The 15th International Portafold & Ansfold Gathering) (i.e. 2024)

Our annual gathering will be returning to the Newbury Retrofestival.

So put the dates 9th, 10th & 11th of August 2024 in your diary now and get those dates booked off work early.

Show Address: Newbury Showground, Priors Court, Hermitage, Thatcham, West Berkshire, RG18 9QZ

Don't book direct with the show organisers it will cost you more money, just contact me (07771544419) to get your pitch saved.

Now this is a boat caravan!

Any talk that's not covered by the other forums.
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Admin
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Joined: Sun, 05 Nov 2006, 8:53 pm
Location: Christchurch, Dorset

Now this is a boat caravan!

Post by Admin » Wed, 03 Aug 2016, 9:49 pm

There's a very old Chinese-whisper that keeps coming around that the roof of a Portafold was designed to be a boat, well I've had it confirmed straight from the horses-mouth that it was never considered. But, this is more of a boat/caravan:
Nomad Caravan advert 1963.jpg
Matthew
portafold.co.uk
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Wanted: Any original Portafold, Ansfold or Mini-Motel brochures, adverts or magazine articles.
Also, any chassis numbers for the above caravans!

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phunkie hiboy
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Location: Lindford, Hampshire

Re: Now this is a boat caravan!

Post by phunkie hiboy » Mon, 22 Aug 2016, 6:17 am

The story I heard, it had been considered, but the idea was dismissed.
Built without compromise by the more luck than judgement method

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Admin
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Joined: Sun, 05 Nov 2006, 8:53 pm
Location: Christchurch, Dorset

Re: Now this is a boat caravan!

Post by Admin » Mon, 22 Aug 2016, 11:57 am

Having re-asked the question to the last remaining designer of the Portafold, he confirmed that the 'roof as a boat' was very briefly thought about, but in the same way that almost every possible design tweak is talked about at some point when you're creating something from scratch.

The only reason it came up was that another manufacturer was producing a caravan with a roof boat, but they quickly dismissed any further thought along those lines as the height and weight of the caravan were paramount in their design plans. They needed to ensure that you could see over the top of it with normal rear-view mirrors and they needed to keep the weight at an absolute minimum to keep it viable for any 1960's car, and both of these would have been compromised.
Matthew
portafold.co.uk
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wanted: Any original Portafold, Ansfold or Mini-Motel brochures, adverts or magazine articles.
Also, any chassis numbers for the above caravans!

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