RV Information, rig info!

After much online research and a depressing amount of time visiting the local RV dealers and a couple of "RV Shows" (Note to self, add a blog entry describing the process of dealing with RV dealers) we finally decided that:

1. The girls must have separate sleeping areas, preferably dividable and away from the main coach living area and the master bedroom (for everyone's sanity!)
2. Since we will be full timing it (living in the rig year-round) for 2 years it must have slide outs so that we have some additional living space to use.
3. It needs to be relatively new since all warranties will likely be void as soon as we put it on the ship across the Atlantic, let's minimize the breakdown risks!
4. We want to purchase the RV in the states and have time to get used to it before needing to settle into it for 2-years. In addition, RVs in Europe tend to be considerably smaller and the American units more expensive than buying here and shipping over.

We decided against Class C (bunks over the cab) due to space and privacy considerations, as well as 5th-wheel (5'ers) since that would add considerable expense to the shipping costs (the towing rig + 5th wheel add up to a longer unit overall vs. a class A).

We wound up checking out Class A rigs with bunk beds. At the time (late 2006, early 2007) there were only a couple of Class A rigs on the market with bunk beds, we checked them ALL out.

At long last we went with the Winnebago Sightseer 35J which is a 35' long Class A rig with bunk beds that are between the main cabin and the master bedroom with sliding doors separating them from the rest of the rig. This allows us to stay up after the girls (5 & 2) have gone to bed and allows everyone a little privacy.