Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2018 i Caravan and Outdoor Life

The caravan industry is gearing up for what could be the most exciting time we've seen in years in the market. While much of the change is being driven by the troubles at Jurgens Ci, there is also positivity and excitement. For those who have not heard about the situation at Jurgens, here's a quick catchup: The company, historically the biggest manufacturer of caravans in South Africa, is currently being taken to court with a request to place them under business rescue, after salaries and suppliers have apparently not been paid in months (at time of writing this letter). Our sources have informed us that manufacturing has come to a standstill, and that the factories have been robbed and vandalised. With millions of rands in damages and lost stock and…

Having been avid readers of your excellent publication over the last few years, and having had the opportunity to travel our wonderful country for a few years, we thought it prudent to pass on some of our thoughts to your readers - especially those thinking of taking to the road for some time to explore, as we did. After retirement, we no longer wished to live in the busy hub of Gauteng with its traffic and other unnecessary day-to-day stress-inducing ways of life, especially after I’d had my heart bypass which was the result of such stress. We sold our large Pretoria home, and packed what we thought necessary for an extended stay in a caravan while travelling SA by way of tar roads. We bought a new Exclusive and…

Not a week goes by in which I don’t hear people discussing, or even arguing, about towing licences. Whether it’s an innocuous question from a first-time caravanner, such as, “What code licence do I need to tow a Penta?” or someone trying to gyppo the system by claiming that you can use a C1 licence to tow a Mobi Lodge, the discussions pop up again and again. That’s why, in this article, I’m going to try clear it all up, and back it up with what is stated in the actual Road Traffic Act, including up-to-date regulation changes. WHAT LICENCE DO I NEED TO TOW? The answer is actually very simple: If the caravan or trailer you are towing has a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of less than 750 kg,…

André van Helsdingen caused a BIG commotion in the caravan industry when he revealed his 9-metre Destination Dream in late 2017. Andre’s name has always been synonymous with high-quality products, and he is one of the twin brothers behind the successful Twin Boats & Trailers. His brother, Riaan, started and ran Sensation Caravans. When Sensation was sold, Andre saw that there was a market for exceptional, high-quality caravans that were not manufactured and controlled by big corporates. He started working on the creating of Destination Caravans around May 2017, and before the end of the year had the industry buzzing when he revealed the Dream – a huge double-axle caravan measuring 9,1 metres long and 2,5 metres wide, which has the option of up-to-two slide-out sections to increase the size…

The Aloe plant is indigenous to Southern Africa and tough enough to survive some of the harshest conditions. Inspired by the these plants, Aloe Caravans are durable and strong. A key feature of the Aloe Caravans experience is the customization of products with customer inputs. When building an Aloe Caravan or motorhome, the planning and design before production will allow the customer to specify exactly what they want. While Aloe Caravans does provide the standard tried and tested layouts and designs, customers have the freedom to let their imaginations run wild. Most of Aloe’s products are off-road caravans (models include the Camperi, Firefox, Striata, Excelsa, and Lebombo), but early 2018 they also released the Peri Peri. The Peri Peri is made of aluminium, as all Aloe caravans, and with a…

What does it take to be a top-selling caravan dealership in South Africa? Well, at Loftus Caravan City, it’s all about keeping clients satisfied.You see, they believe that customers are key to the success and expansion of their business. Loftus Caravan City was established back in 1988, and under the leadership of Woody, Neil and Joel, it’s become something of a Randburg icon. From humble beginnings as a modest Sprite dealership, it has expanded in leaps and bounds, and now stocks Swift, Okto, Sensation, Jurgens Ci and Bush Lapa vehicles. Loftus Caravan City is first and foremost a family business, but that isn’t limited to the brothers. The dozens of staff that dedicated their days to keeping the dealership running are part of the family, too, and it’s their hard…

With support from a team that has many years of caravanning and sales experience, Cara-Camp owner Arnold Prosch jumps at the opportunity to be of service to every customer to walk through the doors of his Caravan and Outdoor Centre. The Somerset West dealership is lined with shelves neatly stocked with camping and outdoor gear, while outside a range of sparkling new and quality used Jurgens Ci and Bush Lapa vehicles are on show. Striving to exceed industry standards of service, the team goes above and beyond to ensure a simple and informative buying experience. Arnold’s inviting smile and warm, personality will make you feel as if you’ve known him for years, so it’s no wonder this dealership is ranked up there with the best of them. The staff at…

With a history that goes back to the early 1990’s, Tentco has built a solid customer following through their manufacturing of premium canvas tents and a variety of other camping accessories. If you’re looking for quality camping products such as hard shell rooftop tents, bow tents, gazebos, awnings, canvas bags, extensions, frame tents, roll up mattresses and trailer tents, then head on down to the showroom. Their 2 000 m² showroom is situated close to OR Tambo International airport in Johannesburg and houses the largest selection of canvas tents in Africa. Tentco has a factory of 7 000 m² which produces large quantities of canvas tents from locally sourced materials. A distribution centre of 1 500 m² is on the same premises, where worldwide distribution takes place. Tentco products are…

The drawbar is an integral and critical part of any trailer. It serves the function of housing the coupler so that it can be towed and it maintains the balance of the trailer. The drawbar improves the rigidity of the chassis and assists in keeping the trailer running correctly in a straight line behind the tow vehicle. Typically there are quite a few types of drawbar design but the A frame drawbar is most commonly used in South Africa and the rest of the world. A robust drawbar needs to have good strength both vertically and horizontally and be able to cope with the often excessive forces that are delivered to this area, especially when heavily loaded. The drawbar is under constant strain with the materials being constantly compressed and…

FULL-TIME CARAVANNERS FROM THE START Earlier this year, my wife and I fulfilled our life-long dream of becoming permanent campers - or gypsies, as people who choose this lifestyle are called. Unsure, scared, but excited, we gave up our permanent home, placed our furniture in storage and booked our first campsite. We had never camped in a caravan before, so it was after lots of looking around that we bought a Gypsey Romany in excellent condition. I have to mention that I have read Kamp & Karavaan (and before that Caravan & Outdoor Life) for many years, which helped us to take the big step. People, we were so surprised! It is heaven on earth! You make friends like never before in your life – cheers to you, Roy and…

More than 248 000 visitors from 69 countries, 214 000 square metres of floor space, over 600 exhibitioners… welcome to Caravan Salon 2018, the world’s largest trade fair for caravan and motorhomes. The 57th edition of the show in Düsseldorf, Germany, took place from 24 August to 2 September, and according to Joachim Schäfer, outgoing Managing Director at Messe Düsseldorf, it was the biggest show they’ve ever had! Schäfer says: “We are delighted with this new record (visitor numbers) and see the high visitor turnout as confirmation of the outstanding collaboration between the exhibitors, the Caravanning Industry Association and our trade fair company.” Caravan Salon Director Stefan Koschke says the show has proved that the international caravanning industry is alive and well: “The mood in the halls among both exhibitors…

Although the Mobi Lodge is a very capable off-road caravan, we included it in our on-road caravan edition because of its luxury and versatility. As Marius Ras (the brains behind the caravan) says: “What makes the Mobi Lodge so special is that you have the comfort and space of a double-axle caravan, but you can also have the full off-road caravan experience.” Marius describes it as “a holiday home on wheels” – and that’s exactly what a caravan is. With a setup time of less than 5 minutes, the Mobi Lodge is designed for those who desire more relaxing holidays without having to waste time on laborious setup. Marius designed and built the caravan because he was not happy with the products available on the market - and the Mobi…

The Sherpa motto: “carrying loads lightly”, is the handiwork of Neville de Meillon and his team, who initially started out with the Sherpa Tiny, weighing only 560kg, and followed it with the Tiny Rough Roader which was only 20 kilograms heavier. Both variants of the Tiny proved to be very popular. Their manoeuvrability, and the ease with which they can be towed by any car on the road without an EB license, quickly garnered a solid Sherpa following. Neville grew up with caravanning in his blood, as all good caravan manufacturers should. “I have been caravanning since the day I was born,” says Neville. “I was also the youngest guy to buy a caravan from a place called Sunseeker. I was only 21 years old.” The Sherpa Rambler, with a…

Tucked away in Brentwood Park, Benoni, lies a tried and trusted name in caravans. Since 1993, Benoni Caravans has been under the wing of Pinky Jagarnath, an industry giant with around four decades of experience. The dealership continues to provide supreme service and excellent workmanship to all its clients, while stocking an impressive range of vehicles including Gypsey, Jurgens and Sprite, as well as Ezi Camper trailers. Meanwhile, the Campworld store is fully-stocked and ready to accessorise your dream caravan. Pinky is a big believer in expanding caravanning to a wider audience, as he feels that it’s been associated with white, affluent culture for too long.“There’s a potentially big market out there waiting to be tapped,”he says. Leading by example, his dealership aims to make this lifestyle one that all…

Eden Woonwaens has a long and illustrious history in the caravan market, and their long list of happy customers is testament to their solid work ethic and quality products. If you enjoy the outdoor and caravan lifestyle, look no further than this dealership that offers quality caravans and accessories to suit all your holiday needs. Eden Woonwaens are part of a national friendship network. Deon Small and Ice Holder are at the helm of Eden Woonwaens with many successful years of experience in camping, sales and repairs under their belts. The manageress Chrizelle Langenegger is a very friendly and helpful person and well known to all our costumers and always ready for advice. They sell a wide variety of different caravan makes and they also offer good used caravans, motorhomes…

When it comes to caravanning, there are things you do, and things you don’t do. You do allow extra space when cornering and overtaking, you do check the nose weight and torque wheel nuts regularly, and you do watch out for width and height restrictions, etc. What you don’t do is overload your caravan, or tow a caravan that is too heavy for your vehicle. But, in an age of fake news, gossip and rampant rumour-spreading, it comes as no surprise that there are also a few myths about towing. These can cause trouble and confusion in both inexperienced and long-time caravanners. So, this month, the team at Caravan & Outdoor Life put all our expert knowledge together to separate the facts from the fiction. YOU MUST HAVE 10 PER…

For over 16 years, CaraSure has successfully insured thousands of caravanners across the country. Leisure vehicles are normally “low risk” vehicles and the premiums are substantially lower than a standard vehicle that is used on the road daily. Leisure vehicles are mainly used for leisure or private use and on average, travel only every three months. Another factor that drives the premium down is the average age of the drivers who are often a bit older, more responsible and have many years driving and towing experience under their belts. A few things to consider when insuring your leisure vehicle is to make sure it is covered fully comprehensively, which covers accidents, theft, hi-jacking, malicious damage and storm damage. Third party liability cover must always be added in case of a…

SPRITE TOURER SP WARRANTY I bought a brand-new Sprite Tourer SP caravan in 2014. The colourful brochure stated that it was a caravan“...that takes the back roads without having to invest in a 4x4 offroader with stiff suspension and heavy construction. What you get is a suspension better suited to more uneven surfaces and bigger tyre size plus more robust insulation against dust”. The brochure has a picture of a Tourer caravan towed in the bushveld on a sand road, and it has exactly the same cupboards as those in my caravan. The brochure is still in my possession; and sure, the tyres fitted are for all terrains. We have since travelled 22 000km all over SA and as far as Rundu, Katima Mulilo and through Botswana. All these roads…

Just imagine a child growing up without ever having left suburbia! Imagine having never seen and experienced the Garden Route, the Drakensberg, the Kruger National Park or the Richtersveld. Imagine not having learned how to make a braai fire, go fishing, or run barefoot on the beach! Modern children are captured by technology and need a balance in life. Nature’s creepy-crawlies can be fascinating, and an outdoor lifestyle can encourage children to consider careers in travel, biodiversity and engineering – all interests and talents nurtured by the outdoors. A caravan is the ideal means for a family to rediscover Southern Africa and to get back to basics. The plus is that owning a caravan is relatively cheap. Look after it well, and it will retain much of its value. So,…

Okto Caravans, the newest manufacturer in South Africa, was founded by a group of caravan experts and enthusiasts with many years of experience in the industry. The team behind this new caravan brand includes Keith Laing (owner), Tinus van Wyk (managing director), Ingo Ferreira (designer), Derek Laing and Rudolph Vorster. Keith has 17 years of experience in the caravan industry; Tinus has an Honours degree in production management from the University of Hertfordshire, and has 13 years of experience in caravan manufacturing, the latter half as Production Director at Jurgens Ci. Derek is an engineer who has been key in the design and commissioning of certain work stations, and Rudolph is a mechanical engineer who completed all the structural integrity checks on the Okto caravan. This team’s passion for premium…

Conqueror Off-road Campers is one of the largest caravan manufacturers and approved international exporters in South Africa. But what is an off-road camper manufacturer doing in our special on-road caravan special edition? The answer is their latest caravan – the 450 Roadster. Conqueror’s story started many years ago, when brothers Thinus and Phillip de Vries built specialised off-road trailers and other equipment for the SA National Defence Force, under a different company name. When the government contracts stopped, the De Vries brothers turned to the recreational market. Within six months of launching their Safari off-road trailer, it was a best-seller for the company. In the years that followed, Conqueror produced more off-road campers. Today there is a range of six: the Commander, Comfort, Companion, Compact II, Conquest II and Courage.…

Caravans from the the UK’s largest manufacturer of recreational vehicles, Swift, is now also available in South Africa. The Swift Group was founded in 1964 when Ken Smith built his first touring caravan. The company started from that single brand of caravan, and quickly drew attention thanks to the distinctive tri-front window design, which allowed easy see through to the rear for the driver whilst travelling. All of the windows opened, something unique at the time. Over the next five decades, the company expanded their caravan range and also started manufacturing motorhomes. By 2018, Swift had grown into a company with over a thousand employees, with a turnover of almost R4 billion. While the Swift Group is proudly British and a clear leader in the UK, they also export products…

Since being founded by Kees Rinkel and Abe Grové back in 1967, Kennis Caravans has grown in leaps and bounds to become one of South Africa’s best dealerships, largely thanks to the leadership of owner Allan Vos. Allan first entered the caravan market in 1983, opening a Jurgens dealership in Randfontein that would go on to merge with Kennis. After the merger, Kennis became the first dealership to stock all three - Gypsey, Jurgens and Sprite - at the same time. Allan has scooped many awards over the years, and his close involvement in the inner workings of the local industry has made him a prominent and widely-respected camping industry expert. Today, the dealership’s full name is Kennis Caravan & Motorhomes, and Allan says that they are South Africa’s largest…

After nearly six decades of family ownership, Natal Caravans & Marine continues to be run under the watchful eyes of a Courtis. Just a couple of years ago, Brian Courtis handed the reigns to his son, Geoff, and the dealership has continued to prosper. Natal Caravans & Marine is undoubtedly KwaZulu-Natal’s most widely-recognised and respected leisure vehicle dealership, thanks to years upon years of excellent customer service, industry innovation and top-notch expertise. The dealership was established in 1960 in Kirk Road, Pinetown, by business partners Allan McKee and Eric Courtis (late father of Brian and grandfather of Geoff). Then in 2016, after 56 years and three generations of family owners, the dealership moved from its iconic Kirk Road location. The move came just as Brian was handing over the reins…

With a history that goes back to the early 1920’s, when two young Swedish engineers, Baltzar von Platen and Carl Munters came up with the crazy idea of simply applying heat to a boiler while a cooling agent circulated in the system, absorbs the heat and creates a cooling effect. Their“cabinet”turned out to be the world’s first refrigerator. By the end of the 1960’s, Electrolux gave its leisure appliances division a name: Dometic. In 2001, Electrolux divests its interests in the leisure market to EQT, a private equity firm and Dometic then forged ahead on its own two feet. This it has done by staying true to its roots and relentlessly developing smart, award-winning, solutions. As the new century progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that ever more people across the…

Honey-glazed grilled mushrooms Mushrooms are unsung heroes of the culinary world. They go great with any meal, and are oh so easy to cook. This recipe is simple and delicious. Ingredients • 1 punnet portobellini mushrooms • 1 tbsp honey • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar • 1 tsp cayenne pepper • A sprig of rosemary • A sqeeze of frsh lemon juice Method: 1. Soak your wooden skewers in water for a few minutes to prevent them from burning 2. Slide your mushrooms along the skewers, being careful not to split them 3. Mix all your other ingredients in a small bowl 4. Pop your mushrooms on the braai 5. Using a basting brush, glaze the mushrooms with your concoction 6. Keep glazing as you turn, until the mushrooms look…

UITHOEK NATURE PARK, EASTERN FREE STATE Do you yearn for crisp clean country air and beautifully scenic surroundings? Look no further than Uithoek Nature Park for a blissful holiday experience. It’s tranquility at its best, where relaxation and rest are always at the top of your bucket list. Uithoek offers 50 pristine campsites of which 30 have electrical points and a cold water tap. There are freestanding braais available for use and the newly built ablution blocks have modern showers, toilets and hand basins with hot and cold water. Guests can enjoy the two lapas available for gatherings and get togethers round a roaring fire. It’s a chance to mingle with other campers and get to know like-minded people who share the wonderful outdoor experience with you. There are numerous…