The 'Big Lap' finally begins...

05 May 2024

To all my family and friends I offer my humblest apologies for the inordinate delay in publishing any update to my adventures since Christmas…more than 5 months ago!  I have yet to satisfactorily master editing of the blog site, or even the operation and editing of either the GoPro or the DJI drone, so I am admitting partial defeat by pushing out this newsletter (this time I will remember to send as a .pdf file!).  Another reason for the lack of adventure-filled updates is the latest stumbling block that threatens my entire Big Lap plans….but more of that later!

I remain indebted to my good friends, Henri and Kate Nord-Thomson, for their outstanding hospitality and generosity in allowing me to set up a base on their 15 acres of paradise on Raymond Island, in East Gippsland, Victoria.  Not just for Christmas, but for enduring my presence for the subsequent 10 weeks as I set up ‘snailspace’ in anticipation of my ‘Big Lap’.  During this time I had a number of items delivered, manufactured and fitted to my ‘moho’, including significant modifications to the bike rack (which have proved only partially successful!), a new rear carrier above  the towing hitch and installing Starlink.

I also undertook a 4WD training course in Braidwood, NSW, during this period, which was extremely beneficial in giving me more confidence in understanding the capabilities of the Hilux-based moho in off-road situations. As a slightly unconventional 4WD that was unable to participate in a group course (due to the motorhome body dimensions by comparison with more standard-sized 4WD vehicles), I had the instructor to myself for the whole day (albeit at a cost for the privilege!), so the training was expanded to learn a bit about reversing into campground sites with my trailer - also very useful for someone with little relevant experience.

The Big Lap ‘proper’ really began, therefore, in mid-March when I departed Raymond Island to head back to Brisbane via the East coast of NSW.  The need to head back to Brisbane was for Explorer Motorhomes to undertake their first service and fix a few minor things - including repairs to fibreglass gelcoat cracking on the roofline at the rear and a window that leaked in heavy rain (neither was something I expected to come across with a brand new motorhome, but, dear reader, worse was to come!).  Explorer also had the company that upgraded the suspension and brakes (to cope with higher weights for both axles and Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM)) check the vehicle with the pod trailer attached and fully loaded for travel.

Following the service and suspension check I continued to head North (the ultimate goal for this ‘leg’ of the Big Lap being reaching Cape York (the northern-most point of mainland Australia) in June/July) via a 4WD sand driving course at Noosa (I lucked in by being the only one who signed up for the course, so had the instructor to myself all day!).  Again, the course was confidence-building and included a practical recovery from a buried rear axle using a kinetic rope (‘snatch’ strap) using my recently-acquired recovery kit!

I then drove up to Gympie, where I had a professional weighing of the fully-laden vehicle and trailer to confirm that it still conformed to the uprated GVM loadings from delivery…..it didn’t…..and by a significant margin (400kgs on the rear axle and 200kgs overall GVM!!).  To say I was devastated would be an understatement, as I had been very careful with minimising weights and storage for everything that I had subsequently added from taking final delivery of the vehicle in November the previous year - and the reason for adding the trailer to the mix, too.  Even after emptying the Grey Water tank and shifting the heavier items (eg toolkit, socket set, torque wrench, e-bike battery, etc) from a rear locker to the front passenger footwell (thereby rendering the space unusable for a passenger), I remained 200kg over the rear axle maximum rating of 2000kg.

This means that the declared Tare weight of the motorhome of 2980kg (comprising 1360kg front axle and 1620kg rear axle) as delivered to the customer) should have given me an overall payload of @600kg (but limited to an additional 380kg on the rear axle).  Excluding the weight of a full tank of diesel and Fresh Water (120kg and 110kg respectively), I could therefore expect an overall payload of @370kg for food, clothing and other equipment.

Well, it turns out that the motorhome company had weighed the vehicle with no batteries, inverter, DC-DC charger or solar panels (which I do not consider met the intent of the definition of tare weight) included, and advised me that no-one realistically expects to travel with a full tank of fuel and Fresh Water!!??

I commemorated Anzac Day in Bundaberg, QLD, where I attended the civic service (0800 march off), proud to be wearing my father’s and grandfather’s medals for the first time.  I elected not to attend the Dawn Service which, in Bundaberg, is uniquely held not at dawn but at 0415, to commemorate the time of the first landing at Gallipoli!  It has to be said that the overall support and resources applied to commemorating Anzac Day in Australia was outstanding and perhaps puts NZ to shame (if only our Returned Servicemen were as well treated/regarded).  It has to be acknowledged, however, that their whole RSL set-up is far more successful/viable than back home - may be something to do with the substantial revenue that they gain from the ubiquitous pokie machines, perhaps!

I am currently expecting to spend some time next week in Rockhampton stripping out my motorhome of everything I have put into it since taking delivery of the vehicle and then re-weighing it with the same professional weigher/weighing equipment from Gympie.  I suspect the tare weight will be even heavier than that declared by the motorhome manufacturer.

Today an unseasonably miserable and wet few days was made more interesting with the trapping and removal of a 2.5m crocodile from the creek at the back of the campsite I am staying at, with the caretaker having earlier advised me not to fish from the boat ramp but from the higher bank!

Anyway, the upshot is that I am now only legally able to drive my moho if I carry minimal fuel and Fresh Water (or no clothes, equipment and food!) - which kind of defeats the purpose of the whole set-up in the first place - and I’m not sure that my motorhome and roadside recovery insurance are also valid any longer!

There is a (@AUD$13,000!) solution on the ‘horizon’ (potentially available in June, but confidential negotiations still underway with Explorer Motorhomes) which will greatly increase both overall GVM and Rear Axle loading such that all these problems will disappear.  So I am now having to put my plans on hold while I loiter in the vicinity of the northern-most provider of the upgrade (Mackay/Townsville?) before I can resume my Big Lap plan.   

Gutted!

Warmest regards to all,

James/‘Jimmo’

email: jmsrtldg@gmail.com (or jmsrtldg@icloud.com)

mobile: +61 400 068257