RV News & Notes: October 2007

Jayco Celebrates 40th Anniversary

Jayco Inc., touted as the largest privately owned RV manufacturer in North America, will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2008.

The company, which began on a farm in Middlebury, Indiana, in 1968, initially produced a single-model fold-down camper with the help of 15 employees. Today Jayco operates manufacturing plants in Middlebury and Twin Falls, Idaho, building several types of RVs under 15 different brand names, and employing more than 1,700 people. In addition, Jayco has a distribution network consisting of more than 300 dealers in the United States and Canada.

“We believe two main things have been keys to our success,” said Wilbur Bontrager, the company’s chairman and chief executive officer, whose father began Jayco. “Our commitment to building high-quality RVs and the company culture that has continued to honor our founding values despite our massive growth.”

Jayco has plans for several 40th anniversary events that will be held in appreciation for dealer and customer support throughout the past four decades. The company kicked off the celebration at its annual Dealer Homecoming meeting July 16 through 18, 2007, in Hampton, Virginia.

Backroads of Ohio bookThe charm of Amish country, the rich tradition of river towns, the beauty of Cleveland’s emerald necklace “” these and more unfold in Backroads of Ohio ($21.95, Voyageur Press), a colorful guide to the Buckeye State by Miriam Carey, illustrated with photography by Ian Adams.

Ideal for a day trip or a weekend getaway, for visitors and adventurous residents alike, this guidebook explores the state’s most secluded areas and history-steeped sites via 21 scenic drives. From the Lake Erie shoreline to a 400-mile stretch of the Ohio River, from the Appalachian foothills to the rolling farmlands in the west, Ohio encompasses a varied patchwork of natural wonders and intriguing rural communities. This book reveals the state’s hidden corners, rife with castles, caves, tall churches, and covered bridges.

Backroads of Ohio is available at bookstores, through online booksellers, or from Voyageur Press at (800) 458-0454; www.voyageurpress.com.

National RV recently developed a telescoping slideout for the bedroom areas of select Sea Breeze gasoline-powered type A motorhomes. The company has a patent pending on the technology for the TeleSlide, said to be the only one of its kind in the industry.

“The TeleSlide utilizes a dual-mechanism telescoping system, and essentially is a slide within a slide,” said John Millis, director of product planning. “It can be extended one or two stages, so you have more flexibility for various outside space allowances.”

When fully extended, the TeleSlide provides nearly 10 more square feet of living space than other bed slideout systems. Four heavy-duty ball-bearing guides provide easy extension and retraction. In addition, it comes with a cedar-lined pull-out chest at the foot of the bed that provides almost four cubic feet of additional storage space.

Mr. Millis said the company is devising ways to apply the TeleSlide technology to other parts of the RV. “It shouldn’t be tied to just a bedroom,” he said. “We’re looking at how to bring it to the living room, dining room, and anywhere else that it can be of benefit to the RVer.”

The bedroom TeleSlide and cedar chest are optional features on 2007 Sea Breeze 32B, 34C, and 37D models. National RV plans to offer the TeleSlide on additional 2008 models.

Tiffin Motorhomes, a manufacturer of gasoline- and diesel-powered type A motorhomes, based in Red Bay, Alabama, has begun manufacturing its own chassis, the PowerGlide, for use on some of its new 2008 motorhomes.

The PowerGlide chassis initially will be offered on 2008 Allegro Bus diesel-pusher models. The new chassis features a 425-horsepower Cummins ISL 8.9-liter diesel engine that is capable of developing 1,200 pound-feet of torque. The engine is mated to an Allison 3000 MH six-speed automatic transmission with two overdrive gears and an electronic keypad shifter with digital readout. The PowerGlide also is equipped with full air brakes with automatic slack adjusters and four-wheel antilock brakes; a Jacobs compression engine brake; a direct-driven cooling system with a two-speed clutch; and a Vansco fully multiplexed electrical system with auto-reset fuses to help reduce the number of wires that travel the length of the chassis. The chassis, which has a gross vehicle weight rating of 35,600 pounds and a gross combination weight rating of 45,600 pounds, is built on a raised-rail huck-bolted frame with low-profile engine mounting and features a 55-degree wheel cut.

To accommodate production of the new chassis, Tiffin built and renovated production and warehousing facilities at its Red Bay facility. Gary Harris, manager of the PowerGlide assembly operation, said that the company’s goal is to produce six chassis a day. Tiffin’s current overall production is 13 motorhomes a day.

For more information about Tiffin Motorhomes and the new PowerGlide chassis, visit www.tiffinmotorhomes.com or call (256) 356-8661.

The Hiking Trails of Florida’s National Forests, Parks, and PreservesHikers, vacationers, outdoor enthusiasts, and wildlife watchers who want to plan and execute their own Florida adventures will discover some of the best places to enjoy nature in the second edition of The Hiking Trails of Florida’s National Forests, Parks, and Preserves ($16.95, University Press of Florida).

Authors Johnny Molloy and Sandra Friend explore the trails of Florida to provide readers with a guide to hiking in more than 2 million acres of federally owned wilderness. These areas contain some of the Sunshine State’s most spectacular scenery “” from pristine beaches and emerald oceans to towering pine forests and sparkling spring-fed lakes.

Illustrated with photographs by the authors, this guide describes every marked and maintained trail in Florida’s national forests, parks, and preserves. Each description contains a profile of the path, detailing and rating its condition, length, and difficulty, and describing the highlights and hazards of the trail. Profiles also give trailhead directions, trail connections, and hiking season information, followed by a running narrative describing what hikers can expect to see and experience on the trails. This updated edition covers large and small changes in the trails since 2000, most notably the new western corridor of the Florida Trail through Ocala National Forest, and the storm-driven changes to some trails. Also included is a new section on Canaveral National Seashore.

The Hiking Trails of Florida’s National Forests, Parks, and Preserves can be purchased at bookstores, through online booksellers, or from the publisher at (800) 226-3822; www.upf.com.