Quote:
Originally Posted by CO-Bikeman
Thanks very much for your thoughtful reply. I spent 28 years in Durango and we did a lot of camping up in the high country where we couldn't think of taking anything over 30'. It's a balancing act, trying to get the features you want into the length you want. Making me scratch my head.
The opposing slides make a lot of sense, the island is nice from the standpoint of counter space and cabinet storage, but I sure see your point about taking up floor space.
How much more difficult do you find the 39 footer to maneuver into tight spaces?
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You're welcome. We really enjoy the Durango area and have been down there a few times camping.
With the GP I found it fairly easy to maneuver even with a short bed F-350 since it was narrower (96") and had a shorter wheelbase compared to the Beacon. The suspension included also provided additional clearance for going off road. The Beacon is wider (101"), taller and has a longer wheelbase, but using an F-450 long bed I find it's not too much more difficult having a better turning radius than the F-350. I drove tractor trailer for a number of years so I'm pretty comfortable with the extra length.
The overall length of the Beacon is going to limit some of the locations we're able to access, but its one of the trade offs you have to make. We really liked the GP and it served us well, but for us it was time to move to something that would be more spacious/comfortable for extended trips.
I you can find an F26 CIS, I'd highly recommend it. It'd also be a good idea if you could tour it in person to be sure you're comfortable with the layout.