(founded 27th April 2001) Issue 9 Sept 2010Constitution (amended 25th April 2009)1. NameThe club shall be known as the Benimar Owners' Club 2. ObjectivesThe aim of the club is to promote recreational activities that are of interest to, and for the benefit of its members. 3. Membership(a) Membership shall be open to any owner, or potential owner of
a Benimar Motorhome, residing in the UK, the Channel Isles and the Isle of Man
and the Republic of Ireland. Membership shall cover 1 or 2 adults
per motorhome. (e) Associate Membership is available to any former member who no longer is the owner of a Benimar Motorhome and/or no longer lives in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, or the Republic of Ireland and wishes to continue his/her association with the Club. Associate members will enjoy voting rights. (f) Associate Membership is also available to people who have never owned a Benimar but are friends of members who are Benimar owners. (g) Global Membership is available to Benimar owners who reside outside the "UK" (as specified in para (a)). Subscription will be at a higher rate to reflect additional postage costs. 4. Management(a) Management of the Club shall be by a General Committee, to
be elected annually and to be eligible for renewal at the Annual General
Meeting.
5. AccountsThe club financial year shall commence on the 1st of January and end on the 31st of December, after which date the treasurer shall prepare a balance sheet and statement of accounts. These accounts shall be audited and presented to the Annual General Meeting. 6. Club Events(a) The club will promote meetings and rallies for the benefit
of members.
7. Newsletter(a) The newsletter, containing a diary of forthcoming events,
review of past events and any other material thought to be of interest to
members will be published at least once a quarter. 8. BenefitsThe club will attempt to obtain for members, benefits (such as discounted insurance, ferry fares, etc) and these will be advertised in the newsletter. 9. Subscription(a) The subscription is to cover the cost of the newsletter,
marshalling, signs, advertising and any other sundry items. 10. CessationIn the event of the cessation of the club, any assets at the time shall be donated to a suitable charity, selected by the committee.
Club Discounts/Offers(see magazine for further offers ) Be prepared to state your membership number Motorhome Tech. 10% discount on labour charges for all work done. Mobile service within 40 miles of Nottingham. Tel: 01159611332 Mobile: 07528784180 www.motorhometech.co.uk Safeguard. will give 10% discount for motorcaravan insurance. You must provide them with your membership number, continue to own a Benimar and do not obtain discount through another club. Tel: 0800 068 7132 All offering 10% Discount available upon proof of membership card Scott Medical UK. Contact Andrew Scott - Managing Director. Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO12 4HA Telephone 01723 363225. RDH Services Ltd. Contact Chris Parnill Managing Director. Derbyshire, S44 5TA. Telephone 01246 230778 Choose Leisure Motorhome Sales Contact Paul Santos Managing Director. Canterbury Kent CT4 7HH Telephone 01227 733557 Foxwells (Bags for all sorts of things) - offer a discount for orders of 3 or more, and are at most shows. Securi-Mark - Etch your reg no. on all the windows (glass and plastic) on your Motorhome. Normally £12, Club price £10, at Peterborough and Other Shows. Club Members A separate list of club members will be issued periodically. New members will be introduced in the Newsletter.
Club Rules and GuidelinesRallies Finding a suitable siteIf you think that you know of a suitable site for a club rally and are willing to marshal the following checklist will help ascertain its suitability and collect the information we need.
* = essential information
Marshal's Duties
Rally RulesNote: The use of a rally site is a privilege and it is the responsibility of the rally marshal to see that this privilege is not abused, and that the good name of the club is upheld. Rallies held on unlicenced sites (not at Shows and Caravan Sites) are held under DEFRA rules. The club holds an Exemption Certificate and we must comply with the following Code of Conduct i Introduction1. One named person, who is a member of the organisation, is to be responsible for the conduct of each meeting and for ensuring that members attending the meeting comply with the code. ii Venue2. The responsible person should take reasonable
steps to satisfy himself or herself that the site proposed for a meeting is not
one which is the subject of an order under paragraph 13 of Schedule 1, or an
Article 4 direction, nor one for which planning permission has been refused or
where enforcement action has been taken. Organisations should also seek the
agreement of the local authority before meeting on sites adjacent to sites for
which planning permission has been granted. iii Nuisance6. Local people should be able to carry on their normal
activities where meetings are in progress and disturbance to them should be
minimised. Complaints should be treated seriously and steps taken to investigate
and deal with the causes of complaints. iv Road safety and access11. The responsible person should take reasonable steps
to ensure that travel from major roads to a proposed site is not likely to cause
undue disruption to or difficulties for local people and other road users. He
should also take reasonable steps to ensure that access to the proposed site is
suitable for the number and likely size of units attending the meeting.
Organisations should spread the arrival and departure of caravans to minimise
disruption to local people and other road users. v Spacing and density13. Units should be well spaced. Units should be sited so that they do not restrict access to or exit from the unit or the area in case of emergencies. Emergency vehicles should be able to secure access to each unit on site. vi Fire precautions14. Open fires and barbecues should not be held except
with the permission of the responsible person. Where permission is given for
open fires or barbecues, they should be sited in open ground, away from vans,
vehicles, awnings and any other structures. vii Chemical toilets, waste water disposal16. Organisations should act responsibly with respect to
the disposal of the contents of chemical toilets and waste water disposal and
take full account of the need to safeguard water supplies and prevent the
pollution of rivers and streams. viii Refuse disposal18. Organisations should ensure that refuse is either
taken home or disposed of in accordance with on-site arrangements. The
responsible person should be satisfied that appropriate arrangements are in
place. ix Other information20. The responsible person should also be aware of the terms of the Caravan Code, the Country Code and the Coastal Code. Exemption CertificateThe club has been granted an Exemption Certificate from DEFRA (the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). This permits the club to organise rallies on non-licensed sites, in the UK. It is valid until 2nd Dec Dec 2011.
Benimar Dealers/DistributorsUK Scott Medical UK. Contact Andrew Scott - Managing Director. Telephone 01723 363225. Fax 01723363377. Now an official Benimar dealer, but carrying no stock. sales@scottmedicaluk.com www.scottmedicaluk.com RDH Services Ltd. Contact Chris Parnill Managing Director. Derbyshire, S44 5TA. Telephone 01246 230778 Mob:07752022745 Fax:01246351254 rdhservices@live.co.uk www.rdhservicesltd.co.uk Choose Leisure Motorhome Sales Ashford Road, Chartham Canterbury Kent CT47HH email: paul@chooseleisure.co.uk Contact Paul Santos Tel:01227 733557
Uk Motorhomes Hire Ltd Easirent.com North Western Caravans Ltd Stanley Green, Earl Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire SK86QE Tel: 01614866055 info@northwesterncaravans.co.uk Will import a new Benimar for you - contact Alan Sheldon. Ireland New Zealand Holland Belgium Portugal Norway Germany
Spain Cruz Internacional Motorhome Caravanas Santander Caravanas Sondika Caravaning Penedes Itsas-Mendi O.R.M.A. Planet Rent Caravanas Navarro Caravanas Montaño Caravaning Plaza S.L. Roulot Caravanas Edmonsa Bor Caravaning Caravanas Puerto Karavan Caravaning Plaza Slovenia France Charente Evasion 16 Charente Evasion Saintes Charente Evasion 17 JLB Auto Loisirs Cevennes Caravanes Camping-Cars De Tourraine AAB Loisirs Arras Vacances Ypocamp Sublets et Fils Plein Air Normandie Garage Dominique Perroux Camping-Car Emeraude Loisirs Claye Souilly Caravanes Rue du 19 Mars 1962, 77410 Claye-Souilly Tel:01 60 26 17 36 Fax 01 60 26 58 93 campingcar77@gmail.com Bearne Loisir 89 bvd de l'Europe 64230 Lescar Tel: 0559776600 Fax: 0559770606 bearnloisirs@wanadoo.fr Italy Ippocamper Torino Camper Coinova Mondialcamp Jolly Caravan Jolly Caravan GIGI Caravans Cesarini Camper Vemacar Safety in your Motorhome abroad by Ron Smith There has been much discussion recently about safety when you are in your motorhome. This has been highlighted by the fact that 2 of our members (out of the 12 who travelled down to Spain for the Spanish Rally) were robbed en-route (one of them being gassed ). There is certainly seems to be an increased risk when travelling and stopping on the French and Spanish Motorways and National Roads, particularly on the holiday routes in the south of France and along the Spanish Costas. For what they are worth here are my views on the subject. Most of it is just plain common sense. Firstly there are certain dos and don’ts.
+ Do not park overnight on a Motorway Service area or Motorway Aire, even if there are other motorhomes, caravans or lorries already there. It has been known that a whole group of vehicles are gassed and their owners robbed. Even if you have a vehicle alarm operative, you won’t hear it if you have been gassed. If you can’t find a campsite try a village and park by the Marie, Village Square (beware of markets the next day !), Sports Stadium, or better still Gendarmerie. + Do lock your cab doors whenever you stop whatever the reason (fuel station, service area, picnic area, even at traffic lights in built up areas) + Do not leave anything of value in the cab (wallet, purse, handbag, phone, camera, etc.) + Do not stop if you are flagged down by someone indicating something wrong with the back of your vehicle (very occasionally there may be but try and find somewhere safe to investigate). + Be suspicious of all strangers until you are satisfied that they are OK. + Be wary at fuel stations of people acting suspiciously round your vehicle (it has been known for your tyres to be spiked so that you will have to stop shortly after continuing your journey, and guess who will be there to “help”. + If you are flagged down by someone in Police or other official uniform, be wary that they may not be genuine. Wind your window down a little until you are convinced they are genuine. + Fit a safe and hide the key. + Keep a wallet or purse containing a few Euros, some out of date credit cards and other worthless items. Keep it handy in case you are threatened and hand it over. Secondly, precautions that you can take
Cab Doors (my experience is with the old style cab but probably applies to the new one) The standard Fiat door lock is easily picked and the button is easily flipped up via the quarter light, which is easily removed or broken.
1. Tie the doors together using a chain or strong strap Stops the door being opened if the lock is forced Cost is negligible A good tug could pull off the door handle
2. Feed the seat belt through the door handle and into the anchorage point Stops the door being opened if lock is forced Cost is nil. A good tug could pull off the door handle(s)
12. Drill the locking button (3 mm drill) and inset a 3 mm pin through so that it goes into the door frame in the locked position. Stops the door being opened if the lock is forced Cost is negligible A hand through a broken or removed quarter light could remove the pins.
4. Fit a deadlock in addition to the standard lock (easier to fit in the doorpillar rather than the door itself). To enter a cab door you have to force 2 locks, the deadlock being much more difficult to force. Cost is around £25. (Safeways D125 - Tel: 0151 653 7848) Neat looking on outside
Caravan Door The standard lock is pretty feeble and easily forced.
1. When inside at night, fit a piece of wood (or a plastic clothes peg just fits) into the gap below (or above if you have a RHS door) the handle within the surround. Prevents the door being opened if the lock is forced Cost is nil Door catch itself could still be forced and door opened
2. Fit a deadlock in addition to the standard lock To enter the Caravan door 2 locks have to be forced, the deadlock being much more difficult to force. Cost is around £35 (Safeways D160) Neat looking on outside The fly screen gets in the way and some plastic has to be cut away
3. Fit a device to the caravan side that is a pivoting chunk of metal that swivels across the edge of the door when locked. To enter the caravan door 2 locks have to be forced, the additional lock being much more difficult to force. Cost is about £35 (Fiamma) to £55 (Defendor) Looks a bit clumsy on the outside
Alarm System Fit a good alarm system covering all entry points, bonnet and lockers. If you carry bikes or a scooter on the back include a loop that feeds through them as well as securely locking them. Don’t be put off by all the above. . Many people have been doing these trips for years with no trouble. While there is a definite higher risk on French and Spanish Motorways, if you follow the above advice you should be all right.
Having done all the above, a determined thief, who doesn’t care about causing damage, can still get in through any caravan window, heki light or underbed locker. So unless you want to put bars up at all windows so decide for yourself the extent to which you make your motorhome secure. Gas in Motorhomes and Gaz in Europe by Steve IrvineButane versus Propane. (Red or blue?)
There is a new European LPG standard aimed at all manufacturers of motorhomes, caravans, boats etc.. It is intended to simplify LPG use and dispose of all the different standards, gas pressures regulators etc.. Unfortunately, manufacturers are being very slow in the implementation of this new standard which should have been in place by last September. A new date of this September has been agreed, so maybe this time. The new standard will require all new motorhomes to be fitted with a fixed regulator, said regulator to be fitted to the gas locker wall/bulkhead and fed by a fixed solid gas pipe. This regulator will be suitable for both Propane and Butane gases and a new standard LPG pressure of 30 millibars will apply to both. This will mean that there will be one standard regulator across the whole of Europe. So that’s one end taken care of! There will still be a whole range of different gas bottles in circulation, one type for each country at least. So to deal with this, a range of flexy pipes will be available and stocking up on the types you are likely to need will be a whole lot simpler and cheaper than buying a bottle and regulator every time you run out of gas.
Use and transport in an upright
position...... N.B . Propane gas fittings have reverse threads to prevent the mixing of butane and propane fittings so remember this when disconnecting and reconnecting the regulator. Try not to overtighten Propane regulators. They have a soft brass seat in order to form a gas tight seal. Overtightening, rather than sealing the regulator, damages the brass seat and can cause the leak you are trying to prevent! As gas bottles get used over and over it’s good practice to check for leaks around the regulator seat whenever you change the bottle.
Check for leaks......
Inspect hoses and clips
regularly...... Look for signs that the rubber has perished or been damaged by other items stored in the gas locker (we all do it). don't forget to check clips for tightness and once again check for leaks. Hoses have a date printed on them and should be changed every five years. The date normally being the month of manufacture and is there as a guide to replacement.
Switch gas off on board ferries.... Happy travels.
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