We couldn't have a more modern caravan, even if we could afford it, unless we went for a two birth or put it into storage. Even a few inches longer than the one we have and it would stick out over the pavement. Our layout suits us perfectly as we have two long seats at the front which we use as beds, and across the back is a table with a single seat each side which is ideal for when we have our meals inside without having to put up and take down the big table, which normally stays stowed in the shower room. Maximum room and minimum effort, perfect!
You may find the 15 year old will prefer a pup tent to give them their own space. If not now they will within the next year or so.
Most caravan 3rd and 4th beds will be a bit small for a 15 year especially if they are a boy who could be tall.
We found 15 yr old wanted to stay in bed till mid day and that was a bit intrusive in a small caravan.
4 berthscould be these.
1. Fixed double bed with 2 singles or double at front. As singles they will be very short, probably four or 5 feet at most. 5 year old will want to go to bed earlier so needs own quiet space. Mum and Dad will have to go out into the awning for the evening.
2. Side dinette and end washroom. This works well but 15 yr old in bed will be in middle of van till noon. 5yr old will be disturbed. End washroom great for privacy while dressing etc.
3. Rear bunks. These work well as give kids own space separated from front. Will have side washroom which will be small and unsuitable for dressing.
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Quote: Originally posted by navver on 23/1/2022
You may find the 15 year old will prefer a pup tent to give them their own space. If not now they will within the next year or so.
Most caravan 3rd and 4th beds will be a bit small for a 15 year especially if they are a boy who could be tall.
We found 15 yr old wanted to stay in bed till mid day and that was a bit intrusive in a small caravan.
4 berthscould be these.
1. Fixed double bed with 2 singles or double at front. As singles they will be very short, probably four or 5 feet at most. 5 year old will want to go to bed earlier so needs own quiet space. Mum and Dad will have to go out into the awning for the evening.
2. Side dinette and end washroom. This works well but 15 yr old in bed will be in middle of van till noon. 5yr old will be disturbed. End washroom great for privacy while dressing etc.
3. Rear bunks. These work well as give kids own space separated from front. Will have side washroom which will be small and unsuitable for dressing.
Mine is exactly like your number 3 Navver. All our beds are well over 6 feet long. We can make the front beds into two singles or a huge double, but we usually leave them as singles as it's easier and enables either of us to get up in the night if we have to without climbing over the other one. The rear bunks are the full width of the caravan and can be closed off with a curtain, but as there's only two of us we never use them as such. We think it's a good layout and would work well with a family, although I agree a 15 year old would probably want their own space.
Quote: Originally posted by Trace 66 on 29/1/2022
Does anyone know if there are any models out there that are 22 foot with fixed bed 4 birth. Around 2017 year. Thanks.
Caravans are not measured in feet, they are measured in metres and there are body lengths and shipping lengths. I presume you are talking about shipping length which would be roughly 6.46 metres, there will be some out there I'm sure but with a 15 year old you would have to make the seating benches up every night into a double because in a caravan that size, the benches will be short. We used to have a 2006 caravan that would have fitted the bill but I think that newer ones have got longer, all I can suggest is to google 2017 small 4 berth caravans. Rob has just suggested a Bailey Pursuit 430-4 which has a shipping length of 6.5 metres which is 21'4". This would give you a fixed double and 2 short singles 1 of 4'9" and 1 of 5'1" so you see why you need to make them up into a double.
I think most of the fixed bed caravans tend to be quite large, as the bed takes up quite a bit of the living space. A small caravan with a fixed bed would feel rather cramped I feel, especially for 4 people.
At one time we had a caravan that had a pull-down double bed, but that design seemed to go out of popularity and I haven't seem one like it in decades. Ours was a 1960s Sprite Musketeer, and I thought it was quite a good design. The double bed could be made ready to use in seconds and put away during the day just as quickly. I wonder why it went out of favour?