, but you have to remember there's a big difference in scale here. What we're thinking of as a shockingly high price for the Land Yacht concept trailer of $140k is about the BASE price of a 28' SeaRay "sport cruiser" that they're not even marketing as a yacht, and the order sheet for the SeaRay makes it really easy to add $50k to that price, and makes it look like you don't get any sort of galley for the base price. So sure, yacht builders are using more-expensive nice appliances because it's expected, but on lots of yachts the OPTION list probably gets close to the total price of the Land Yacht.

[murreywalker]

Originally Posted by dkottum

Murray, my nature is "Form follows function, unless function interferes with form. Then to hell with function." So I like this thing. I think the 1930's boat interior is a good mate to the 1930's Airstream exterior, both modernized.

Yeah, the galley is tiny. But on the other hand ever seen the galley on a WWII submarine; they served the whole crew from a tiny galley. In the last many years, I think we spend way to much money and space on kitchens and bedrooms in our homes, and that has spilled over into RV's at the sacrifice of design quality. Economics and good sense working together is correcting some of that, even if not exactly here.

So the Land Yacht is a nifty design exercise, even at $140,000 looks good to a diesel pusher owner/shopper looking to get smaller and still impress the neighbors.


doug k

Doug, I say go for it, but when your wife starts to complain about the functional differences of your 25 over the neat aesthetics of the Yacht, I promise not to say…

[JDS]

Am I the only one who objects to the steel steps & steel propane tanks? The Classic line has aluminum both and I find it outrageous that a $140k trailer, blazing a new price point, has cheaped out on those two items. Makes me wonder what other corners have been cut.

The new Bowlus Road Chief, with all aluminum construction and top end everything, seems a better value at $100k than the Land Yacht at $140k.

John S.

[10Smiles]

Originally Posted by bredlo

My disappointment, speaking of the galley, is that for $140K, you open the Italian designed cabinet door to discover the same, plasticky fridge installed in a $12K SOB. What a let down!

I agree with fridge, I noticed that right away... big disapointment.

[Uzzah]

I really like the teak and holly floor, I'm surprised they never did that before. My '76 land yacht had gold shag carpet... Not very yacht like IMHO. One question I have though is this: why does a company that has been making TT since the 30's need an Italian designer to come up with an interior like is? Would be interesting to see how much they paid for that. A little disappointing.

[ggoat!!!]

The severely crooked "Land Yacht" emblem does NOT install confidence...everyone knows how hard it is to measure and mark two holes square and level. That might take 20 or so extra seconds.

[Minnie's Mate]

Originally Posted by JDS

The new Bowlus Road Chief, with all aluminum construction and top end everything, seems a better value at $100k than the Land Yacht at $140k.

John S.

Is it just me or does any one else think we have lost sight of reality? Yes the new Bowlus is neat, but it doesn't even have stabilizers or a hitch jack. The interior of the new Land Yacht is very attractive, but does it really inspire one to "go over the next hill, and the next one..."?

[JDS]

Originally Posted by Minnie's Mate

Is it just me or does any one else think we have lost sight of reality? Yes the new Bowlus is neat, but it doesn't even have stabilizers or a hitch jack. The interior of the new Land Yacht is very attractive, but does it really inspire one to "go over the next hill, and the next one..."?

Actually, the Bowlus does have stabilizers. I asked. They are apparently well integrated.

John S.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Wow, a new concept trailer that has a "hot water heater"???

All the others have "cold water heaters".

But...........maybe new technolgy.

Andy

[sinjin]

I think it looks claustrophobic. Too tight, not enough windows. Yeah it's got some bling but I wouldn't want to camp in it and absolutely would not want to cook in it. bleh.

[Bluto]

Originally Posted by ggoat!!!

The severely crooked "Land Yacht" emblem does NOT install confidence...everyone knows how hard it is to measure and mark two holes square and level. That might take 20 or so extra seconds.

I noticed that too! Thought I was the only one. Good eye, ggoat!

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by sinjin

I think it looks claustrophobic. Too tight, not enough windows. Yeah it's got some bling but I wouldn't want to camp in it and absolutely would not want to cook in it. bleh.

You'd hate the Interstate, then. Plenty of windows, but even tighter.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

All American, huh? Except for the Dometic appliances from Sweden. That's still better than an Interstate. The Interstate is truly international, and that might be why it wasn't mentioned.

Interstates are:
German (Mercedes body & drive train)
Italian (Fiamma awning, Project 2000 step)
Swedish (Dometic sink)
British (SMEV cooktop)
Japanese (Kenwood stereo, Ultraleather upholstery)
Canadian (Atwood water heater, Nova Kool fridge, CR Laurence windows)
American (Carrier AC, MaxxAir fan)
Maybe some other nationalities I've forgotten, too.

Did you notice when Jay Leno looked at the roof he said, "What is that? It says domestic on it."

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by JDS

Am I the only one who objects to the steel steps & steel propane tanks? The Classic line has aluminum both and I find it outrageous that a $140k trailer, blazing a new price point, has cheaped out on those two items. Makes me wonder what other corners have been cut.

The new Bowlus Road Chief, with all aluminum construction and top end everything, seems a better value at $100k than the Land Yacht at $140k.

John S.

I mentioned those steps on another thread. Seems like this trailer should have the nice aluminum steps like the Classic. I don't see anyone actually camping in the Land Yacht, but celebrities having them as a "statement".

[ROBERT CROSS]

I think Jay was a little tongue in cheek....I think even he knew this was a joke.

"this is a power table, it turns into a bed"

"oh... you sleep on the table"

"no, these cushions cover it"

"oh, I see"

Then we also have the new "Domestic" AC on the roof.



BTW...the Classic steps aren't power...and you must have power for 150k.

Aluminum LPG tanks...what difference does that make?, the new owner will never know, the Chauffeur will be filling them.

Oh, and real Yachts heel to windward so that shouldn't be a problem either.

Bob

[Forrest]

What Wheeler said, “... the earliest designer of the airstream trailer was the guy, Hawley Bowlus, who also designed of the Spirit of St. Lewis so it was an aircraft , so we have an absolute straight line to the aircraft.”


So, now in an Airstream article in RV Business is the claim, "That shape owes its existence to Hawley Bowlus, a glider builder and designer who conceived it in the early 1930s after helping build the Spirit of St. Louis for Charles Lindbergh. Unfortunately for Bowlus, he was a better engineer than a businessman and the company struggled until master promoter Wally Byam took over, renamed it Airstream and launched a sales and marketing machine that capitalized on the trailer’s unique shape and then-futuristic styling."


This is an example of how history is revised and information goes from bad to worse. Surely, Bob knows that Airstream was not designed by the same man who designed the Spirit of St. Lewis (Hawley Bowlus).

Yes, there is a connection, but Bowlus was not renamed Airstream and saved by a promoter named Wally Byam. The trailers were two separate products. Yet, there it is and I dare say that the President of Airstream has more historical authority and exposure than anyone else. So, history is revised.

[dkottum]

History is revised daily.

Of Norwegian ancestry and knowing of Leif Ericson, I grew up reading that Columbus discovered America. Maybe. Then an American Indian friend of mine reminded me Leif Erikson wasn't here first either.

doug k

[bredlo]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

What we're thinking of as a shockingly high price for the Land Yacht concept trailer of $140k is about the BASE price of a 28' SeaRay "sport cruiser" that they're not even marketing as a yacht... on lots of yachts the OPTION list probably gets close to the total price of the Land Yacht.

I concede that point.... so I'll just sidestep it
Instead I'll point out my disappointment that upgraded appliances aren't an option, (as far as I know, anyhow).

Given the fact we're all quick to brag that "70% of Airstreams are still on the road, blah blah blah," I think it's short-sighted to build interiors that won't stand the test of time compared with their robust ancestors of the 1950's and 60's. Additional power supply, storage capacity and weight differences aside, does anyone really think a modern fridge will last as long as its porcelain behemoth uncle found in vintage trailers? I don't.

Thetford basically admitted (upon buying out Wilcox-Crittenden several years ago) that they discontinued the famous old porcelain and bronze boat heads that W-C was famous for. Why? Because they had no interest in building a product that would last decades, when they could instead make one that needed replacing every few years for a similar price. If you buy the company that sets the standard - and then discontinue it - you've artificially lowered the bar to suit your business model.

I don't see any difference between Thetford, Seaward, Atwood, or any of the other 900 lb. gorillas making intentionally low quality products we're forced to choose from. Quality may be considered a luxury these days... but if a deeply-rooted icon like Airstream can't at least try and push for better components in their product, I don't know who can.

[mojo]

Boy, tough bunch.

Maybe if Airstream keeps experimenting with this Land Yacht, along with slide outs, toy haulers, swiss army knives, Eddie Bauer and Christopher Dean,... they will finally figure out what everybody really wants!