Docking Sequence

[Ramblin]

Mine goes something like this:

1. Park (leave engine running)
2. Get out, walk around clearance check (jacks,slides)
3. Blocks under jacks as necessary
4. Get back in, Level the coach
5. Walk to back (grab beer as passing fridge)
6. Left hand pours beer into mouth, right hand deploys slides.
7. Finish beer, deposit bottle in recycle bin, turn engine off.
8. Awnings out, rugs down, chairs deployed, etc.
9. Power/water hookups
10. Accept frosty adult beverage from smiling DW
11. Butt down, feet up, watch the CG sideshow.
12. Refill beverage as necessary

Packing up is reverse order of above, minus the libations and plus a few extra tasks:

• Connect slinky to sewer, dump tanks
• Combine recycle bin with trash, dispose of per CG guidelines

[bcbowers]

FWIW, here's what I use ...

Engine Running (Cool Down)
Disconnect Tow Vehicle
Park Coach
Verify Space (Jacks, Slides, Antennas)
Connect Power Cord
Turn Off Engine
Verify A/C Power (Refrigerator)
Connect Water Line
Connect Sanitation Hose(s) & Connector
Open Dump Valves (if applicable)
Turn On LPG Tank
Close All Compartment Doors
Dump Air Bags Manually
Set Leveliing Blocks (If Necessary)
Level Coach
Extend Living Room Slide
Extend Bedroom Slides
Lock All Compartment Doors
Light Stove Burner (Evacuate LPG Air)
Turn On Water Heater
Turn Off Water Pump
Setup MotoSat Satellite Dish
Setup DTV Antenna (if applicable)

Undocking procedures are simply the reverse order. The best advice for leaving a campground is NEVER, NEVER, NEVER leave without doing a walk around inspection top to bottom and check everything you "touched" like campground water fawcett and such. If you don't, it's only a matter of time before you forget to disconnect something or leave something behind (Don't ask me how I know!).

[bigfish]

Following is my arrival routine:
· Once parked, get out and check for possible interference when slide outs are extended & that utility stub ups are within reach of MH cables & hoses. Reposition MH if necessary.
· When satisfied, shut down engine & position jack pads if necessay
· Level coach (HWH auto sequence dumps air & extends jacks)
· While coach is leveling, hook up required utilities to be used
· Extend slide outs
· Raise TV OTA antenna if required
BTF
05 40FDQS

[takepride]

Bob:

You might consider moving the utility/waste hook-up to after the leveling. It's quite easy to crush the sewer hose, if it's on a Slunky, while leveling. I've done it a couple times while packing up. Since I was extending the flushing time, I thought, Oh, I'll just put the slides in and store the jacks.....

Jim A:

Erlingiii has a Fleetwood. Enuff said....

[Dave Fernandez]

WOW! This is my first reply to the postings I have read and I am amazed at the knowledge and HUMOR found here. Regarding the 6-15 post by Engineer Mike I had to laugh after the 2nd sentence. THEN-I saw Dave Fernandez's comments and really got nostalgic!! First, I had no idea that docking meant parking-I thought it was a boating term. But I did not see any water! I recall that one and only time I gave directions-and surprisingly, my DH (dear husband) listened and followed my hand-signals. I thought we were "speaking" the same sign language for parking. However, I had to leave the area immediately after he backed up too far. Please see above comments. It is now for our own safety and marital harmony, that I try to be in a dfferent zip code, or at least at someone else's campsite while he docks. Thanks for letting me share! sincerely. Dave Fernandez's DW

[Tom and Patty]

Dave,
First of all I thought something was wrong with you when YOU (Dave) or so I thought said; "this is the first time I have read the postings". Huh? Two Dave's???

Knowing you had posted previously, it was time to ask you to say, " It is a sunny day outside." or get you to smile.

I felt great relief when I read far enough to learn that Donna hijacked your identity. Whew!!!

Donna you need to register, might I suggest "N or N". :-) Hint ... It has something to do with Santa.

Donna,
Dave said, "The last time the DW helped me park the coach in the driveway she had me drive into the side of the house."

Don't worry, in DH code that means we saw what DW wanted us to do but decided not to pay attention.

Gotta go, I hear Patty calling!

[Barbaraok]

Originally Posted by Erlingiii

Most slides are twelve volts, so having the engine running is important.

Maybe for you, but on an Alpine we have the batteries to take care of this. In fact, as has already been mentioned, it is engine off, and then hit the auto button to level (bags dump, levelers go down and she levels) it the site is fairly level to start with; otherwise do it manually. You should learn how to do it both ways. Once level (I do the leveling while Dave is hooking up) then the slides go out - but make sure the bay doors are closed. before you do - been there, didn't check, replaced the latch. Actually for an overnight we don't put the front slide out, just the bedroom slide, but that is just us. Hookups are usually electric first, then water, then sewer if you are going to stay a long time or need to dump. Again when doing overnights we never bother we the sewer hose as we can go 7-10 days before we need to dump because of the gray tank filling up.

When you go to leave, bring the slides in first. Then, I start the engine before hitting the store button for the levelers, just seems to work better that way for us.

Take your time and don't let others interfere with you - - if they want to talk tell them you'll be by when you have finished getting set up.

Barb

[EngineerMike]

Some more thoughts on docking sequence on this Monaco thread.