Recounting the 2023 CMCA National Rally in Dalby, Qld
Malcolm tested his off-grid capabilities, saw the Jaws of Life in action and checked out an alternative tow vehicle while at the 2023 rally.
I’ve just been on a little journey, which started in Canberra and went to Dalby (Qld) via Sydney and Brisbane. The Sydney bit wasn’t on my original agenda, but the Spirit of Australia cancelled my original flight, so I had a slightly longer journey than planned. My visit to Dalby was to attend the Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia's (CMCA) National Rally. The rally is an opportunity for CMCA members to get together, catch up with friends and acquaintances and get to seminars on just about anything RV you care to name.
My trip went via Brisbane to collect a Cruisin’ Deluxe rental motorhome which I used at the rally. I hadn’t used a Cruisin’ motorhome before, but it was a good experience. Built by Avida, it’s a little different to the usual six-berth layouts. Based on a Fiat Ducato Multijet 160, the Deluxe has the familiar design of a club lounge/bed in the rear, an offside dinette and a Luton bed. I was alone, so I didn't need all that space, but it was a great mobile office. One table for eating, one for a desk and since it had a good ceiling height above the Luton, I used that for sleeping. It was interesting to note that the interior had more of a retail motorhome look than a rental.
Inverter power
At the rally, I had an unpowered site, so I was keen to see if I could live off the grid for five days with the pair of 100Ah AGM batteries and a 160W solar panel. Yes, was the answer to that question. I kept the three-way fridge on gas, and even though the solar panel was in the shade for part of the day, I had no problem living off 12V. I have a couple of small portable inverters with cigarette lighter plugs, one 150W and one 200W, but the latter is not pure sine wave. I’ve never been sure about using it with my laptop and when I consulted 12V Guru David Bayliss, he suggested that while the modified sine wave works OK in most cases, occasionally it does not. I opted for caution with my expensive electronics and just used the pure sine wave 240V power supply.
Jaws of life
Two of the rally seminars that I attended were on different yet connected themes. One was a talk by Rod Hannifey, an advocate for road safety, particularly when trucks and RVs of all types share the road. I've known Rod in cyberspace for years but have never met him in person. The other ‘seminar’ was a demonstration by the local fire brigade of how it could release people from a car wreck. They used a real car (but not real people), and it was impressive just how effective the 'jaws of life' tool is in quickly taking a car apart. For my money, listening carefully to the road safety talk might mean the latter demonstration is never necessary.
Alternative tow vehicle
Tow vehicles and caravan tow weights are a regular subject in many RV publications and on social media sites these days. Rightly so because the various state authorities are becoming increasingly interested in the matter. Last year the Queensland Police did numerous roadside weight checks and discovered that 90 per cent of the tow vehicle and caravan combinations were overweight in some way. That’s a staggering figure by anyone’s standards.
I mention the weight matter because one of my camping neighbours at the CMCA rally had a fifth wheeler and an Isuzu NPR 300 Crew Cab for a tow vehicle. It was a tow vehicle combination that ticked any number of boxes. The fifth wheeler was around 7m (23ft) long (Aussie-sized, not American) and wasn’t excessively heavy. Even if it had been, a fifth wheeler is an inherently more stable towing combination than a caravan. On top of that, the tow vehicle had a weight capacity to spare. It was far from its legal limits with a GVM of 6200kg and a GCM of 9700kg (maximum towing mass doesn't apply). I doubt the fifth wheeler pin weight caused too much stress on the rear axle loading. The only downside was the 4.6L, 85kW turbo diesel, but I didn't think the owner went anywhere in a hurry. I mention that because US-built pickups aren’t the only solution to caravan towing weight problems.
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