Thursday, March 10, 2011

Winnebago Buys SunnyBrook. Atwood Buys Fantastic Fans. Towing Laws. RV Ins. Cargo Trailer. Mattresses.

Winnebago Buys SunnyBrook
"Winnebago Industries, In. bought SunnyBrook RV Inc. The news release says that Winnebago will continue to manufacture towable RVs under the SunnyBrook brand. Important news to current SunnyBrook owners, it says Winnebago will honor current SunnyBrook warranties. "
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Atwood Acquires Fan-Tastic Vent
"Atwood Mobile Products LLC bought Fan-Tastic Vent Co. You probably know Atwood as the supplier of RV ranges, water heaters, furnaces, LP and CO detectors, and other RV components and accessories. Fan-Tastic Vents have been around for 25 years and are a leader in 12-volt RV ceiling vent fans."   
Fantastic Fans was known for their superb customer service. We all hope that Atwood will keep it up.
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Towing Laws for All States.

"Some states regulate towing according to the overall length of your rig.   Some prohibit triple towing completely.
Here's a link to a website that has a table showing towing laws in the various states.
There's discussion (controversy) over whether the correct term is "triple towing" or "double towing." I bring this up because it is something to keep in mind as you review the towing regulations.
Also, please keep in mind that just because it may be legal to tow two trailers doesn't mean it is safe to do so."
More at: http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm
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RV Insurance.

"Ads for auto insurance quotes, you know the ones that say you could save if you switched companies, abound. Can you really save any money, or are all the RV and car insurance rates about the same?
The Geico ad says you could save hundreds if you'd change to them from other companies. Then, the next ad is for Allstate or some company that was supposed to be higher, and they are saying that you can save hundreds by changing to their company.
What's the deal? It seems odd how each company could claim to be the least expensive, but I suspect it has to do with categories. One company is likely cheaper for some types of coverage, or in some areas. Another company is probably less for a different category of drivers, or for different vehicles.
The thing to note, though, is that, yes, you really can save money by getting auto insurance quotes from several companies. And, that includes insurance for your motorhome or other recreational vehicles.

Traditional wisdom was that you got the best deal if you stayed with one company a long time. But that's not necessarily true anymore. Some companies do give a discount for staying with them for a long time. They also tend to give discounts if you have multiple vehicles insured with them, if you've taken a defensive driving course, and if you have anti-lock brakes. However, those discounts don't necessarily mean the coverage costs less than with a competing company.
Around the time our premium was to come due, we received ads offering auto insurance quotes from several different companies. I made a few phone calls, and yes, it saved us a chunk of money.

I called one and didn't get very far. The customer service they gave during the phone call was terrible. I simply didn't want to give them our business. Another had higher rates.
Then, I called another. The customer service on the phone was excellent. The rates they quoted me were considerably less than what we had been paying. We switched to them. and, yes, it was a big savings. When it came time to renew, I paid the premium online, with no problem.

Interestingly, our previous coverage was with a company endorsed by at least one of the big RVing clubs. We'd been with them for over 10 years and never had a claim -- not even a broken windshield. So, even though you are insuring an RV, going through an RVing organization isn't necessarily the best deal.
Take a few minutes to get some of those free quotes for your insurance. It could be well worth your time. "
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Other considerations:

If your RV is overloaded for it's gross weight, the insurance company may not pay in case of an accident.
If you don't have RV insurance, just car insurance on your RV, the contents, awnings, generator etc. may not be covered.
RV insurance is usually cheaper that car insurance, as they think that you won't drive it as many miles.
Please note that if you are a fulltimer, then your rig should be insured that way,  NOT ALL COMPANIES INSURE FULLTIMERS.  Everything you own is usually in the rig, and it needs to be covered accordingly.
Howard of http://www.rv-dreams.com/ recommends Miller Ins. for fulltimers.
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Today.SAM_0750-1

Jay and I finished our part of the problem "dreaded" window. 
Ray can poly or stain the new frame if he has time.

We were going to start on the kitchen countertop, but it really needs to have the Formica on it first.  I will go to Houston to get that, and I don't do Houston on Fridays, so it will have to wait until another day.





SAM_0751-1
So we made the other dinette bench.  It will be hinged in the middle, sideways, so we added a support at the join of the plywood. The sides will be covered with paneling. Ray will probably paint the plywood.

SAM_0753-1





When I took Jay home I snapped a picture through the car window of the porch where a man re-does mattresses.  Their dog pees and poops in that fenced area, too.  The man re-uses the springs, and sometimes the foam and batting, too. I expect that the sewing for the cover is done inside the house, or it is farmed out elsewhere.
When I worked for a newspaper selling advertising, the editor would not allow any mattress ads in the paper, as she knew that sometimes this is the sort of environment where they are made.   One reason I made my own dense foam and memory foam mattress.

The weather is cool at night, but lovely during the day.

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