Small Class A with Large FW tank

tatest wrote:
With ACE and Vista you are looking at the lightweight model lines from those two manufacturers. Big tanks, higher floors for more underfloor storage, are not part of lightweight design.

Winnebago's entry line full-size A gasser is still the Sightseer, which has 70-80 gallon FW tanks (80 in the 31-foot 30A) and 90 to 100 gallons combined waste tank capacity. Sightseers are now built on 22,000 pound chassis, has the capacity to carry the weight of that water.

Looking used, I would look at Sightseer, the models, trim, capacities, and market position have changed little over the past ten years, except to move a little upscale from when it was the entry-price line. Vista was recently slipped into the line as Sightseer got too expensive to compete with low price models in other brands.

Vistas are built on 16,000 to 18,000 pound chassis, until you get up to the 35-36 foot models. Then you get larger tanks. Even a lightweight has to get heavy when it gets too big.

I haven't bothered to figure out Thor's current market position for each of the model names they still use, but back when they were separate brands, Damon's entry-level Daybreak was a relatively full-size coach in the 30-32 foot size, but Intruder was even heavier with more tanks and storage, but maybe starting at 34 foot. Thor's FourWinds brand had a lightweight Hurricane and a heavier Windsport, with similar floorplans in the smaller (32-34 foot sizes) but Windsport was the one that got higher GVWR chassis, bigger basement storage, bigger tanks and options like 50-amp electrical and 5.5 KW generators.

Coachmen's Mirada was also built in the Hurricane class, you would want to look at least one model line above that. Depending on model year, Coachmen has produced as many as four price levels of A gasser.

Looking at old Bounders (or Flairs or Southwind Storms) you are looking at Fleetwood's mid-range, full-size lines. Find an old 26-30 foot Terra/Fiesta, and you will see something more like today's ACE or Vista.

This was what I am finding also. I don't want to go older than 2006 to find the right tank size. I guess I will settle for 80 gal or add more water as others have mentioned. Having a higher HP/wt ratio is also important hence a desire for a shorter lighter MH. I'm also finding less storage and less pass thru's as you go shorter. This Daybreak that I looked at seemed to have more than the others, 100 gal tank, full basement storage, a large pass thru in the rear where you can store several bikes,another up front and full body paint(no decals). I don't know anything else about them other than they were at the bottom of the line for Damon. Could not find CCC which is also important.

Gjac wrote:

dahkota wrote:
The 2011 Bounder 33 has an 85G fresh water tank. My 2014 does also.

How did you like your 2011 Bounder?

We didn't have a 2011 - just recently purchased the 2014, which we love. You might check the irv2.com forums. There are lots of bounder owners in the fleetwood forum there.

Fore travel made a 34 and 36 foot coach with 110 gallon fresh tank.

With ACE and Vista you are looking at the lightweight model lines from those two manufacturers. Big tanks, higher floors for more underfloor storage, are not part of lightweight design.

Winnebago's entry line full-size A gasser is still the Sightseer, which has 70-80 gallon FW tanks (80 in the 31-foot 30A) and 90 to 100 gallons combined waste tank capacity. Sightseers are now built on 22,000 pound chassis, has the capacity to carry the weight of that water.

Looking used, I would look at Sightseer, the models, trim, capacities, and market position have changed little over the past ten years, except to move a little upscale from when it was the entry-price line. Vista was recently slipped into the line as Sightseer got too expensive to compete with low price models in other brands.

Vistas are built on 16,000 to 18,000 pound chassis, until you get up to the 35-36 foot models. Then you get larger tanks. Even a lightweight has to get heavy when it gets too big.

I haven't bothered to figure out Thor's current market position for each of the model names they still use, but back when they were separate brands, Damon's entry-level Daybreak was a relatively full-size coach in the 30-32 foot size, but Intruder was even heavier with more tanks and storage, but maybe starting at 34 foot. Thor's FourWinds brand had a lightweight Hurricane and a heavier Windsport, with similar floorplans in the smaller (32-34 foot sizes) but Windsport was the one that got higher GVWR chassis, bigger basement storage, bigger tanks and options like 50-amp electrical and 5.5 KW generators.

Coachmen's Mirada was also built in the Hurricane class, you would want to look at least one model line above that. Depending on model year, Coachmen has produced as many as four price levels of A gasser.

Looking at old Bounders (or Flairs or Southwind Storms) you are looking at Fleetwood's mid-range, full-size lines. Find an old 26-30 foot Terra/Fiesta, and you will see something more like today's ACE or Vista.

The solution.. First to hold a lot of fluid you need a lot of Motor home or trailer.

OR---- a way to extend your capacity.

Last I checked camping world sold a couple of "Bladders" these are designed to go on the roof of a car or pickup,, They hold 40 or 90 gallons (About) and you fill them at the filling post and gravety transfer to your RV's tank

You can also get bags and bladders from other sources, some come with either 12 volt or 120 volt pumps so you can lay them in the BED of a pick up or a car's trunk or back seat.

That's the one I may want some day.

dahkota wrote:
The 2011 Bounder 33 has an 85G fresh water tank. My 2014 does also.

How did you like your 2011 Bounder?

Koop wrote:
They made 34 and 36 foot models.

The shortest Alpine Coach that I found was 35 Ft. Saw lots of 36- 40ft coaches.

Koop wrote:
Look for an Alpine Coach. Plenty of fresh water and holding tank capacity.

X-2

If you can not find it, build it in!

Tank-Depot.com

Look for something that is about 12" tall and 24" deep. The length to place it under either the couch or dinette seat. You can install a second small water pump, it can give twice the water volume while taking a shower, or pump into the other tank if you like. To fill the second tank, you can use a valve to bypass the pump, and then run your other pump, and fill the main fresh water filler. Have an overflow at the top of the tank to go outside, once the tank is full.

Have fun searching and then camping!

One reason most recent RV's do not have a larger fresh water tank is the Cargo capacity rating is reduced with the larger tanks. So a RV with a 50 gallon tank (about 400 pounds of water) will have a 160 pound greater CCC rating if they did not have 20 more gallons in a 70 gallon tank.

So also be careful to find a lighter weight RV, so that you have enough cargo rating to fill the fresh water tanks.

Or you can fit a small tank into your car that you tow along with you. Then fill it while out sightseeing, and bring it back, transfer with a small water pump. You can transfer 50 gallons in 25 minutes using about 5 amp hours of power from the car battery, and then refill the car battery with about 3 minutes of engine run time. That way you do not need to worry about overloading the RV chassis.

Fred.

They made 34 and 36 foot models.