RV Newbies Looking at a Class B

[caboose123]

I joined this forum because I am also looking for my first Class B, but have owned 7 other RVs throughout the years. I'm leaning towards the Beyond 22C just because I don't like the idea of my bathroom being right by the screen door that I would like to have open when parked for ventilation. Plus every time you want to use the bathroom you have to close up the privacy shades or close the door, etc. Plus I noticed the windows in the Class Bs don't open very far for ventilation, so I imagine that side and rear screen will offer the best breeze. Just my opinion. But I'm going to take a look at the other unit you mentioned. I missed that one!!

Originally Posted by ttowntrouble

The one that really caught my attention from a post on this forum is the Embassy Traveler. There's not much information, and it appears to be really new. I love the part that there is no wood, and the system components are really state of the art.

https://www.embassyrv.com/

The Coachmen Beyond also shows a rear bath:

https://www.coachmenrv.com/class-b-motorhomes/beyond

[Mr.Mark]

I've read all the posts here from the beginning. Like many of you, I wanted a 'B' and I read everything I could find on them for over a year.

I've had two class-A coaches over a 14 yr. period. I've been everywhere with those two coaches and I wanted something smaller that could fit where the 45 ft'er couldn't go.

I zero'd in on the Pleasure Way product because of their build quality. It's not overly 'techy' as I have a propane generator/on-demand hot water (Truma)/propane heat.

Generally, I have never been a fan of propane. The two class-A's that I owned were all electric with diesel furnaces/hot water (also electric hot water option).

I was wanting a non-propane class B unit but after reading so much about low quality manufactured units out there with cheap cabinets, badly placed 2nd alternators, etc., I felt Pleasure Way hit all the right buttons for me. So, a propane unit it was!

A wet bath, although I was apprehensive, is so easy to clean and no issue at all. In the unit that I have, the FL (Front Lounge), has the smaller wet bath vs. the TS floor-plan with a large bath but no front office area. It's best to sit down while showering for the space. It also helps keeping water from going everywhere.

I really like the little 'office' up front and the extra seating area as the two front seats turn and there is a TV in that area. I can move the Lagun table to have it up front or in the rear of the coach. The rear sofa turns into a bed that can be used as twin beds or a full bed.

I can actually sleep 'east-west' on the opened sofa, plenty of room for me (I'm 5'7"). Since I have seating up front, I could leave the sofa in bed-mode all the time. There is a TV at the back of the coach too!

I've only had my PW a little over 3 months...... really enjoying it. I feel it meets a 'happy medium' with lithium, new quiet LP Onan, etc. Also, I like having a small sink in the wet bath and a mirror for getting ready in the morning. I use that sink often instead of the kitchen sink for washing hands as I have a dish strainer in the kitchen sink.

Originally, I was looking at the Winnebago Boldt and Travato, Coach House products, etc. I didn't want the permanent twin bed set-up. From the video's that I saw, your feet don't fit flat on the floor, the beds seemed high. The automatic folding sofa in the PW gives you more options.

Also, PW puts memory foam in the upholstered pieces for a softer more comfortable feel.

I have 300 watts of solar on the roof that keeps the batteries well charged.

Safe travels,
Mark

[ttowntrouble]

We ended up ordering the winnebago ekko which is a class B+/C. It's a little larger but had the features we wanted and has a different type of bath setup. We originally didn't want propane, but are going to have it in the ekko, and I think it will work out great because it is in the regular propane bottles, so it can be exchanged anywhere. The class B we were interested in had a few fairly expensive things we were going to have to pay extra to add, and the ekko has it all standard. We also like the rear storage compartment for bikes etc. It's all a tradeoff, as nothing is perfect.

[KanzKran]

Originally Posted by caboose123

I'm leaning towards the Beyond 22C just because I don't like the idea of my bathroom being right by the screen door that I would like to have open when parked for ventilation. Plus every time you want to use the bathroom you have to close up the privacy shades or close the door, etc. Plus I noticed the windows in the Class Bs don't open very far for ventilation, so I imagine that side and rear screen will offer the best breeze.

For the record, in my Galleria the head is next to the sliding door (Mercedes Sprinter), but with the twin doors of the head open, the isle is almost completely blocked. Nobody can see anything with the door open and the screen pulled, including through the windshield if uncovered, or through the rear doors. The side windows are also so dark that during the day, you couldn't see inside if your life depended on it, so I don't usually bother closing them until night. I don't know if the Ford's windows are that dark, but they look it.

I have six openable windows plus the roof vent with Fantastic Fan, so ventilation is adequate, but we often leave the side door open too. We almost never open the rear, even with the screen, though we could if we felt we needed to.

[sueleibo]

We have a class C and are thinking of getting a class B for a trip to Alaska. One of my biggest concerns with the Bs is the wet bath. How wet does the bathroom really get when the curtain is pulled around the shower? Some units have a wardrobe in the bathroom. Does the wardrobe get wet? Not sure I'd want to wipe down the toilet after taking a shower either. Any comments or class B shopping tips, whether bath related or otherwise, are helpful!

[Mr.Mark]

Sueleibo, I have a previous longer post above.

About the bath..... I'm on a trip now and used the shower last night. It is NOT a big deal with a wet bath. And, you don't really have to wipe the toilet down, it will dry on it's own.

After my shower, I use a microfiber towel and wipe down the walls. Really, there is not that much water to wipe because if you are sitting, the water splatter is low. I have a cut-off valve on the hand-held shower head so that I only use it when rinsing.

I leave the double doors open but I do pull the shower curtain. The curtain in my unit is made of a nylon type material so it dries quickly. I put a fan on the kitchen counter facing the bathroom to dry that area including my hanging 'quick-dry' bath towel and microfiber wipe-down towel.

Actually, you really wouldn't need to wipe anything if you have a fan to blow in that area. I use a small type fan that is rather powerful. I left it on all night last night as I like the white noise and it completely dried the shower and towels.

There are compromises to everything, in a small class B it's generally the bathroom. And if you think about it, it's maybe only used once or twice a day...... and if you decide that you want a full shower every now and then, and if the RV park has nice facilities, take advantage of it.

There is so much I like about the size of the 'B' at this point in my life, I adjust.

Safe travels,
Mark

[Diesel-Lover]

Firstly, all baths get wet when used for a shower.
The compact class B serves as a multipurpose area for the use of sink and the throne. So if there is someone who is going to shower before the other has brushed, it can be an issue, but not a big one. The throne has a lid which keeps the contact surfaces dry.


A simple well-designed squeegee does the major job of removing most of the moisture from the walls and the floor too, else put a teak wood floor mat in if you like, that keeps the floor from getting grungy. Make sure the teak wood floor mat for showers has ample water flow channels. As suggested above a microfiber towel can do the detailed moisture abatement, but we generally don't bother. The teak wood mat is removed and dried fully at times during, but mainly after, the trip. I also season it with teak protector seasonally. At times the same mat is used as a floor mat before the step into the rig.

A good exhaust fan in the water closet itself is a great improvement along multiple vectors!

[Rocinante440]

We recently returned from a 3-month camping in our van with a wet bath. Yes, when you take a shower in there, the entire bath gets wet - true to the name. We viewed it as a free opportunity to clean the bathroom every time we take a shower. It worked out just fine as long as we remembered to close the TP protector before starting the shower. There isn't much room in there, but given how little room there is overall in class B, we're fine with it being a relatively small space that's just barely big enough to serve the purpose.

[Yooper2]

I found this thread while searching for "Airstream Interstate". I have not read all six pages in the thread, but have not found anything on the Airstream Interstate.

DW and I are renting an Airstream Interstate next week, and if all goes well we advance to the purchasing process. Not many Airstream Interstates on the market right now. We're looking for a 2016-2018 used model.

Is there a forum on this site specifically for Airstream owners?

[Diesel-Lover]

Air Stream interstate


There may be multiple floor plans but the one we saw was open front end with two opposing bench seats facing each other. So front of cabin spacious when parked. Every thing up front kept the window line clear and visible was very pleasing.



The big open front end is rather nice, looks swell and roomy. Unable to have a pass sitting facing the direction of travel was a big one for us. Also a younger relative stated all it needs is a bunch of led lights and a pole to make it into a party bus! But I would not mind that open look at all. The boss nixed the idea, and so we ended up with 4 captains chairs followed by one side open and the other side with bathroom midships, creating a micro living room/bedroom in the aft cabin.



All the best.

[Rocinante440]

Originally Posted by Yooper2

I found this thread while searching for "Airstream Interstate". I have not read all six pages in the thread, but have not found anything on the Airstream Interstate.

DW and I are renting an Airstream Interstate next week, and if all goes well we advance to the purchasing process. Not many Airstream Interstates on the market right now. We're looking for a 2016-2018 used model.

Is there a forum on this site specifically for Airstream owners?

If you want Ai-specific chatter, there is a sister forum you may wish to visit: https://www.airforums.com/forums/f240/

[ajholmes5]

I realize that you want the Ford Transit platform, but you may want to look at the Winnebago Travato 59KL. It is on the Ram Platform with twin beds, rear bathroom, and battery power galore. We just bought one and love it.