Buccaneer Clipper

Buccaneer Clippers are designed for discerning caravanners whose priorities are top quality rather than price or tow weight

Buccaneers have Alde central heating, as you’d expect at this price level. But you might not expect to be able to turn on your heating remotely – by text. Your text is received by a sim card in the caravan; you can turn the heating on before you return to your caravan after a day out, so that it’s warm when you arrive.
Buccaneers have inboard water tanks, iDC stability control and, in the twin-axle Clipper, there’s a giant fridge with separate freezer… These are top-spec caravans that cocoon you in quality and luxury. In the Clipper, nowhere is that better illustrated than in the enormous shower room that spans the width of the caravan behind its main layout feature, the twin beds.
 

Showering

At 1.3m by 1.07m the shower room floor area is one of the biggest in any caravan. The shower, on the nearside, measures 72cm in each direction. It has a grey tile-effect wall covering. And there’s one of the best towel rails we’ve ever seen, mounted near to the roof on the back wall. You can place one towel on it or, if you lift a cover, four separate rails are revealed.
Three more places for towels are on the back wall of the shower room – one rail and two hooks, and all three are directly above the outlet for the Alde heating system, so speedy drying is guaranteed.
On the nearside, the washbasin sits up above its cabinet, rather than being recessed into the top. It’s mid-grey in colour and, at a quick glance, looks indistinguishable from granite. Even the toilet has a surprise in store for you – the bowl is ceramic; Buccaneers are one of only a very few caravan ranges to have this type of Dometic toilet.
The wardrobe is in the shower room. It has two rails, one above the other, each with jacket-length hanging space. There is plenty of space at the bottom of this unit for shoes. A cluster of LED lights comes on automatically when you open the door.
 

Sleeping

Two fully domestic-sized single beds, each with deep mattresses – is this the perfect bed arrangement? An increasing number of people think so, which is why there are now single-bed layouts in all caravan price ranges.
An Avtex television comes with your Clipper; a mounting bracket is on the cabinet which divides the bed area from the kitchen. The bracket slides outwards, so you can swing the TV towards the lounge.
This is a lovely environment – and, if you pile on some extra cushions, you can turn your bedroom area into an additional place to put your feet up by day.
 

Storage

Six lockers around the lounge are deep and tall. Three have shelves; unusually, that includes the two across the front.
Four drawers make the central front unit one of the most capacious in caravans. Predictably, the twin beds give you good storage beneath, and the offside bed has an exterior hatch. Six lockers line the bedroom walls – overall, storage must be rated as excellent.
 

Dining

You have the usual two dining options – a small table pulling out from the chest of drawers or a larger table when you want to set out more elaborate meals.
Caravanners who are short in stature may find the height of the pull-out table slightly too high for comfortable eating. When you get out the freestanding table from its slot alongside the fridge, though, you’ll find it’s 4cm lower, making it a perfect height for most people.
 

Lounging

There’s an unusual feature in the front corners. On the offside is a USB charging point – designed for iPhones. There’s a recess here that’s the perfect dimension for an iPhone. On the nearside is a similarly-shaped unit, this time with a mains socket; that’s for your second iPhone!
The settees, at 1.69cm in length, aren’t the longest you’ll find, but they are among the most comfortable.
There’s a feature at roof level in the lounge that distinguishes Buccaneers from all other caravans. The lounge roof light closes automatically when it rains; a sensor detects rain and electronically closes the aperture.
 

Kitchen

The kitchen will stun you with its row of LED lights under the overhang of the work surface. Add this to the four LED clusters above the kitchen and two more at foot level, and you have a totally gorgeous lighting effect.
Kitchen storage is excellent. Two drawers and a cupboard are under the sink. A second cabinet juts out to form part of the room divider.
The fixed drainer takes up a lot of work space but there’s a pull-out section to compensate.
 

 
Towing

Buccaneers are equipped with iDC, the anti-snaking system from chassis manufacturer BPW. The Clipper’s twin-axle geometry makes it inherently stable, of course. On its test tow, its behaviour was predictably secure and straightforward.
 

The Buccaneer Clipper has a lovely ambiance – and top quality everywhere you look