Dandy Dart wanted

Hello all Dandy fans.

I had a dandy dart but alas I lost him along with my fella! and there is no chance of weekend access or custody!

It was a 1990 something model fully winterised with under floor heating and Ian at Riva had just spent a lot of time getting it tip top, so I am heartbroken!! (about the trailer)  

I do want another but can't afford more than £1000.

Best wishes PJ

Hi and   Pamelajane

Good luck in your search, your Dandy will find you soon.  

Dholtuk is selling theirs on this thread.

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Don't know where they are or yourself is in the country, but you might be able to strike a deal.  

Hi and thanks, I know I have been communicating.
I am in Cumbria and I think they are in Derbyshire......

Hi PJ, sorry to hear about that and good luck in your search. Nice looking darts come up quite regularly. Prices seem high at the moment as it's the beginning of the season and there aren't many for sale.

Is it definitely a Dart you want, would a Delta od Destiny/Discovery be equally acceptable?

Is the size essential. Is the spec of heater and insulation essential or is all fluid on price?

Tow Itch wrote:Is it definitely a Dart you want, would a Delta od Destiny/Discovery be equally acceptable?

Is the size essential. Is the spec of heater and insulation essential or is all fluid on price?

Hi, yes I would like only a Dart, it fits in my garage and I can maneuverer (sort of) on my own.
Plus I only have a small car.

Heater isn't essential but I do want winterised, I would be using it most weekends as I work at festivals.

Cumbria isn't the warmest place to be!  

Pamelajane wrote:

Tow Itch wrote:Is it definitely a Dart you want, would a Delta od Destiny/Discovery be equally acceptable?

Is the size essential. Is the spec of heater and insulation essential or is all fluid on price?

Hi, yes I would like only a Dart, it fits in my garage and I can maneuverer (sort of) on my own.
Plus I only have a small car.

Heater isn't essential but I do want winterised, I would be using it most weekends as I work at festivals.

Cumbria isn't the warmest place to be!  

Didn't realise Cumbria had that many festivals. Still mourning the loss of the Border City Steam Fair.

Personally I'd probably plumb for a heated one with or without the insulation or do you tend to have access to 240V?

Towing with car shouldn't be an issue all the rear entry ones max out at 500Kg.

Might try a cheeky offer on [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]  as it's been listed before. Or give it a week and consider a bid on [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Terminology of Dandy's and camping I am still getting used to. I am not experienced with the gas or what you do with hook ups or volts!!!
I will be learning.

I go to festivals all over the country and am involved in outdoor music scene.
I am used to being cold!
And Cumbria does have a lot of festivals!

Have just bought the dart now and collect on Saturday.  

access to 240V?

Towing with car shouldn't be an issue all the rear entry ones max out at 500Kg.

Sorry I don't know what this means!!  

Pamelajane wrote:access to 240V?

Towing with car shouldn't be an issue all the rear entry ones max out at 500Kg.

Sorry I don't know what this means!!  

Congratulations on the purchase.

All the rear entry (o'er missus) Dandys have a Max weight of 500Kg the (side entry) 6/Lowside Destiny/Early Highside Destiny is 750Kg and the late model Riva Destinys/Dimension 1,000Kg

If you were involved with festival organisation you might have acess to mains 240 Volts so a gas heater wasn't as wanted.

Have a good read to get the general idea of things. Anything we can help with just ask.

Did you do any of the towing previously? If not don't fret as the Dandys were designed to be towed by small cars. Of course equally you could easily be an old hand just thinking about what might bother you.


What sort of music?

   

and congratulations on finding your Dandy ...... wow that was fast   

  

I towed my last Dandy last summer but I can not reverse!! and unfortunately my garage is up a hill so I am always going to have to ask a neighbour to help!!

Eclectic type of music!!

You could do with a winch of some sort ....... we think reversing the Dandy is harder than reversing a caravan because it's harder to see where it's going before it's gone there   

A winch would be a fab idea, where would I get such a thing?

I'm not sure, I think I remember someone on the forum had one so I'll see if I can find the info ...... if not someone else should be able to help.

That didn't take long   

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Reversing a small trailer is not the easiest thing to do. The larger the trailer the easier, four wheeler even better. Its because a small trailer reacts a lot quicker. With your drive being up hill the odds are stacked against you if you are not confident any way. You could go to a local supermarket with a large car park at a quiet time and have a practice to get the feel of it.   

Oh and   on your purchase.  

PJ wrote:I towed my last Dandy last summer but I can not reverse!! and unfortunately my garage is up a hill so I am always going to have to ask a neighbour to help!!

Eclectic type of music!!

PJ wrote:I towed my last Dandy last summer but I can not reverse!! and unfortunately my garage is up a hill so I am always going to have to ask a neighbour to help!!

My apologies if I'm telling you what you already know.
One advantage of what you do is I would imagine access to odd bits of field and patches of empty tarmac. Just play with reversing, it comes.  
Longer trailers are easier to reverse than shorter ones. If you move the rear of the car over to one side by 3" you have created less of a steered angle if it's 9' to the trailer than if it's 4'.
Trailer reversing explained [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Reversing into a narrow driveway can often be difficult. I can and do reverse into my driveway but because it's a busy road I often don't. If it's really steep to your garage aids can be found. The wheels can be walked with blocks or Mike used a winch for his 6. Ask if it gets to being a pain.

Just see we have started to dig out the winches threads.

Eclectic type of music!!

I thank you.
It's an effort to make a forum work. As well as helping the initial question asking folk. We ask open ended questions so they think about what they want if they express an interest in other things we try to explore. Several common themes have emerged. Digital photography, films, music then unsurprisingly because we camp, airshows, transport, car, motorcycle shows and races, steam shows and music festivals.
I'm a sad child (some would insert a full stop there) of the 60s and love an unfortunate blend of prog, punk, R&B (not modern R&B) soul also other odities. Messers peridot, tribalkev, bedwok all doing a festival or two during the year.
You know festivals. So If you were (for example) to start a thread giving hints and tips for them then you might find it easier with other questions when you have seen people respond.
Sorry if it looked like I'd got my virtual thumbscrews out but the more we can get out of new users which can help existing members then it seems the happier and more open new users are to ask other things.

I am sorry I am not one for great detail!

Music tastes of mine vary incredibly at the moment I like "library" music and electro swing!
I like soul and funk, Nina Simone..... to be honest anything apart from Drum and Bass.
Off to see Dolly Parton in June.

The festivals I enjoy are non profit making ones and the friends I socialise with all have access to marques, DJ equipment, décor, sound systems and we prefer to party in fields rather than noisy expensive pubs! although I enjoy a cosy pub with a fire after a good dog walk. (mini Schnauzer)
My friends and I all met on a forum and didn't know each other at all, we all arranged a meet up and now are all very close and the group has widened.

Main festivals Solfest & Beatherder Festival.
The venue we have is The love Shack at Solfest and The Snug at Beatherder.

All of our get togethers involve camping out, fire and live acoustic music generally.

A winch sounds like something I need, as there is a slight lip from the grass to get into the garage.

A winch sounds like something I need, as there is a slight lip from the grass to get into the garage.

Possibly good you chose a Dart then. It's all too easy with campers with recessed wheels to get frustrated fighting to get the trailer over a lip into the garage. Try to run and bounce the trailer into the garage then have it turn sideways and slice the side of the cover on the wall or the door upright.

If you need to bounce large sheets of cardboard are good to place near the entry to save the sides of the cover.

This is one possibility if you're young & fit. They claim suitable for a 1 in 20 slope.

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This is a powered version suitable for us older 'uns.

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Normally a jockey wheel mover is pretty useless because the wheel cannot grip on wet grass & gravel etc but if your drive is tarmacced and not too steep or long it might be OK. The big advantage is that the trailer can go up backwards ready to hitch to the car and drive out next trip.

If you go for a winch, you have to be able to anchor the winch to something strong at the top. Steering the trailer may be difficult as well.

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This one has 15m of cable, not sure how long yhour drive is. It will also need a 12volt battery such as a leisure battery, which will need to be charged.