Just pulled the trigger, new Caravel 16RB, first trailer of any kind

[alligatorob]

Committed to it today, delivery is supposed to be in mid May.

We are tent campers, so even the 16 ft seems like large luxury to us. Did not get the solar panels or lithium batteries, but did get a soft start for the AC. I am hoping we can manage power with a Honda 2200, but will have to see how it goes. We can always upgrade later, if it seems to make sense.

Tow vehicle is a Honda Ridgeline. With a rating of 5,000 lbs the fully loaded 16 will be at about 86% of that. Based on what I can find here people have used the Ridgeline for this trailer and even larger without problems. We will see, I don't want to replace the Honda, but will if I have to.

We are going into retirement and this will be our escape vehicle. Living in northern Utah I need to escape our cold winters, those will probably be the longest trips. Have been thinking of other closer to home things as well. The only RV thing I have seriously considered so far is signing up for Harvest Hosts, that looks like a great idea. Will wait till we actually have the trailer before doing too much.

I did post on the Carvel forum before buying and got a lot of great advice there, it really helped in making my decision, and in negotiating with the dealer. So my experience here so far is very positive, the forum is great!

Any comments or advice is welcome. I am at the bottom of the learning curve, never owned a travel trailer before.

[JunkYard]

I really like my zamp portable solar panels. I even keep them hooked up at home to keep the batteries full. Prevents them from going bad. I read on here the charge controller on the solar is better than the onboard airstream charger. The battery guy told me if you keep your batteries on solar they last longer and hold a better charge. Honda 2200 is perfect for the AC unit!!

[Hans627]

Hi Alligatorob!

You are starting a fun chapter of your life. Congrats!

I suggest you find the local unit of the Airstream Club (airstreamclub.org) and find out where some local rallies are being held. You will be able to attend as a guest (even before you have your AS) and there you will find people who will be glad to help with the learning curve.

Best regards!

[Bhmack]

We love our 2021 Caravel 16rb. No issues of any kind and perfect for 2 people. You’ll love it.

[Peter417]

Congratulations. You made a great choice. We are tent campers as well. You will be able to for the rest of your life in that. You should join you local club.

[alligatorob]

Spoke to the dealer yesterday and they told me the build was completed on Thursday and the trailer should be shipping out Monday. If all goes well it should be in Utah end of next week and ready for us the following week.

The dealer originally promised mid-May, and this is pretty close, the build was done by then. So far so good, after reading about all the delays others have experienced here I guess we are lucky. Or I think we will be, only be sure when I see it.

Thanks to this forum I now have a good long list of things to look for before paying, and I have lined up a professional inspector to help. However I am still open to suggestions.

Will report back after actually taking delivery.

[Peter417]

I would pay for a professional independent leak test. They will pressurize the whole trailer with a fan that hooks up to your fantastic fan. Then they will spray the whole thing down with soapy water and you will see anything that was missed. If you do have leaks AS has been know to pay for the testing and they will obviously take care of the leaks since that is under warranty. These trailers all have their quirks so get to know it as soon as possible. it will take you camping for the rest of your life.

[NeonFlamingo]

You won't have any trouble towing with a Ridgeline. We tow ours ('21 16RB Bambi, not the Caravel) with a 3-series BMW wagon like a dream. We were/are avid backpackers so we are in the same camp in terms of luxury!

You may find that you want to add a solar panel or two down the road. If you're off-grid, even just the 90W panel is enough to keep your fridge running for a few days if you're conservative with the use of your lights and such.

[Greenjeans]

We’re from the Dallas area and we’ve made reservations for 30 days on S Padre Island, starting in the middle of January next year. It great to get out of dreary, cold, wet Dallas for a month in the middle of winter. Most of the time S Padre has a tropical climate which means windows open night & day, with some AC required. Like Dallas, the freakish cold air did get down there for a few days this winter.

When you pick it up plan to spend a few hour checking everything. Don’t let them hurry you. Lots of inspection advice on this forum.

Your trailer probably has a new composite floor and I would not spend the money on a leak test. If you have a problem your warranty will cover you. Our 16 ft is water tight. We did have a plumbing drip under the shower control, which was easily fixed by hand tightening the fitting. When we were on our shakedown I checked all the plumbing fittings and spotted the drip from the inverter compartment under the bed. One clue was when running the water pump it would cycle every now & then.

We just got back from visiting Utah out of Grand Junction, CO. The weather and scenery were perfect!

Congratulations on your purchase. Happy camping.