First Trip

[gallacher]

Hi All,

We'll be taking our first trip next month and it will be a long one. Three days travel time to our destination. The question is: should we travel with water tanks full or empty? Full means less setup/take down time and possibly less chucking. Empty means less weight.

Thanks for the help,
Pat

 

[Dave and Monica]

We carry a small amount of fresh water to use the bathroom on the road, but we're always camping where fresh water is available. If that's not your situation, I would still tow with minimum water and fill the FW tank near the campground.

Dave

 

[agoutdoors]

I usually prefer to travel with no water or very little...if nothing else its less weight to pull up and down mountain passes. Remember a gallon of water is 8 lbs, so depending on your tank size you could be looking at 500-1000 lbs. of extra weight...and if you are on a water meter at home you pay for it, versus going to a camp site and using the water there as part of the camping fee!

 

[Scott and Jan]

I would echo both previous responses. We pull enough weight around, any unnecessary weight is best avoided. But, we too usually camp where there is water available.

 

[Bruce & Terry]

We learned to bring at least some fresh water, even if staying where we have hookups! Things happen, such as power failures that can sure put you in a world of hurt if you need water! One campout there was a regional outage that lasted a day and a half. We also have a small honda gen that is sufficient enough to recharge the battery, and we bring that as well....you just never know!

One trip to Louisiana, we were on the Natchez Trace Parkway and we broke down just outside Tupelo, MS. We didn't have onboard water because this was in December and the trailer was still winterized....but we brought the large water jugs you can buy at the store. Spent the night in one of the turnouts! Was shocked the next morning when we woke up and found out it was 15 degrees outside! With the gen & jugs of water, we were fine! We always pack as if something like this might happen!

 

[Bamaman]

We're very fortunate to have a city park campground downtown and a state park in our county. Have you considered setting your trailer up prior to taking a long trip? It might help you discover how to handle the trailer's systems--and spot any problems prior to getting out on the open road.

RV service is often hard to find in unfamiliar locales.

 

[DaveMatthewsBand]

If 500 lbs of water is going to put you over your limit or affect your ability to pull a trailer up a hill you need a bigger truck.

 

[butch50]

Its not that it is going to put me over my weight or enough truck to pull it (as I have a Ram dually) but it is every bit of extra weight increases the amount the truck has to pull and 500# is 500# that if you are gong to a full hookup site is not needed. All that is needed if going to a full hookup is enough to go potty and enough to get you through a night if something should happen to delay you.I have learnt over the 45 years that we have camped if we don't need it or really want to take it, then it stays home. The wife has threatened to leave me home as most of the time I'm not need or really wanted along.

 

[TucsonJim]

I usually camp without hookups, and frequently, there is no place to get water while on the road to our destination. So I'll often run with the tank full, and an extra 18 gallons in containers in the back of the truck.

Jim

 

[5 Happy Campers]

We're very fortunate to have a city park campground downtown and a state park in our county. Have you considered setting your trailer up prior to taking a long trip? It might help you discover how to handle the trailer's systems--and spot any problems prior to getting out on the open road.

RV service is often hard to find in unfamiliar locales.

We have a County campground 20 minutes from home and this is exactly what we did. It made our first trip much less stressful.

 

[WhittleBurner]

Could always do what we did. Our first trip with the 303, get to the campground get all set and realize we forgot to stop for water. Luckily we took a couple of 7 gallon containers with us. Found out right away how well you can get water in the tank from the Kantleak center. It did a wonderful job.

 

[DaveMatthewsBand]

Its not that it is going to put me over my weight or enough truck to pull it (as I have a Ram dually) but it is every bit of extra weight increases the amount the truck has to pull and 500# is 500# that if you are gong to a full hookup site is not needed. All that is needed if going to a full hookup is enough to go potty and enough to get you through a night if something should happen to delay you.I have learnt over the 45 years that we have camped if we don't need it or really want to take it, then it stays home. The wife has threatened to leave me home as most of the time I'm not need or really wanted along.

My comment was directed at agoutdoors who mentions not carrying water so he has less weight to pull up and down mountain passes, etc.
My point is if you even notice 500 lbs of extra weight you need a bigger truck.
I know for a fact you wouldn't be able to tell the difference, neither would I.