Caravan (trailer)
[1][2] It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places where none is available.
Caravans vary from basic models which may be little more than a tent on wheels to those containing several rooms with all the furniture and furnishings and equipment of a home.
[6] A caravan fits in the range of vehicles in that has more fixed structures then a camper trailer, but lack an engine like a campervan or motorhome.
Samuel White Baker purchased an actual Gypsy caravan in Britain and shipped it to Cyprus for his tour in 1879.
[8] The world's first leisure trailer was built by the Bristol Wagon & Carriage Works in 1880 for William Gordon Stables, a popular author of teenage adventure fiction, who ordered a "gentleman's caravan".
The caravan offered greater protection from weather conditions and could be outfitted with modern amenities such as wood-burning stoves.
In the United States and Canada, the history of travel trailers can be traced back to the early 1920s, when those who enjoyed their use were often referred to as 'tin can tourists'.
Lightweight pop-up trailers weighing less than 700 pounds (320 kg), such as the Combi-camper and Kamparoo can be towed even by small economy cars.
[18] Fiberglass body construction entered the U.S. scene in 1971 with the introduction of the first U.S.-produced mini travel trailer, called the Playpac.
The Playpac, invented by Steven Whysel, was the answer to the needs of the growing horde of VW "Bug" and other small-car owners who wanted a hard-shelled camper, light enough to be pulled by a small car.
Its ultramodern aerodynamic styling and domed skylight by the modernist industrial designer Toshihiko Sakow made it an instant hit.
It was short-lived, however (1971–1973), as the first Arab Oil Embargo and the ensuing major slow-down of RV sales caused it to cease operations.
Key moulded fiberglass innovations made the travel trailers more durable but also lighter which allowed for more luxury amenities.
Mid-range travel trailers are 18 to 25 feet (5.5 to 7.6 m) long, can weigh 5,000 pounds (2,300 kg) or more, and are generally towed with compact pickup trucks and SUVs.
These amenity-laden models can reach 12,000 pounds (5,400 kg) or more, requiring a purpose-built tow vehicle, highway tractor or large truck or SUV.
By law,[citation needed] travel trailers are limited to 400 square feet (37 m2) of living area, and many models offer exactly that plus any optional slide-outs.
Travel-trailers are often acceptable on flood-plains, areas outside of urban growth limits, et cetera, where regular buildings are not allowed.
Among the virtues of a trailer park are its light infrastructure, low ecological footprint, minimal land disturbance, abundant permeable surfaces (for stormwater drainage), and ease of site restoration.
The special hitch used for fifth-wheels is a smaller version of the one used on 18-wheeler trucks and can be connected by simply driving (backing) the tow vehicle under the trailer.
Since part of a fifth wheel sits in the bed of the pickup, it reduces the overall length of the vehicle-and-trailer combination while allowing the same room as a comparable-length travel trailer.
Additionally, the hitch's location in the pickup's bed reduces the risk of jackknifing and allows for more maneuverability when backing.
Because of the greater room available on the roads in North America, these vehicles are more popular in the United States and Canada than in Europe or other parts of the world.
[25] Many off-road travel trailers are equipped with tents, beds, skid plates, large tires and long stroke independent suspensions, lift kits, and articulation systems.
[29] A mid-range, modern travel trailer may contain the following features: Travel trailers (especially North American ones) may also contain the following: Due to the 50 mph (80 km/h) maximum speed limit on single carriageways for caravans[30] on the United Kingdom's crowded and often narrow roads, caravans are seen as a nuisance by some motorists.
