Sightseer floorplans

I posed this question on another forum but thought I would throw it out here as well.

My wife and I are in the very preliminary stages of our search for a motorhome (probably a couple of years away). We are thinking of either a roughly five-year old DP or a new to very slightly used gas model, 36-feet or shorter so we can still enjoy Forest Service campgrounds and boondocking. Our short list currently has three brands on it: Newmar, Tiffin, and Winnebago.

One of the models I am looking at is the Sightseer, which seems to be a nice combination of amenities, features, and value. However, I have a question about the various Sightseer floor plans currently on the Winnebago website. The 30A and 35G both come standard with a regular-length queen bed, while the 33C has the shorter queen. I like the 33C floor plan aside from the shorter bed, but that bed would likely be a deal breaker. While I know the floor plan drawings are not necessarily to scale, the bedroom slides on the 30A and 33C appear to be roughly the same depth, and it appears there would be enough space for a full-length queen bed in 33C. So my question is: why didn't they do so? Would it be possible to add a full-length queen mattress after the fact to existing bed structure?

One other question about the 33C: it has a longer (perhaps not quite full-length) slide on the driver's side. Have there been any structural or stability issues with those slides? I ask because I have read elsewhere some concerns about the structural integrity of full-length slides in general. Thanks for any input.

It may not be obvious from floor plans but beds in slide outs often have to tuck in under, say a set of drawers, on the side opposite the slide when closed. There may not be room in a given floor plan or furniture style for that. The actual height (thickness) of the bed is another consideration.  Slides on a motor home are usually no more than about 24" deep whereas in a 5th wheel they can be much deeper. Mine are close to 3.5 feet. On my unit, I have to remove or pull back the memory foam toppers in order to close the slide properly

Alfa38User said:

It may not be obvious from floor plans but beds in slide outs often have to tuck in under, say a set of drawers, on the side opposite the slide when closed. There may not be room in a given floor plan or furniture style for that. The actual height (thickness) of the bed is another consideration.  Slides on a motor home are usually no more than about 24" deep whereas in a 5th wheel they can be much deeper. Mine are close to 3.5 feet. On my unit, I have to remove or pull back the memory foam toppers in order to close the slide properly

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True, although the slides on our current 5th wheel are fairly shallow. From the floor plan images on Winnebago's website, it appears that the wardrobe/ dresser opposite the bed is more shallow than that in the 30C, which is another reason I posed the question.

Walt H said:

.. the bedroom slides on the 30A and 33C appear to be roughly the same depth, and it appears there would be enough space for a full-length queen bed in 33C. So my question is: why didn't they do so? Would it be possible to add a full-length queen mattress after the fact to existing bed structure?

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You could ask Winnie Owner Relations - they can probably access engineering drawings assuming you can't find that floor plan and do some measuring

One other question about the 33C: it has a longer (perhaps not quite full-length) slide on the driver's side. Have there been any structural or stability issues with those slides? I ask because I have read elsewhere some concerns about the structural integrity of full-length slides in general.

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There were lots of concerns when full wall slides first hit the marketplace, I for one was a skeptic.  The only recurring Winnebago problem I have ever heard about really isn't about the slide length per say but the Lippert slide mechanism (on those units with that mechanism) - apparently Lippert is still working out some engineering issues.

If you want a Class A/B/C for almost any non-commercial campground, then <= 26' is the golden number.  Once you get into the 30s, options get limited but if you have a fiver now, you are probably well aware of this.

Please test drive a diesel pusher - that might seal the deal for what you want to buy  .  You are focused on the big three from my perspective - Newmar, Tiffen, Winnebago, they all make great products.  What sold me on Winnebago since I'm a bit of a DIY type was the availability of electrical/plumbing/whatever drawings for download.  Love that.

We're lucky in that we have local dealers for all three, although the Newmar dealer just recently acquired the line and doesn't have many of the various models on their lot yet. We're unlucky in that the local Winnebago dealer is a Camping World, and neither my wife nor I likes what we feel to be their higher pressure sales approach. However, they do seem to have all three models (if their website is to be believed), so it sounds like a recon mission is in order. 

Because we like dry camping, we want to stay under 36-feet, another reason gas coaches have re-entered the mix. That and, of course, money. I figured we could buy an older DP or a new or year old gas coach for perhaps around the same ballpark amount.

We love our 2011 33C but as mentioned above the bedroom slide closes against the closet drawers on the driver's side. I do not think it would be possible to install a longer mattress. I for one am not tall at 5"10". I like to let my toes hang over the mattress when sleeping on my stomach so the length doesn't bother me. We replaced the OEM mattress with an aftermarket foam unit from Mattress Insider, it is 72" by 75"

The large slide has not been any kind of problem and from what I've heard I'm glad we do not have the Lippert mechanism that is installed on the newer units.

Walt, I have a 2012 33C. I believe 2012 was the first year that Sightseer's came out with 22 1/2 inch tires and the option of MCD screens & shades.  It is 34 1/2 foot long. Mine has a king bed but I believe both the king and queen are the same length -- 75 inches. The mattress does touch the wardrobe with the slide in so a longer mattress is not an option.However, a queen could be pulled away from the slide wall a few inches to make it sleep longer. I'm six foot tall and it isn't necessary for me. The bedroom has a window rather than a headboard and this is a deal breaker for some who often read in bed.

I don't have any Lippert slides and wouldn't buy a MH with them until they solve their problems. The drivers slide (a short full wall slide in a 33C) works great and seems solid. Two of my large slides come with electric slide locks and the smaller bedroom slide does not.

Mine came with the air bed (forget the formal name) in the salon. I hated it as a couch and sold it within a couple of months of the initial MH purchase. If you need a second sleeping area it is a wonderful bed but a lousy sitter.

I travel single and probably wouldn't have bought the 33C if I traveled with a partner because of lack of interior storage. It doesn't have overhead cabinets along the drivers side because of the 42 inch TV and I lost the storage built into the couch/air bed.

Some mods you may consider if they haven't been done:
I changed the converter toa Progressive Dynamics 60 amp, three-stage with equalizer;
I also installed a hard wire surge protector in the water bay, cut and added a plug to the 50 amp shore cable and store the cable in a different compartment;
I will change the king mattress to a queen because of lack of room on the sides;
I added an automatic dish to the roof and DirecTV;
And, a few other small ones.

I think it is a great MH but maybe not one to full-time in although I spend four months snow birding in the winter and three months up north in the summer.

BTW, I was considering the 30A but thought I should tour a 33C before getting serious. Bought mine new in August 2012.

Thanks for all of the input, especially the suggestion to slide the mattress away from the bedroom slide wall. That definitely could work.

With regard to the Lippert slides, does Winnebago use them on all its models? If so, what year did that start? (It sounds like maybe 2013 or 2014 where the Sightseer is concerned. Does that sound about right?)

Quillback 424, thanks for the additional input regarding full-timing. That is part of the plan, and whatever rig we end up with would likely be the one we begin that chapter of our lives with. We do not want to go more than about 36-feet in order to allow for greater flexibility in where we can go. It also looks like the new 33C floor plan does have some additional interior storage (if I read the image on the Winnebago website correctly). I also do like the 35G floor plan, but it is pushing the top end length-wise at 36-feet, five inches. I'm also intrigued by the Forza 34T, although it would likely be a bit outside our budget or at least our comfort zone.

Walt H said:

Thanks for all of the input, especially the suggestion to slide the mattress away from the bedroom slide wall. That definitely could work.

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Keep a couple of pieces of foam to stick between the wall and the mattress when it's pulled out and in use, put the pillows on top of the foam and you won't even know it's not a regular size mattress.

Wendy said:

Keep a couple of pieces of foam to stick between the wall and the mattress when it's pulled out and in use, put the pillows on top of the foam and you won't even know it's not a regular size mattress.

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I seem to recall coming across that tip somewhere before. I'll have to keep that one on file.

Walt H said:

..
With regard to the Lippert slides, does Winnebago use them on all its models? If so, what year did that start? ..

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Not sure.  You might get some ideas if you search the Winnebago board with the search term Schwintek - there is at least one long thread about the issues.

John Canfield said:

Not sure.  You might get some ideas if you search the Winnebago board with the search term Schwintek - there is at least one long thread about the issues.

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Thanks. I'll take a look around.