Setup/packup time Jayco Swan & Others

[Gravity]

Hey guy's about to head out again but on our last trip decided to start packing a day earlier to make it easier the next day , what I found was it still took me 6 hrs the next morning granted the wife took the kids away to the park so I good relax and get it done…All in all with the Gazebo it still took the better half of the morning as I do it once properly not to do it again when home. How long are we all taking ?

Cheers
John

[Shippo]

my new to me/old jayswan took about half hour..and that included running bed flies through the sailtrack! Granted thats not with an awning or annexe. We have a gazebo but that only takes another ten max! Guessing that if i was setting up annexe you could realistically add an hour perhaps.  6 hours sounds a bit much!!

[Swannie]

Seriously mate, how much stuff are you taking?
When I setup at portfairy for 3-4 weeks setting up full annex, flooring, taking 3x bikes and all the other crap it was a 1hr setup. Packing up was an hour the night before by packing annex and all outside stuff, then in morning it eases quick 1/2 hr and on our way. I did 5 seperate camps over 3 weeks travelling 1000klms and setup & packed up the full Annex every time

Starsky

[Gravity]

Must admit we take soooo much Shit,  bags of stuff that my wife thinks we or kids might use, I was absolutely broken when we got home just from lugging and packing all there stuff , that's on top of cleaning those bed fly's in the rain and packing up the gazebo…Thats why I've been looking at a bigger van with a Jayco Toy Hauler in mind…
Just chuck it in the back and shut the door 

[Bird]

Seriously mate, how much stuff are you taking?
When I setup at portfairy for 3-4 weeks setting up full annex, flooring, taking 3x bikes and all the other crap it was a 1hr setup. Packing up was an hour the night before by packing annex and all outside stuff, then in morning it eases quick 1/2 hr and on our way. I did 5 seperate camps over 3 weeks travelling 1000klms and setup & packed up the full Annex every time

I think his clock is extremely broken...
There is no way you could take Six hours with a broken arm and 1 leg missing in a Swan - even if it was the first time you ever set it up..

**** if it took me more than an 2 hours max in a Swan, I'd burn the ****in trailer to the ground. (from what I've seen of Swannie and others)

Six Hours?? How is that physically possible???  1/2 ya weekend is gone in setup/packup..

Can you actually photograph or list the Shit you take?

[GeoffA]

......
Can you actually photograph....the Shit you take?

Panorama??  Fish-eye??

[nab]

Are you blind and have no arms?

[Gravity]

Hey go easy guy's , I just take my time and clean everything as I go…coffee & a smoke as I'm going nothing worse than having to open up at home and doing it again when home.

[GUEY]

Buy a packet of sticky dots and put one on everything you take camping. Every time you use something with a sticky dot on it take the sticky dot off.
After two trips away, anything that still has a sticky dot on it gets taken out of the van.

[Gravity]

Buy a packet of sticky dots and put one on everything you take camping. Every time you use something with a sticky dot on it take the sticky dot off.
After two trips away, anything that still has a sticky dot on it gets taken out of the van.

That's good advice Guey, Thanks.

[callmejoe]

That's good advice Guey, Thanks.

Just a word of warning though be VERY VERY careful when you try and put 1 on your wife.

[Bird]

Just a word of warning though be VERY VERY careful when you try and put 1 on your wife.

[chester ver2.0]

Dont buy a base station you will just find more stuff to take

For weekender we take 2 bags and bedding plus a box of food everything else stays in the camper

Takes me about an hour of farting around if i put out awning shade sails bed flys etc

[rockinj]

I'm hearing you John. Set up seems really quick to be honest. If there are two of us it takes about 17 mins to set the Flamingo up. Going quickly but not running. By myself it takes a lot longer but that is mostly due to a couple of things that take brute strength to do that hubby usually does.
Packing up is a whole other story. We pack everything so that we do not access the van when we get home. Most times it goes straight back into the shed for next time. That means though that the ute (or both if we have taken the boat) are loaded with everything.
When we take the boat, there seems to be a lot involved with fishing paraphernalia that takes time and space. We also take dogs (when allowed) and time increases packing their cages/pens also.
To be honest, if I had the money I would LOVE an expanda because I really believe having a van that you can leave things in or have easy access to when home would decrease packing time immensely. Unfortunately, not going to happen. I actually found one on gumtree, exactly what I want, $31k on the weekend as I was fed up with packing lol.
It takes roughly 2 hours for us. We don't pack anything the night before as we usually would want it or we are our fishing late so fall into bed after a late tea.
I do find I take too many clothes, mostly as the weather can change in an instant or as our son usually will get filthy. If I leave some at home I have always regretted it. This weekend gone I took a pair of tackies, jumper and coat for us all, it was so hot we didn't need any winter gear. This took space and packing time, but if it had become cold I would be the first complaining. So not much help.
I have started having some items packed always in the van. Especially toiletries. We now have a plastic shower basket each, shampoo, toothbrush, paste etc so I do not have to remember to pack and repack every time. This has been a great time and space saver I have found. I was leaving some food but don't now as I either forget it is there, it goes out of date or I think I have it and do not. Sauces, salt, pepper and garlic are always there.

Just a quick note - the camper itself only takes about 15 mins to pack up, it is all the other stuff being shuffled around and packed in vehicles that takes so long.

[Yimmy]

Gravity,

I reckon you are closer to the truth than some people realise  , although I still wouldn't take 6 hours 

On our recent trip up the Darling I would anticipate a 3 hour pack up (Cub Supamatic, 2 15 yo teenagers, 2 swags and stretchers, 2 Labradors and associated gear). Now we don't pack heavy as everything has to fit in the Cub and Ranger twin cab.

How long does it take to pack up the Cub, 10mins, how long to pack the camp up from scratch, a lot longer. Just putting all the gear up onto the top of the Cub (swags, table, chairs, solar) would take me 15-20 by the time it is put up wrapped in canvas for dust and tied down.

As others have stated while packing up we are also doing a full clean and wipe down so that it is all ready for the next trip, the only thing pulled out from the camper when we get home is clothes and bedding. Putting the Cub away when we get home is a 10-15min job.

Generally we are packing up in the morning so factor in breakfast (a necissity with teenagers), coffee and not busting a gut 

The greatest thing tho is that we are all different, as long as we are all out there seeing this great country and spreading some wealth in our country towns then Ill drink to that 

Jim

[Bird]

Gravity
Come along to Knockwood weekend and meet up with some people..
http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=47564.0

There'll be a few Swans there and a Swannie...
See if he can give you some ideas, the dude is pretty switched on when it comes to this stuff and Swans. Even Geoff can pickup some things people do wrong even when they have had their trailer for 4-6 years 

[Footy Shorts Shane]

I've seen my SIL's setup, Swan/Flamingo or similar, take her and her husband at least 5 hours to pack up.
We had a 12' soft floor with kids room, 20'x24' tarp, shower tent, tinny and motor etc and would be still helping them pack the last of their 26 camp chairs, 19 fold up tables etc.

Winding up and down the camper took them no time at all. The rest of the Shit though.........

[Gravity]

Thanks so much guy's , I probably didn't add that the wife takes the kids & dog away for a play somewhere so doing it all myself, and do admit turning 58 tomorrow I don't have as much energy as a few of the young guns here haha…
The weekend away sounds great Swannie and thank you for the invite will love to catch up in the near future but the next trip away for us is the Sept school holidays in Bright, looking forward to doing some gold detecting out there…

Good one Callmejoe , if I did that she would probably stick it straight back on me as she's 15 years younger and trade me in haha…

Cheers rocking You catch my drift , it's all the other stuffing around that takes time in the rain…drying and packing.

Sorry chester ver2.0, but I do want a Base Station 

[Brisbane Puff]

Hmmmm, well we are both 68.. Our campers not a Jayco, but it is similar.. And it does have a power roof. From pulling up to getting the basics up and sitting down haveing a coffee takes bout 30 minutes. That includes clipping on the canvas, (as we remove it when packing/traveling).
Then add about an hour or so to set up all the flys, the bosses u bute twin onsuit and hot water system, plus assembling the pig. (the one in the pic). We do carry a fair bit of stuff like a back up generator, but this is just a case of removing it from the back of the truck.

Packing up takes a bit longer considering a lot of the time everything is covered in red dust. Things like the beds stay made up and just pack down under the roof. We did have a roof rack at the rear of the roof, but remover it to fit a second solar panel. So now the main table and chairs are packed in the camper. Clothes are packed in gear bags and sit on back seat.. But we can be comfortably packed and gone in under three hours. This is for a few days camp site and depends very much on the level of energy, available oxygen ..and... motivation.

We once had a developing problem with a wild dog pack, and we were out of there in under an hour.. Again.. a case of motivation..

[Gravity]

Wow thanks Puff and cheers for posting the photo's great setup you guy's have there specially with your potbelly fire BBQ , I'm definitely going to set my watch next time out and see where i'm going wrong…
Camping life shouldn't be that hard but then again was I walking up or down the stairs…Seriously thank you for your post and hopefully get it down to only a few hours.

[Ciscokid]

I hear what you're saying about the setup/pack up times.  Would get a van instantly if I had the storage space and $$.

As others have said, sometimes less is more.  This will come with more experience.

It would take us on average 1 hour to set up this includes bed flies, awning, floor mats, table etc.  Annex prob another 15mins.  One thing about the Jayco compared to other campers is we choose to double up.  For example we have a four burner and grill inside the camper but no one wants to cook inside, so you drag along a weber, and stove, tables etc for set up.  Whereas soft floors have just the 'one' kitchen.

Packing can vary from 30 mins for overnight stays to 2 hours.  Prob 2.5 hours max, thats when my patience really gets tested and I come home looking at vans lol.  As others have said, most of the time is spent putting everything away neatly so the camper can close!!

Try to get your wife and kids involved if you can.  Yes it may take longer to explain what and how to do things initially, but it'll save you time in the long run...even if its only 5-10 mins lol.

My eldest is 8 so his tasks are limited due to height/strength limitations.  I get him to sort out the poles/ropes/pegs and place it in each section.  This saves you from doing it and all you have to do is peg it and put it all together.

In trying to make things easier and not having to repeat myself every trip.  I've created a checklist/step by step guide of all the things that need to be done (not including the inside/outside furniture and camping gear) in order when setting and packing.  Points in italic is what I think the kids are capable of doing.  If you have older kids I imagine it'd be easier and they can do more.

Camper setup
•   Drop 4 stabilising legs, place 4 wooden blocks underneath
•   Unclip roof latch
•   Place green shade mat
•   Open and drop bag flys and awning (if planning to use either)
•   Wind up roof checking green tension guide. (Tension guide should be taut but not overstretched)
•   Place support pole diagonally (these are found on front bed)
•   Extend up the roof support poles and cover with canvas
•   Set up pegs and poles for bed flys and awning
-   Bed fly poles are in the front PVC tube
-   Awning poles are on the rear PVC tube
-   Pegs, rope and hammer are in the purple container
•   Slide out both beds and place bed support poles
•   Pull canvas over beds
•   Go inside and place hockey stick support brackets (located under bed)
•   Firmly cover the bed corners with canvas and Velcro to bottom of bed
•   Drop down door
–   Secure top of door (2 knobs on top of door)
–   Lock top half to bottom
–    Velcro to walls
•   Take out toilet
•   Stand up Cupboard
•   Turn on Battery switch
•   Plug 12V light
•   Connect Mains electrical cord, Water hose, Sullage hose
•   Turn on Gas
•   Turn on Hot water (Gas/Elec)
•   Switch Fridge to correct power source
 
CAMPER TRAILER PACK UP
•   Switch Fridge to correct power source
•   Turn off Hot water (Gas/Elec)
•   Turn off Gas
•   Unplug 12V light and place cover over socket
•   Turn off water pump
•   Turn off Battery switch
•   Check the water taps are aligned flat against the bed rails. (Otherwise when the beds are slid in, it can turn the taps on)
•   Place down Cupboard
•   Put back toilet
•   Attach door to roof
–   Unlock top of door (2 knobs on top of door)
–   Unlock top half to bottom
–    Separate Velcro to walls
–   Apply plastic cover
•   Remove velcro attachment from the bottom of bed
•   Go inside and remove hockey stick support brackets (place back under bed)
•   Pull canvas and fold over and onto beds
•   Remove bed support poles and slide in both beds (ALWAYS CHECK THAT NO CANVAS MAY BE CAUGHT WHEN SLIDING BEDS IN)
•   Pack up pegs and poles for bed flys and awning
-   Bed fly poles are in the front PVC tube (put them back there)
-   Awning poles are on the rear PVC tube (put them back there)
-   Pegs, rope and hammer are in the purple container
•   Open canvas on 4 supporting poles and tuck them inside of the poles
•   Remove support pole diagonally (these are placed on front bed)
•   Wind down roof to about 30cm gap.  Walk around and push canvas in.  Wind down again to 5cm gap and walk around pushing canvas in.  Make sure the light safety switch on the drivers side isn’t caught on canvas. 
•   Roll up bag flys and awning (if planning to use either)
•   Pack green shade mat
•   Clip roof latch
•   Check Roof vent is closed
•   Disconnect and pack up electrical cord, Water hose, Sullage hose
•   Wind up 4 stabilising legs, pack up 4 wooden blocks

[Gravity]

Wow Ciscokid , now that's what i call a detailed overview…Thank you for taking out the time to post.

Cheers
John

[JSKM]

We had a Ultimate Camper before we bought our Jayco (still waiting for it to be built).

The only reason it took us longer to pack up was most of the time the dew during the night had settled on things. We always waited for it to dry out in the sun so we didn't have to open it at home.

With 6 of us (wife & 4 kids) it has never taken be more than 2 hrs to fully pack up, but we do keep things packed away as we camp (otherwise the kids create a huge mess).

On the last trip we packed it straight up as we were going to open her up when we got home and it took less than a hour to get on the road.

6hrs for a pack up, that would only be achievable for me if I had a few 6 packs, the footy was on the radio and the wife was driving home.