HomeRVCaravan checklists and 5 frequent duties caravanners neglect

Caravan checklists and 5 frequent duties caravanners neglect


All of us neglect to do essential duties earlier than leaving the caravan park website. Listed below are the highest 5 issues caravanners neglect, plus our three pre-trip caravan checklists.

Let’s be sincere. It doesn’t matter whether or not you’re an skilled caravanner or a newcomer to the approach to life, we will all neglect to do a crucial activity earlier than driving off the location. I’ve performed it extra occasions than I care to recollect or admit to. Having a pre-trip caravan guidelines is important, irrespective of how skilled you might be. These are the highest 5 issues caravaners neglect to do earlier than driving off and on the finish, you’ll discover three downloadable checklists to undergo earlier than you head off on the subsequent stage of your journey.

Flip off the gasoline

caravan checklists - turn off gas

This can be a huge one, particularly when you’ve bought a three-way fridge on board. It’s a giant no-no to journey with the gasoline on. You carry a pilot mild in there someplace and that’s the very last thing you want, a unadorned flame within the van, unattended, significantly on the servo when there’s gas vapour round. Be certain that all of your gasoline cylinders are off on the bottle, and any inline faucets are closed too.

Retract the entry step

caravan checklists - retract entry step

We’ve all performed it. Perhaps you’ve performed the within examine and also you’re glad that it’s all okay to move off. You utilize the step to exit the van, shut the door and stroll to the automobile to drive away and the step simply sits there, invitingly, in anticipation of snagging or dragging over one thing, particularly when you’re off-road someplace. It’s presumably an costly oversight. Be certain that so as to add this to your pre-trip caravan guidelines (or take a look at ours a bit additional down).


Elevate the stabiliser legs

caravan checklists - lift stabiliser legs

In case you’re somebody who doesn’t use these fairly often, they’re extra prone to be forgotten. Or when you’re used to fast overnighters after which cease someplace for a number of days and drop the legs to regular the van. The very last thing you want is that scraping sound and a spark bathe as you allow the caravan park (by no means thoughts damaged welds), and your neighbours will definitely pay attention to your early departure since you’ve bought a ‘lengthy drive forward’.

Take away chocks and levelling ramps

caravan checklists - remove chocks

Is the hitching operation not going to plan? Sluggish motion of the entire rig? Or maybe you’re driving off and really feel a sudden bump from again there? “I don’t recall velocity humps right here,” you mutter. Perhaps you’ve simply pushed off the levelling ramps! Or your chocks are conspiring towards your efforts to depart your website. Just like the stabilising legs, be sure you bear in mind so as to add this to your pre-departure caravan guidelines. Oh, and when you have got hitched up and moved ahead, re-check to be sure you haven’t left a chock or two for the subsequent occupant of your website.

Shut all hatches

caravan safety checklists - close all hatches

Are different travellers passing you and pointing to the roof of your van, arms waving and them mouthing warnings you’ll be able to’t perceive? It’s probably you’ve forgotten to shut your roof hatch or hatches. They’re standing up there, shaking within the breeze, ready to be ripped off or to let mud and rain pour into your pristine inside. In case you opened the hatch final evening for air flow however closed the blind, then that is straightforward to do. Identical within the toilet when you’d had a bathe. Make the roof stage a part of your visible sweep in your caravan guidelines earlier than you head off to the subsequent vacation spot, so that you’re geared up with hatches whenever you get there!


Caravan checklists

We’ve developed these three pre-drive checklists of issues you must bear in mind to do each time you might be about to depart the caravan park or campsite. We’ve included a obtain choice on the finish of every checklist so you’ll be able to have them out there in your sensible machine even when you’re out of cell phone vary. Alternatively, print them out when you choose exhausting copies.

Pre-drive guidelines – inside caravan

  • Washer water faucet off
  • Bathe rose faraway from rail
  • Bathe hatch closed
  • Rest room flap closed and lid down
  • Rest room paper faraway from holder
  • Sliding door open and locked
  • Fridge repacked for journey
  • Fridge doorways closed and locked
  • Fridge on 12-volt (for three-way fridge)
  • Water pumps off
  • Faucets off
  • Window shades open
  • Roof hatches closed
  • Lights off
  • TV faraway from arm and saved
  • Different electrical home equipment saved
  • Desk in folded place and strapped down
  • TV antenna retracted
  • TV sign booster off
  • Sizzling water system off
  • All cabinets closed securely
  • All home windows closed and locked securely

Pre-drive guidelines – exterior caravan

  • Door closed and locked
  • All exterior storage doorways locked
  • Awning retracted and arms locked
  • 240V energy provide disconnected and cable saved
  • Water provide disconnected, and hose saved
  • Greywater hose emptied, washed and saved
  • Faucet becoming eliminated and saved
  • Step retracted
  • Stabilising legs retracted and saved
  • Gasoline turned off

Caravan guidelines – as soon as attached

  • Guarantee hitch has related correctly and locked
  • Join trailer plug, Anderson plugs and digicam
  • Guarantee hitch pin in gooseneck is in place and secured
  • Connect breakaway cable
  • Match weight distribution bars (when you use them)
  • Test all lights for proper operation
  • Test brake controller for any errors
  • Take away and retailer wheel chocks and stage ramps
  • Make sure the numberplate is safe and visual
  • Ultimate go searching van guaranteeing all hatches and doorways are closed, all providers disconnected and home windows are closed
  • Launch the van’s handbrake
  • Check emergency guide brakes earlier than leaving the caravan park

We all know some skilled caravaners will learn all this and assume these are apparent issues to neglect, however that’s our level. Written down like this, they appear apparent, and that’s why checklists are so helpful irrespective of how lengthy you’ve been caravanning.