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Cinmeredith · 05-20-2017, 12:24 PM

Thank u

RFP · 05-20-2017, 06:57 PM

I'm wondering if the "movable" dining table in the 23 FB only moves in and out, or is it also possible to rotate the table?

Oh, one more question: I know it goes "in and out," does it also move from side to side?

Thanks,

Rob

Cinmeredith · 05-20-2017, 07:02 PM

It rotates and moves in and out.

RFP · 05-20-2017, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cinmeredith

It rotates and moves in and out.

Thanks a million! I'm toying with a redesign of the table in our 23D (I just can't leave ANYTHING alone!). I really like the Dicor Cosmo pedestal that you have in your 23FB... it just might work into my thinking.

Do you like the way your table operates? It is sturdy? Does it operate smoothly? Does the pedestal seem to be of excellent quality? All that stuff!

PKI · 05-20-2017, 07:51 PM

The problem with the table movement is that the slides used result is a loose attachment. A bit of shaking and the lock disengages. A bit of leaning and the surface tilts. The plastic bearings and round metal shafts used on patio furniture to expand the primary surfaces and allow a captured leaf to deploy would be a good improvement. In any case a good locking method is an upgrade requirement. Pat

Edit - pedestal works well. Note, the table is off center front to back, so when rotated 90 degrees there is more space on one side. When pulled out, it is closer to stove and more space in back.

RFP · 05-21-2017, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PKI

The problem with the table movement is that the slides used result is a loose attachment. A bit of shaking and the lock disengages. A bit of leaning and the surface tilts. The plastic bearings and round metal shafts used on patio furniture to expand the primary surfaces and allow a captured leaf to deploy would be a good improvement. In any case a good locking method is an upgrade requirement. Pat

Edit - pedestal works well. Note, the table is off center front to back, so when rotated 90 degrees there is more space on one side. When pulled out, it is closer to stove and more space in back.

Good morning, Pat, thanks for the insight.

It's disappointing to hear that the mechanism that allows the 'articulation' is problematic... ratz.

When you say that "A bit of leaning and the surface tilts," is this tilting because of the pedestal or because of the mechanism?

Thanks!

PKI · 05-21-2017, 11:31 AM

The slide mechanism is the issue. Pedestal is good. Note, wife sews on that table. The world is not coming to an end.

Pat

pcskier · 05-31-2017, 04:17 PM

OK folks, truth. While the larger bathroom and queen bed is nice, does anyone feel the tradeoff for the cramped middle area is worth it? Tried to have a couple friends join me in mine to socialize this weekend (not sleep, just visit) and it felt so ridiculously tight trying to negotiate our way around the U dinette, spin and slide the table top, etc. Just not that comfortable compared to a 23D that has the 4-foot sofa and standard dinette.

Who loves their U-dinette? I'm thinking about installing a smaller top just to make it more accessible. Anyone done any mods to their dinette?

Xplore · 05-31-2017, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcskier

OK folks, truth. While the larger bathroom and queen bed is nice, does anyone feel the tradeoff for the cramped middle area is worth it?

You are correct. For have guests the dinette layout of the 23FB is not ideal. It's just the wife and I so the 23FB works great for us. But I would prefer a standard booth instead of the U shape. That's one thing that I really don't like.

GettinAway · 05-31-2017, 04:49 PM

I guess if we had company over to our campsite, we would be outside. It would be tight inside for sure. We had a corner bed and the tiny bathroom in our Bambi. I will never go back to that bed, or bath. But I'm kind of tall (6'5"). My wife, at 5'7" didn't like the bed either, but that may have been because she was next to the wall..

Four at the dinette would be tough.

RFP · 05-31-2017, 05:25 PM

While this discussion is arguably best left to 23FB owners, our thoughts as 23D owners may be at least slightly interesting.

We feel that the 23D provides better arrangements for 'socializing' ... whether socializing with visitors or just with the two of us. Having a larger lounge area where we don't have to sit bolt upright to us is a plus. As for the small bathroom, it's a big non-issue to us. We spend so little time in the bath (we have better places to read than on the potty!), the tiny bath is just fine. As for the bed, we've slept together on a king size bed for so many decades, there is no way we're sleeping together in the corner bed... and we wouldn't in the 23FB's "queen" either. She has the luxury of the corner bed all to herself (the Queen's Chambers), and I have equal luxury of the pull-out lounge bed. And, neither of us has to 'climb over' the other in the middle of the night.

The issues raised by 'pcskier' are the very ones that endear the 23D to us.

Of course YMMV

pcskier · 05-31-2017, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RFP

While this discussion is arguably best left to 23FB owners, our thoughts as 23D owners may be at least slightly interesting.

We feel that the 23D provides better arrangements for 'socializing' ... whether socializing with visitors or just with the two of us. Having a larger lounge area where we don't have to sit bolt upright to us is a plus. As for the small bathroom, it's a big non-issue to us. We spend so little time in the bath (we have better places to read than on the potty!), the tiny bath is just fine. As for the bed, we've slept together on a king size bed for so many decades, there is no way we're sleeping together in the corner bed... and we wouldn't in the 23FB's "queen" either. She has the luxury of the corner bed all to herself (the Queen's Chambers), and I have equal luxury of the pull-out lounge bed. And, neither of us has to 'climb over' the other in the middle of the night.

The issues raised by 'pcskier' are the very ones that endear the 23D to us.

Of course YMMV

Thanks for the input, and yes very appropriate since I was questioning the 23FB layout compared to the 23D. Honestly I bought the 23FB because the deal was just too good to pass up. But after using it, the 23D would make more sense for me. I'm solo, and on the occassions I (hopefully) won't be, the corner bed would be just fine, and as you point out, pulling out the sofa if needed is an easy process. Same with the bath. I actually like the two storage cabinets in the 23D above the bath sink, miss that a LOT. I also like the dinette being up against the window on the 23D, allowing items to be placed there while in camp and be out of the way. Hard to have condiments, wine bottles, fruit bowl, etc, on the u-dinette table on the 2014+ FB. Gets in the way.

I'm getting tempted to put mine for sale and begin the wait for a good deal on a 23D so I can join your thread

RFP · 05-31-2017, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcskier

< snip > so I can join your thread

Love it! So, if you join the 23D thread, can we all come to visit you there in Park City?

Troutboy · 05-31-2017, 05:51 PM

Being a new 23D owner, I really like the bath layout of the 23FB, and the queen bed was enticing. But, that u dinette was not for us, and we have 4 kids. Usually only a few come with us, the two younger ones. Because of this we got the 23D bunk. Last weekend being holed up with two adults and 2 kids (stormy weather), I can say that I love the lounge layout and dining table. It worked well.

I did bang my knees on the potty, and that small corner bed is not ideal. I guess it depends on what is ,ore important to you, the lounge area, or the bed/bath. If you want both, I think we have to move up. Size, and that's not for me at this time...

PKI · 05-31-2017, 07:06 PM

Yes, the dinette configuration is small, but it is a nice place to sit, talk, sew, and eat. We specifically wanted the FB because of the bath configuration and the queen sized bed. When the friends and relatives drop by, they find a place to sit. Nice chairs appear if we want to sit outside. We find the coach more than satisfactory. For us, it is perfect.

Hope to see you down the road. Pat

RFP · 05-31-2017, 08:25 PM

23D ... 23FB ... either way, it's a great size, and certainly either configuration is super-nice. Some will prefer one, other prefer the other one... So nice that Airstream provides us with a choice so that each can pick what's "right" for themselves.. Cheers to all the 23-ers!

Cinmeredith · 06-01-2017, 07:31 AM

We have the 23FB 2017 and are very pleased. It's our first Airstream. We deliberated between the 23D and 23FB. They are both so nice. We went with the FB because I needed a bed that I could get in and out of without climbing. We also didn't want the bathroom up against the bedroom. For us those two items were deal breakers. We use the dinette for reading and eating in bad weather. We make it work. We are both tall and not as thin as when we were younger. It's all just a personal preference. Making a pro and con list was helpful.

Cinmeredith · 06-01-2017, 07:35 AM

One more thing.....since the table is not centered from side to side and there is more room on one side, we are considering having the table cut smaller. A bit more room would really be ideal.,

GettinAway · 06-01-2017, 07:41 AM

Different strokes. Ha.. we tried sleeping in different beds when we had the Bambi. We always camp at altitude, and it's cold at night. Gotta snuggle. I agree the bath is not that big of a deal to me. The 23FB being much larger, but the wife greatly prefers the bath.. I haven't seen the dinette in the newer 23FBs, our dinette isn't circular. The tab,e goes over to the window. We sit across from each other if it's raining and we are inside. I put my feet up on her bench, and she does the same to mine. We did buy a big screen room to take along with us, it got roll down rain covers for all the screens. We can hang out in it for bad weather. We go fo small isolated campsites. Not big RV parking lots. Guess we are not real social. No kids, don't bring the dog. It's perfect for two people getting away.

Biker · 06-01-2017, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cinmeredith

One more thing.....since the table is not centered from side to side and there is more room on one side, we are considering having the table cut smaller. A bit more room would really be ideal.,

Really? Sitting across from one another there is equal room on each side of our table. Unless you're talking about the window side, which is pretty much useless. Honestly, it's my only complaint about the 23FB. I think I would prefer the old booth style over the U dinette. Seems like it would be more stable.