So if y

japie said..
I sailed her from Coffs to Fiji CJ, after sailing from Gladstone down to Coffs. I've lived on her since January 2013 and done a heap of sailing here in Fiji. She cost me just under $24k but I have spent a fair bit on her since with stuff like a good chart plotter etc..

I have found I can go for about 26 hours Moby by which time I aim to be anchored or moored. My next big spend will be on a wind vane steering system. She had one but it was home made and I did not trust it at all.

I've pretty much learned to sail on her although I have thousands of hours of kiting and some windsurfing experience. There have been many cock ups!

It's a beautiful boat, especially the sail. I'd like to get into sailing a boat but sailing offshore is really intimidating.

Here is my current setup. Still a work in progress.

I made the steel frame wide enough to store my TT's and kites. I usually just toss my bag with bars, harnesses etc in the back.

The whole thing pulls out to make a comfortable double bed. It can also swig up to allow easy access.

Eventually I will install a full slide out draw to allow even easier access. I will also fit a roof top box for additional storage.
I'm currently sourcing a drive away awning too.

For some reason i can't upload photos from my phone to Seabreeze
Probably some nazifacistantiredthumb ploy by Lauriebigbird
But know this
If i could (upload photos)
All your van setups
Would show themselves inferior

theDoctor said..

For some reason i can't upload photos from my phone to Seabreeze
Probably some nazifacistantiredthumb ploy by Lauriebigbird
But know this
If i could (upload photos)
All your van setups
Would show themselves inferior

Well ya ain't seen mine yet.

Hi CJ, this is my iload setup,



















I have my base 200mm off the floor, it is two sections, section at rear is bolted into side storage, the extension at front is removable, with both in place it is normal bed length, width about double bed size And there is still about 750 mm space between that and front seats. I have cushions that can be set as front and rear facing seat or mattress. You can fit any surfboard under the base. The annexe is great for camping, got it from Anaconda.

Needs van to stay up, it connects to the van by a strap to the wheel arch and suction cap higher each side, zoom in second last pic.

you can disconnect and lay it down if you wanted to drive around, it looks like a dome tent

Lewis cratherns

vw

transporter

cauncy said..
Lewis cratherns

vw

transporter

Ark at the luuuxury.

surfingboye said..
Righto, getting a van. Thoughts on vans under 20k.
Transit, Transporter, Trafic are high on the list.
Anyone own any of these, issues etc?

I posed the exact same question to my long term, loyal and eternally honest mechanic, he warned me off all the euros second hand, once they hit 100,000 kms, he says they become huge money pits, spare parts required for servicing and keeping them on the road are ridiculously expensive, so id avoid all the above and the vito. I have another mate who owns a vw service centre, he also warned me off transporters with more than 100,000 kms, the transporters have a bad reputation for blowing auto gearboxes after 100,000kms a very expensive fix of around 10k for a new auto.

For 300,000 plus trouble free kms, go with the hiace or iload, reliable and cheap servicing, probably need to stretch your budget a bit but it will be worthwhile.

I ended up buying new and intend to keep the iload for 10 years, ive done 60,000 ks in 2 1/2 years, diesel, economical to run and plenty of power for towing, considerably more power than the entry level euros.

If you dont mind getting your hands dirty..........

Pick up an ex Aussie Post Transit [with a dead engine]
There are lots around lurking in backyards and driveways due to being too costly to fix when they break down.

Pick up an early V6 commodore, [very simple computery stuff] you only need the engine and gearbox, bung the carcase on gumtree.

Rip out the dead transit engine and gearbox - bung them on gumtree, someone will need the parts to keep thier own transit going.

The complete adaptor kit to hook in the commodore v6 and auto is around a grand.
It is a very simple conversion - easy and cheap to maintain.
Even better - if the V6 was a LPG conversion - run dedicated LPG, with a couple of tanks under the floor.
[no petrol = no catalytic converter or other emmission control gear needed last time I checked]


stephen

This would be out of your price range, it certainly is mine. Turned up on FB

japie said..
This would be out of your price range, it certainly is mine. Turned up on FB

The fuel bill would be out of my price range

Ears prick up^^^

Yeah - I figure you can strip out the excess passenger seats and have bucketloads of room for living space,
use the underneath luggage space for storage, watertank, moke, toys etc.

At the moment, it is somewhere between Gove and Perth.


If I had the space to park it and the spare cash, I would snaffle it real fast.

We drive the short low Ram Promaster van.
In it are two Formula boards, 5 slalom/freerace boards, one bump n jump, 13 sails, 6 booms, and well over 12 masts.
We have plenty of room left over to change inside, even two people at the same time, in the cargo area.
We've stuffed it with 4 more boards and 10 more sails, but only for one time transport.