Many times, essential chores are left undone prior to departing from the caravan park site. Here are the top 5 chores that caravanners forget, along with our trio of pre-travel caravan inventories.
Let’s face it. Regardless of your expertise level as a caravanner, we all have moments where we overlook an important task before pulling out of the site. I’ve experienced this oversight more times than I’d like to admit. Having a pre-travel caravan inventory is crucial, no matter how seasoned you may be. Here are the leading five things caravanners tend to neglect before hitting the road, and after that, you’ll discover three downloadable inventories to review before embarking on the next leg of your journey.
Disable the gas supply
This is particularly important, especially if you have a three-way fridge onboard. It’s a major safety hazard to travel with the gas still on. There may be a pilot light somewhere in there, and the last thing you’d want is an unattended naked flame inside the van, especially at a service station when there are fuel vapors in the vicinity. Make sure all your gas cylinders are turned off at the source, and any inline taps are securely closed.
Retract the entry staircase
We’ve all been there. You do an internal check, feeling content that everything’s set for departure. You use the step to exit the van, close the door, walk towards your vehicle to drive off, only to realize that the step is still extended, waiting to catch onto something or drag along, especially if you’re off the beaten track. It could turn into a costly lapse. Ensure to include this task in your pre-trip caravan inventory (or refer to ours further down).
Elevate the stabiliser supports
If you seldom use them, you’re more likely to forget. Or if you’re accustomed to brief overnight stays and then park for several days and lower the legs to stabilize the van. The last thing you want is to hear a scraping noise and see sparks flying as you exit the caravan park (not to mention damaged welds). Your early departure will definitely not go unnoticed by your neighbors because you claim you have a ‘long journey ahead.’
Take away blocks and levelling platforms
Is attaching the trailer not going as planned? Is the entire rig moving sluggishly? Or perhaps you feel a sudden jolt from the back? “I don’t recall any speed bumps around here,” you mutter. You might have unknowingly driven off with the levelling platforms still in place! Or your chocks might be working against your efforts to vacate the premises. Just like the stabilizer legs, ensure this is on your pre-departure caravan inventory. Also, after hitching up and moving forward, double-check that you haven’t left any chocks behind for the next occupant of your spot.
Shut all openings tightly
Are fellow travelers gesturing towards the roof of your van, waving their arms and attempting to communicate warnings you can’t comprehend? Chances are you forgot to secure your roof hatch or hatches. They’re up there, swaying in the wind, waiting to be torn off or to let dust and rain invade your pristine interior. If you opened the hatch last night for ventilation but closed the blind, it’s an easy slip-up. Similarly, in the bathroom after a shower. Make roof hatch closure a part of your visual sweep on your caravan inventory before departing for the next destination, ensuring your hatches remain intact upon arrival!
Caravan inventories
We’ve designed these three pre-drive inventories detailing tasks you must remember each time you’re preparing to exit a caravan park or campsite. At the end of each list, we provide a download option so you can access them on your mobile device even if you’re out of network range. Alternatively, print them out if you prefer hard copies.
Pre-drive inventory – within the caravan
Pre-drive inventory – outside the caravan
Caravan inventory – post-hitch
We understand that skilled caravanners may come across this information and deem it as basic things to remember, but that’s precisely the point. When listed out like this, they appear straightforward, underlining the usefulness of inventories regardless of your caravan experience.
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