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baldeagle1356

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Posts posted by baldeagle1356

  2. Posted · Report reply

    I bought a 2009 Beaver Monterey DP. I would like to use it to park at Ski centers 2-5 days at a time and move on to other centers as road conditions permit. I have made some winter modifications to my vehicle and would like to get/give advice on how to proceed. I have a 10 KW. ( 9 Kw. continuous ) generator and 2 propane furnaces. So far I have made cutout in the floor and added ducts to heat my water bay with the propane heaters and added 4 dedicated 15 amps outlets to accept space heaters when the genie is running. My heaters consume 12 amps each, so I can use 3 of them on side 1 and 2 on side 2 along with the battery charger when I run the genie.

    Should heat up the RV in a hurry and then carry on with the propane heaters overnight. Hope to be able to use the genie only twice a day to jump start The heat and charge the batteries. My genie has 4.5 Kw breakers, so I should be able to use 36 Amps per side. I could not find similar topics ,so I took the liberty of starting a new topic. Hope this is all right.

  4. Posted · Report reply

    I have a 2009 Beaver Monterey. One bay has a slide out made by Lippert industries.It is solid and steel. I like it and would like to add a second one to the other bay. Lippert does not advertise any at present ( Probably made a bunch for Beaver only). I need this second one 3 ft. wide instead of 4. Any ideas where to look?

  6. Posted · Report reply

    I have both of these programs with their respective GPS receiver. You are right ,they do not work well with the reciprocal receiver. I first was introduced to Delorme back in 1999 going down the inland waterways from Chicago to Mobile. The program was extremely accurate to navigate the river centers. The county division lines were ALWAYS right down the deepest part of the river, so it could be used very effectively to navigate in the fog. I have a video of us going down the mississippi in pea soup fog with it and the radar while all the barges were stopped. I have since got used to Microsoft but have recently bought both to decide which to use now that we are land sailors.

  10. Posted · Report reply

    Paul and Carol, I visited your site and saw with trepidation your pics with the skis on the rack in Colorado March 2009. We are both skiers and were thinking of doing some but kind of thawed on the idea because of no winter tires, jammed slideouts etc... Is it really possible to drive to those ski areas without winter tires or chains etc... will slide outs stick and freeze etc... Will they let us overnight in their parking ? I have a motorcycle but no towed vehicle, so cannot stay away from site. We are NOT corn snow skiers however as we both got injured in those conditions 10 yrs ago, so we would have to go in early or mid Feb. before the snow turns. Any advice ?

  12. Posted · Report reply

    :) I am JR 67 ( wife Francine 66 ). Both retired ( or almost in my case ).

    2001-2004 cruising America and the Caribbeans on our 42 Ft.trawler with twin diesels and a 12 Ft. inflatable dinghy.

    2006-2010 RV in Europe in a 25 Ft. Rapido Mercedes 996M diesel and a 125 CC. Yamaha.

    Just bought a 42 DP ( 2009 Beaver Monterey ) with a lift for Kawasaki Vulcan. Will start on the road in about 1 month.

    Plan is to move in a South to North zigzag with the seasons making our way from the East to the West over 5 years or so.

    Used to fly IFR Piper Lance, ultralights, hang gliders, paragliders. Still ski .

    In Europe, we moved almost daily and parked anywhere. Stayed in campgrounds only about 10 nights in total. Hope to do same here . So much to see. So many people to meet. Will try to make the FMCA Perry meet. :rolleyes:

  13. Posted · Report reply

    I am trying with my MLA' s help to effect changes to the Classes of driver licenses needed to drive an RV or 5th wheel. I believe that an endorsement to a basic G license would be more in line with what the rest of America is doing rather than the commercial D license we now have to get for a RV over 11,000 Kg. or an A license for 5th wheels greater than 4,600 Kg. Here is a copy of my opening salvo. I need help to effect those changes and do not know where to go for help. Anybody can contact me if they feel they can help or have connections with the MTO . The situation is really a mess.

    Dr.J.R.Lafrance 850 Chelsea Crescent Cornwall ON K6H 6Y5 Canada

    1-(613) 933 2690 Home 1-(613) 551 3707 Cell 1-(613) 933 1884 Fax E-Mail : jrlafr@yahoo.com

    Jan. 24th 2011

    Mr. Brownell

    I have discussed this issue with you personally. The issue at stake here is the case of the different classes of driver licenses needed to operate Recreational Vehicles ( RV ) in Ontario. While I fully understand the rationale for establishing safety rules regarding this issue, I believe that the said rules are intransigent, confusing and arbitrarily restrictive to RV owners when compared with other jurisdictions even those that the MOT professes to emulate.

    I have discussed this issue with many RV owners and organizations and found nothing but confusion and avoidance of acquiring the proper license because of unduly restrictive rules. Indeed, the majority of large RV owners are now driving unqualified because of ignorance of the rules or the difficulties to be overcome along the way. This is not attaining any of the MOT goals and making it very onerous on those of us who want to do things the legal way.

    I will try to walk you through the maze we have to ply through when buying a large RV or 5th wheel. Ontario law, unlike any other jurisdiction in America, at present requires drivers to get either a commercial D license for an RV or a commercial AR license for heavy 5th wheels. Both of these licenses are commercial ones while the RV’s are used privately. First, the dealers will not volunteer to tell us the requirements needed to drive the vehicle we are buying or, worst, will tell us that we do not need any special endorsements or licenses to drive it. It may not be their duty to tell us but it sure is selling under false pretense if they give us erroneous information in order to make a sale.

    Next, we see an insurance broker or approach an insurance company directly. They do not know what weight of vehicle we bought, so they dutifully sell us insurance without asking. Maybe they should. We might not know that we need an air brake endorsement, so that maybe all we do and go drive illegally with a G license and no air brake endorsement. Or we may go to the MOT for a brake endorsement. They, again not knowing the weight of the vehicle we are applying for might just give us what we are asking for and we go driving illegally with a GZ license. If we know better and mention that we need a DZ license to the insurer, we are often told verbally just like at the dealer that we do not need it to be insured. If we read the fine print or again know better and ask them to put it in writing, somebody finally smartens up and tell us in no uncertain term, what we should have been told long ago, that we need to be properly licensed to be insured. Therefore a D license is required. Why so much confusion? Nobody would think of driving a motorcycle without an M license. No confusion there with anybody: MOT, police, dealers, insurance etc...

    Some insurance broker, even with full knowledge of the facts, will tell you verbally that insurance would not be denied with a G license in case of an accident and will insure you. There are 2 things wrong with the insured accepting this scenario: first, a broker cannot bind an insurance company verbally or otherwise. Only your insurance policy is the legal contract. Secondly, if you have an accident with a multi million dollar suit and are driving with an invalid driver license, the insurance company might disown you or if they have to pay, they will sue you back to recuperate the costs as you were not qualified to drive the vehicle you were in. I, for one would not want to risk my life savings on that.

    If anybody so wish, some fool might just take that chance and get away with it. The ignorance or conspiracy of silence is such on this issue by all concerned (MOT, police, dealers, insurance companies, drivers etc...) that citizen have been getting away with it.

    Which brings me to the MOT role in all this. To their credit, some employees will tell you the law and tell you to deal with it in whatever fashion you see fit. That’s all right except that the rules are not conducive to drivers wanting to comply with the law. The MOT requires a medical to pass a commercial D license whereas other jurisdictions do not at least for private RV’s. Even New York who the MOT purports to imitate is not as demanding as Ontario. NY distinguishes between a private license for a RV and a commercial license by using an R endorsement for RV that can be added to their regular license without a medical or even a written test. Quebec makes an exception for RV as most other provinces and states do. By contrast, the MOT does not do that and forces the RV driver with a G license to meet the same requirements as a commercial driver.

    In the case of a 5th wheel, it means having to have yearly medical, written and road test to acquire and keep an AR license. In the case of a D license, it means having a medical and long delays for trivial details that would not be needed in other jurisdictions like Quebec and NY and most other provinces and states. Also, it means being subjected to extra tests like electrocardiograms that are already experiencing waiting lists of months taxing our already crumbling health care, costing tax payers useless expenses and submitting the RV owner to even longer delays of many months that often results on them having to forgo their winter plans. That is where the inflexible rules are fostering this climate of avoidance that permeates the whole industry. Hiding your head in the sand is not a good way to deal with problems.

    I suggest that a new endorsement (R is a good name as it is for RV ) similar to NY be introduced that would allow all the present illegal drivers to easily legalize themselves by passing an easy road test the skill for which they already possess. New drivers would have to acquire the skills which would alleviate the safety concerns some might have while outlining the difference between a private and commercial license like NY, Texas etc...do. Another way would be to introduce an exception for RV,s like in other provinces but that does not pass the safety concerns. Either way, MOT has to devise a way to differentiate between a private and a commercial license. It’s long overdue and not making this differentiation helped to foster this poisonous climate.

    In summary, the present situation is absurd and does not serve the population well. It does not differentiate between private and commercial licenses and thus entice people in circumventing the law which is what thousands of Ontarians are doing out of frustration. A quick, easy, fair and safe alternative is what I have outlined with the adoption of an R endorsement to be added to our existing G licenses instead of having to be bagged in the same group as commercial full timers. Being a retired doctor, a RV owner and knowledgeable of the facts, I would consider acting on committees to effect such changes. I have included copies of NY state R endorsement regulations and a Texas RV exemption form along with requirements for all other provinces. These demonstrate that Ontario is demanding more than any other jurisdictions. FMCA magazine, an RV publication, published a complete list of state and provincial requirements as a beginning to arrive at a rational decision on that matter. Why should Ontario and Ontario alone punish their own citizens? It sure is not in the name of safety as everybody else can drive with inferior standards on our roads. Let’s fix this mess once and for all.

    J.R.Lafrance M.D.

  15. Posted · Report reply

    I am like Tbutler a pilot who had 3 different Piper Lances and am safety conscious. I am new to this RV world ( in America at least as I have owned and driven one all over Europe for the last 4 years ) and will, hit the road soon this side of the pond. I have been reading many of these forums and the familiar names keep coming back : Wayne and especially , Wolfe10 etc... Thank you guys for spending all that time to advise us newbies. I hail from Ontario Canada and here a Z endorsement is needed for air brakes vehicles. It comprises a written and a practical road test. Even if it is not needed in your jurisdictions, it would be sensible to familiarize yourself with the theory and practice of air brakes. Once understood , it is a lot easier to not get in trouble. I also have a lot of experience gained from owning a 42 Ft. trawler with twin diesel that I sailed all over America and the Carribeans for the 4 years prior to Europe. I will miss my dream electrical system with it's 1200 Amp hr battery bank I had on that boat. My deficiencies are mainly with weight and balance, tires steering aids etc...Hoping that a lot of my experience can be transferred to my new 42 DP. Keep up the good work.

  16. Posted · Report reply

    Ontario RV facts:

    G licence : Can only drive a combined GWVR of less than 11,000 Kg.

    (Towing vehicle + towed trailer) and tow less than 4,600 KG.

    D licence : Needed over 11,000 Kg. Combined. Still can tow only less

    than 4,600 Kg.

    A licence : Needed to tow anything ( 5th wheel ) over 4,600 Kg.

    Z air brake endorsement (Not a licence) : Needed for any vehicle with

    Air brakes.

    Reciprocity : You can drive anywhere in America as long as you are

    legal in your jurisdiction. So Quebecers etc... are legal to drive in

    Ontario without a D licence but you are not legal anywhere

    without it.

    What this means : The majority of RVs and 5th wheels are being driven illegally by Ontarians whether driven in Ontario or anywhere else in America. You can be given traffic citations by police anywhere as you are driving without a valid licence. If you have a significant accident with millions at stake your company might disown you or cover you and then sue you to recover payment as you were driving without proper qualifications the same as they would do if you were driving a motorcycle without an M licence..

    It is not the business of the insurance company or the Ministry to check if you are driving with the proper class of licence although they may do so. The dealers should let you know but they prefer a fast sale and will even tell you that you do not need a special licence like what happened to me . A broker cannot bind an insurance company by giving you false information. If you ask your insurance company in writing whether you are covered in the conditions described above they will answer you that you are not although you might hear a different story from your broker. Some brokers are known to tell you verbally that they will not deny you insurance in case of an accident with only a G licence, which is technically correct as they will have by law to pay your damage but will then sue you to recover costs if you were driving unqualified. I, for one, does not want to see my life savings evaporate and will not drive in those circumstances.

    The good news is that a D licence is very easy to obtain. The written is ridiculously easy to write and if you are already driving your RV (illegally ), you will not have any problem with the road test. The only potential problem is with the medical if you should have problems deemed dangerous by the ministry. Some key words ring alarms at the driver testing office and they have to send the medical to the ministry and this can take months as is happening with me. I will eventually be O.K ed but in the meantime, my $200,000.00 investment is parked and my winter plans are ruined. As a doctor, I now know the medical facts on the do`s and don`t of the medical but it is too late for me now.

    We have to obey the law and get an appropriate licence, risk our savings in catastrophies with an improper G licence or get together and have the laws changed to accommodate us with a private endorsement or an exception as is done in Quebec etc... You be the judge as to what you want to do in your situation but you have been warned. Ignorance is not a defense in law.

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