Elddis Buccaneer Clipper

WE LIKED:
>> Excellent craftsmanship all round
>> Anti-sway feature
>> Uncluttered hitch area

NOT SO MUCH:
>> Potential moisture in main wardrobe in bathroom
>> Expensive for a British van
>> Yet to be proven in Australian conditions

For a number of years our homegrown caravan and motorhome market has been diluted with imports from various places; in particular the United States and Great Britain.

Both of those countries have a vastly different landscape and recreational culture and the RV vehicles designed to suit their market were often left wanting when they arrived on our shores.

Doors on the offside walls instead of the nearside; lightweight builds that are fine on bitumen highways but doomed to failure on our unsealed roads, and braking systems that just didn’t meet the requirements of the Australian Design Rules.

Obviously more than a couple of manufacturers offshore have since realised the potential in the Australian market and more recently made some pretty serious attempts to ‘Australian-ise’ their product to better suit what we hold near and dear.

Britain’s Elddis is one of these companies and the Buccaneer Clipper is a prime example of what can be done to appease the fussy Aussie caravanner.

SUPER STRONG

The 20ft 10in (internal length), tandem axle Clipper sports a slick GRP finish on a super structure claimed by the manufacturer to be the strongest available. In fact, it claims it’s 10 times stronger than previous construction methods.

The joins in the panelling are bonded together with a tongue-and-groove-style system. They’re then resin filled to a make an impervious barrier to water ingress as well as limit transfer of stresses and strains over a wider area.

Obviously this is something we couldn’t put to the test but we were advised that the superstructure is designed to take three feet of snow on top without any breach to its integrity. Only time will tell and some seriously foul weather we suppose!

Close scrutiny showed neatly finished moulded joints anywhere two or more panels met so we have no doubts at this point about the manufacturer’s claims as to its waterproofing.

The Clipper’s floor is multi ply with a GRP (fibreglass) skin protecting it from external elements.

The suspension spring system is similar to the Al-Ko system where a swinging arm stub is inserted into the end of the cross axle and rubber grommets block the corners, so the stub works against the grommets. With the lack of springs, hangers, roller-rocker assemblies and the like excess weight has been done away with and the system simplified immensely.

The coupling system utilises a Winterhoff stabiliser hitch which features friction pads that tension on the tow ball when the tension lever is closed to secure hitch to ball. This system takes the place of typical anti sway bars and features replaceable pads. The only question mark would be the lifespan of these pads and their replacement costs.

The Clipper is fitted with a BPW Swing V-tec chassis which has the wheel assemblies trailing behind the centre of their respective axle to increase stability and reduce sway. For Australia, the chassis has been strengthened and raised 90mm for greater clearance on our undulating byways.

The iDC (intelligent Drive Control) is a system that has a sensor in the back axle assembly and can brake a wheel singularly to pull a swaying van out of its swing and bring it back under control.

Most British vans, and an increasing number of Australian vans are now fitted with stability control systems, and having seen them work in practice they’re a potential rig (and life) saver.

BRITISH CHARM

Like most British vans, the four-berth Clipper’s interior is open, airy and inviting. The front lounge area seats six comfortably and converts to a double bed by pulling out a set of mattress slats with the cupboard unit against the front wall remaining a fixture.

This unit also serves as a coffee table to the lounge or a bedside cabinet to the made-up bed but with the top folded out the comfortable lounge turns to a dining affair.

Plenty of natural light seeps into this area, thanks to a large bubble window centrally located in the front wall, with a tall narrow version each side open to the fresh air. The windows are fitted with insect screens as well as block out blinds.

Adding to the ventilation is a very large roof hatch, connected to a rain sensor, so it will electronically close of its own accord if it starts to drizzle.

Stylish cupboards surround the top front and side walls and storage areas found below the lounge bases are also accessible from the outside of the van via a hatch each side.

The fixed furniture around the top edges of the van have convex fascias so there’s less likelihood of knocking a head when moving around the dining table.

Hinges on these doors and others throughout the Clipper are sprung for easy opening and closing. Adding to their durability is the fact they’re manufactured from steel rather than plastic or one of the more common composites we see these days.

The kitchen unit is situated against the offside wall opposite the entrance door and consists of a convection oven and griller. There’s also a separate duel fuel hob with three gas burners and an electric element secreted under a glass bench lid.

The single bowl sink has an integrated draining board and is fitted with a flick mixer tap.

For extracting kitchen smells there’s a ventilation window in the splashback as well as a multi speed omnivent above.

The kitchen’s end has a curve to the wall module in which a wine rack is built at head height, while the other side holds a flexible, flatscreen TV mount that services both the sleeping quarters and lounge/kitchen area.

Directly opposite a floor-to-ceiling module hosts a 189 litre fridge/freezer above which is an 800W microwave.

DRY WARM AIR THROUGHOUT

With this layout, the two single beds are built on boxes accessible by lifting the mattress as well as from a hatch on each side, in the outside wall.

Inside one of the boxes are the elements for the convection heating system. Glycol filled, the elements run on gas or electricity and surround the inside of the van for even heating throughout.

The heat vents are located below the window sills and near floor level under the towel rack in the bathroom, so wet towels can dry quickly.

The door in the wood panelling at the end of the twin bedroom opens to a surprisingly large bathroom with plenty of storage cupboard space under the modern vanity basin and above in overhead compartments.

There’s also a wardrobe in the bathroom, opposite the toilet bowl, but you have to wonder about humidity and how it might affect any clothes hung inside.

The toilet is a ceramic bowl type and features an electronic flush system, while the shower cubicle has an adjustable rose and is finished with a classy tile effect.

ON THE ROAD

Hitching the Elddis behind a diesel Mitsubishi Pajero, we took it for a run on a fairly bump patch of surfaced road and then some smooth bitumen. It towed extremely well and even a sharp wrenching of the wheel failed to get the caravan into any sort of sway at all.

It also tracked well during fast cornering which may well be due to the overriding influence of the iDC system.

Certainly those daunted by the conglomeration of bars, levers and chains usually employed to reduce sway will appreciate the clutter free aspect of the hitch area.

VERDICT 

Spec-for-spec the Buccaneer is not the cheapest British van on the market (as reviewed it came in at $71,500), but it still provides decent value in today's economic climate.

However, like its compatriots it does offer solid, lightweight construction that allows it to be towed by a variety of medium-duty tow vehicles.  

A bit of unsealed and plenty of tar road and you will have a good home-away-from-home with this one.

ELDDIS BUCCANEER CLIPPER

Berths: four
Overall length: 8.05m (26ft 5in) 
Internal length: 6.34m (20ft 10in)        
External width: 2.3 m (7ft 6in)        
Internal height: 1.95m (6ft 5in)       
Nameplate tare: 1724 kg     
Nameplate ATM: 2090 kg    
Ball weight: 110 kg
Body: fibreglass composite
Frame: timber 
Chassis:  BPW steel
Suspension:  independent swing arm style with shock absorbers
Cooktop: Thetford gas/electric
Fridge: Thetford 189 litre three-way 
Air-con: Truma roof-mounted
Heating: Alde convention gas/electric
Gas:  2 x 9kg bottles        
Freshwater: 100 litres         
Price: $71,900
Supplied by: Elite RV, Gold Coast, Queensland
More info: Elddis UK