To be owners requesting your opinion

[GinaNBob]

Hi everyone
My husband and I are moving up to an airstream in the next month. We are vacillating between the 27 ft Pendelton and a 25 ft flying cloud with the twin beds. Have seen both models and like both.
Here are my questions:
We have two Jackson fishing kayaks that are fairly heavy. We want fishing to be part of our travel vacations. We like the Pendelton for the rear hatch and can see placing the kayaks in it while traveling instead of lifting them on top of the TV. We like the interior look and the nicer stove, sink size,16 inch tires, rear camera, electric awning. Queen bed vs twin makes no difference to us.
We like the 25 ft with the dark cabinets and salsa or black leather. Twin beds definitely give you more room to dress and storage in the bedroom, like the larger bath, has ok stove top and still has the oven we like.
Does anyone who has the Pendelton feel the rear hatch is an advantage and have you used it to transport larger items as we planned? Is the shorter length of the 25 ft better than the 27 ft in camping or is it a wash? We will probably need a pickup truck for the Pendelton (thinking Ford 250) vs Ford Expedition for the 25 ft flying cloud.
Is the additional cost and the rear hatch worth it?
Can't wait to join this community. And know you all will have some good advice for us.
Thanks. Gina

[mpsgolf]

We had a 25FB and just moved up to a 28'. It has a bit more room and more stowage. We have not hauled large objects like kayaks so unfortunately can't help there. But for general living we did notice the extra in the 28'. I believe the 27 and 28 are essentially the same length but with different arrangements so diff names.

[FCStreamer]

I can't comment on the Pendleton, and I too am a noob. All I can say is that I have read many threads of folks switching to a larger trailer. Smaller trailers have their place, but in my case I got the biggest one I could tow. When we owned boats, I bought three boats in three years, always moving to a bigger one. Now that I moved to trailers, I learned my lesson and got the biggest one I could. YMMV.

[AWCHIEF]

OP, have you actually spent some time in a Pendelton. It is certainly a beautiful trailer inside and out, but I find the seating the most uncomfortable and impractical of any Airstream currently being built. Ergonomics are horrible. Also keep in mind that actually carrying your kayaks in the trailers will take up all the open interior . Short stops and overnight will require removing the boats to use the interior. Also unlike the other hatch back models there are no tie downs or convenient locations to keep them in place.

[Rich Jenkins]

We've owned our first AS, a 27' FC FB, since November.

My wife is very glad she went with the 27'; apparently the extra 2' really translates into more usable space. As to towing, for me it does not seem to be that big a deal between 25' and 27', either towing, or reversing into a space. I found after a month or so of use, that backing up the trailer was pretty straightforward.

So, if the cost is a wash to you, there aren't any real downsides to getting the longer trailer.

Can't talk to the hatch, but I'd be worried about water ingress, that seems like a big opening. But I'm sure they test that.

Good luck!

[jayseejay]

Hi. Our first AS was a 2011 25' FB FC Twin. This confirmed that twins were the best option for us, given the reasons mentioned by others above. We traded the FC for a 2015 Eddie Bauer 27', which we had built with twins at extra expense. We carry two Hobe Mirage Sport kayaks in the hatch area with the sofas retracted. It will be a tighter fit with the Pendleton, given that the sofas are fixed, but I bet you could make it work by stacking or side by side on edge. Two bicycles also load through the hatch and store between the twin beds up front. A few early model EB hatches had reports of water and locking issues, but I believe those have been addressed by AS, or at least we have not had those issues - so I'd buy a hatch model with confidence, and highly recommend it given your stated needs. We have not noted any major difference in towing a 25 vs a 27.
Best,
Joe

[ROBERT CROSS]

GnB,

Maybe consider one of these....

Bob

[GinaNBob]

Thanks to all for your thoughts.
Joe, thanks for letting us know that you can get your hobie cats in there. They are larger than the Jackson fishing kayaks so we feel more comfortable that they should fit. We had thought to stack or lay side by side as you suggested. Do you remove them overnight when traveling, or can you get inside to the kitchen area and back to the bedroom?
Bob, we have looked at kayak lifts but they have a weight limit of 80 lbs. Only my kayak is 80, my husband's is almost 100lbs.
Wish we could have gotten the twin beds on the Pendelton, but we are late to the game and they have all been made. The dealer says she is not aware of any plans to make anymore trailers with the rear hatch in the next year. She says there is the annual meeting coming up this month and will ask, but if we delay until then, we may lose the Pendelton.
Gina

[Foiled Again]

AND muddying the water still further - do you know about the 33 foot Panamerica? They only made them one year and there may have been only 100 or so made, but they're a toy hauler - 25 feet of living space and a garage for toys.

Go to the search tab and scroll down to Google - enter Panamerica.

You could get lucky and find a used one.


Paula

[Drathaar]

GnB, my 2¢ worth. Figure out a way to put the kayaks on top of the tow vehicle. I suspect that having the boats inside, and needing to be moved every time you want to spend time in the trailer is going to get very old, very fast. If it were me, I'd go for a 27 Fling Cloud, then use the money saved by not buying the Pendlton on a good lift system.

We have a small fleet of canoes and kayaks, the heaviest being a 100 pound, 20 foot double kayak, and although it's not super easy to get it on the Yakima racks, it's doable.

YMMV

[DanB]

Have you verified that a Pendleton is available to purchase still? I heard #100 has been mfgr'd and is probably already being delivered somewhere.

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by DanB

Have you verified that a Pendleton is available to purchase still? I heard #100 has been mfgr'd and is probably already being delivered somewhere.

Good thought. I had a feeling that they were quickly selling.
Beautiful trailer. Would be a great trailer with the dinette from the 26U.

[jayseejay]

Pendleton #32 is on the lot at Sanders RV in Alachua FL, so there is at least one still available.

Gina, when the kayaks are in, there is a small channel to walk along the galley edge and get to the bathroom and Twins, but it is pretty tight. For rest stop breaks or parking lot stays, the kayaks stay. Overnights at a campground, they come out. Not for everyone, I know, but it works for us most of the time.

My speculation is that there will be a 2017 hatch model. In 2015, we rushed to buy one of the last Eddie Bauer's, on Airstream's word that production EB production was ending - then came the Pendleton. I think since they sell enough hatch units, and are already tooled to make them, they will make one in 2017 - but that is just a guess.

Joe

[jayseejay]

Wouldn't it be something if they continued to make Pendletons beyond the 100 in 2017, but they were not badged or equipped or numbered as special edition National Park anniversary units? Joe

[KJRitchie]

I think the Pendleton is a gimmick and its a lot more money. You'll be better off saving the money and get an Eddie Bauer or a 25/27 with twins and getting a rack system on the tow vehicle.

Here is one couple who fulltime in a older 25 with kayaks on their Tundra. Seems to work well for them. They have two 14' Kayaks

http://www.watsonswander.com/

Kelvin

[Meeks]

Great questions. I will speak to the kayak question. We carry three kayaks on the roof and three bikes in the bed of our Tundra. We use the Hullavators for the two outside kayaks closest to the driver and passenger doors. They are $600 or so a piece but they make it so easy! There is varying info online as to how much weight your truck roof and the Hullavators can accommodate so you would have to figure out what you're comfortable with.

The main advantages of having the kayaks on the truck roof:
1: Not having to walk around them in the trailer every time you go in which will be far more often than you think (lunch, bathroom break, forgetting something inside the trailer, etc).
2: Once at a camping area you can depart to any body of water in your truck with kayaks on top without having to move them from trailer to truck.

The only disadvantages I can think of to carrying kayaks on top of the truck are some bug splatters, decreased truck mileage due to wind resistance, and perhaps theft though this can be mitigated with locks if that concerns you.

Of course, cleaning/drying off kayaks each time before putting them into your beautiful trailer would seem bothersome to me but I've never done it so it's just speculation on my part.

You're smart to be thinking all of these questions through as best you can because come "camping" time the easier it is to get to the toys the more pleasurable it is and the more you want to go!

[GoWhereTowed]

I believe the 2017 Internationals are going to have options of twin beds.

[GinaNBob]

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.
We have put down a deposit on one of the last Pendeltons. We are very excited and now plan to take all your advice by carrying the kayaks in the trailer or possibly on the TV roof. Dealer said they may be able to add some tie downs for us on the inside. Still haven't found a lift that will lift the 100# kayak but we'll keep looking. I find it refreshing how innovative people can be to take their hobbies along.
Thanks for the link to the Wandering Watsons. Their story looks interesting and we may follow for a while.
Look forward to seeing more of your posts on other topics.
Thanks again for all the help.
Gina

[wbrisett]

Originally Posted by GinaNBob

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.
We have put down a deposit on one of the last Pendeltons.

Congratulations. I'm officially jealous.

Actually I'm glad in some ways that I never saw the Pendleton in person, I'm sure I could have convinced myself to spend more money. It looks gorgeous in every photo and video that I've seen. I'm sure you'll enjoy it for many years.

-Wayne