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Old 11-16-2013, 12:50 PM   #11
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Re: Side by side dinette and gaucho

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Originally Posted by Chance
Larrie, what do you mean by "standard"? Are you talking about the dinette being across the van? In researching standard SMB layouts it seems dinettes across, or transverse, are very popular.

What I'm trying to avoid is not being able to move from front to back of van because the aisle is blocked. Unless a transverse dinette is at the very back of a van, it then means a person can't move past the dinette when the table is up for dining, or when the dinette is folded down into a bed.
Yes about the dinette across the van. In our rig the dinette is in the back. The only time the table is setup is for eating. The rest of the time it is stored.

I think it really depends on how much you are parked with the table in place. The label on my table says to store it when traveling.

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Old 11-16-2013, 01:26 PM   #12
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Re: Side by side dinette and gaucho

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Originally Posted by larrie
Yes about the dinette across the van. In our rig the dinette is in the back. The only time the table is setup is for eating. The rest of the time it is stored.

I think it really depends on how much you are parked with the table in place. The label on my table says to store it when traveling.
So Larrie, do you have seat belts for up to 4 passengers on the back dinette? And do you have other seating up front besides driver and passenger seats?

And if you don't mind me asking, if others travel with you and sit at the very back of the van, do you wish they were closer to front so you could speak with them during travel? And do you worry at all about a rear collision not providing enough crash protection for those at the very back?

I may be analyzing this too much, but at some point plan to take my daughter and future grandkids with us. In those occassions we obviously wouldn't sleep in van, but I'm trying to make sure the van would be as safe as possible and allow a comfortable place to sit and eat during day travel.
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Old 11-16-2013, 03:31 PM   #13
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Re: Side by side dinette and gaucho

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Originally Posted by Chance
So Larrie, do you have seat belts for up to 4 passengers on the back dinette? And do you have other seating up front besides driver and passenger seats?
There are four seat belts in the for the dinette seating. Have only use them once when I took the nephews to hike into some waterfalls.

Quote:
And if you don't mind me asking, if others travel with you and sit at the very back of the van, do you wish they were closer to front so you could speak with them during travel? And do you worry at all about a rear collision not providing enough crash protection for those at the very back?

I may be analyzing this too much, but at some point plan to take my daughter and future grandkids with us. In those occassions we obviously wouldn't sleep in van, but I'm trying to make sure the van would be as safe as possible and allow a comfortable place to sit and eat during day travel.
It is hard to have a conversation with anyone in the way back. You have to shout to be heard. I think it is better to have the passengers closer to the front so that you can interact with them. Right now grand kid is 2.5 years and not ready to go with us. Have been thinking about getting a larger van with quad seating so that we can take him, and any other grand kids that show up, with us on our trips. It would not be right to have a 5 or 6 year old by himself in the way back.
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Old 11-16-2013, 04:25 PM   #14
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Re: Side by side dinette and gaucho

I wouldn't want to ride in the back - worst ride of the van. Nor would I want to ride sitting sideways.

So, the small dinette against the wall looks good.

Mike
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Old 11-16-2013, 07:03 PM   #15
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Re: Side by side dinette and gaucho

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I wouldn't want to ride in the back - worst ride of the van. Nor would I want to ride sitting sideways.

So, the small dinette against the wall looks good.

Mike
Funny you should mention that. In May when we rented a large Class C for a long 3 week trip with family, I noticed they sat in forward-facing part of dinette first. Rear facing and sideways couch were used about the same amount.

Having two separate 2-person dinettes, one on each side, would provide two forward facing seats. And dining for four without blocking center aisle. That may be best way for me to go since it would also provide location for two children car seats.

Thanks for feedback.
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Old 11-16-2013, 07:18 PM   #16
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Re: Side by side dinette and gaucho

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Originally Posted by Chance
Having two separate 2-person dinettes, one on each side, would provide two forward facing seats. And dining for four without blocking center aisle. That may be best way for me to go since it would also provide location for two children car seats.
We have found that the table is kinda small when we are eating. Having two dinettes would allow you to install a filler section for added room between the two tables when you are using them for eating. This would limit mobility while you were eating but would give you more table space.
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Old 11-16-2013, 09:25 PM   #17
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Re: Side by side dinette and gaucho

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Originally Posted by larrie
We have found that the table is kinda small when we are eating. Having two dinettes would allow you to install a filler section for added room between the two tables when you are using them for eating. This would limit mobility while you were eating but would give you more table space.
Larrie, how big is your table? We are not big diners so inadequate table space wasn’t much of a concern until you brought it up. If anything I figured two small dinettes would provide more than necessary table space.

The Class C we owned years ago, as well as the one we rented earlier this year, had a four-person dinette that was about 39 inches wide. I didn’t measure them but they both converted into single-bed width which are 39 inches. Smaller RVs typically have dinettes that are spec’d 36 to 42 inches wide, with larger luxury RVs often going up to 48 inches in width. Rarely do we see RV dinettes that are wider than 48 inches.

In a ProMaster-wide van (I’m leaning in that direction for now), two dinettes 28 inches wide each would provide as much table surface as one 56-inch wide dinette. And by RV standards that would be huge. I’ll give it more thought but doubt that we would ever need more table space. I’ve observed that even 24-inch-wide tables at some restaurants are adequate for two people provided the depth is ample.

For what it’s worth, I started thinking about two small dinettes side-by-side after seeing pictures of personal jets. They don’t set them up for sleeping, but this seating arrangement seems quite common in a space that is similar in size. Here are two examples: double dinette arrangement and one dinette with couch across the narrow aisle.



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Old 11-16-2013, 10:46 PM   #18
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Re: Side by side dinette and gaucho

The table is 18"x38" which is cozy for four people but better with two sitting offset from each other. Two 9" diameter plate just barely fit.

Yea the ProMaster are really spacious on the inside.
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Old 11-17-2013, 06:31 AM   #19
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Re: Side by side dinette and gaucho

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The table is 18"x38" which is cozy for four people but better with two sitting offset from each other. Two 9" diameter plate just barely fit.

Yea the ProMaster are really spacious on the inside.
Thanks Larrie, great info to consider. I'll look into the 18 inch table depth to figure out what's driving the 18 inch dimension. That does seem narrow.

In our Class C as well as the rental, the dinette made into a bed about 6-feet long, and they used standard seat cushions 24 inches wide. The two back cushions were about 13 inches high each which means the table had to be at least 24 inches front to back. Maybe as much as 26 inches or so.

I'm just guessing that when a dinette is transverse like yours a wide table would make it harder to enter and exit; unless there is nothing at end of dinette. And usually there are cabinets or other items restricting access somewhat.
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Old 11-17-2013, 09:37 AM   #20
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Re: Side by side dinette and gaucho

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Originally Posted by Chance
I'm just guessing that when a dinette is transverse like yours a wide table would make it harder to enter and exit;
That is true. We typically have to rotate the table to sit on the benches. It is a tight fit when the second person, usually me, sits down. I believe the 18" width is driven by the seat depth, about 24", and the back thickness, about 6". This does not leave much left over for feet and a table.
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