Morocco trip extra kit - do we really need it?

Skinboy

Skinboy

Joined
Oct 3, 2023
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Buckingham, UK
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99,191
MH
VW Crafter CR35 LWB
Exp
Several years under the belt....
Hi all,
We are off to Morocco for a couple of months in mid Feb and I was wondering if I need to upgrade my van with a couple of bits of extra kit like:

Set of 2 Recovery boards - useful for getting out of sand traps etc.
An undertray for the engine - to prevent any stone damage.

I never want to find myself in trouble because of lack of kit but on the other hand, I dont want to take anything for no reason that adds additional weight. Im sure Im over thinking things (as usual) but interested in other folks opinions.

Thanks
 
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We carried " recovery boards" ( bread crate type)but never needed them . All the places we stayed at were firm and dry. We didn't do any desert areas though.. as for under sump protection . Never even considered it. Roads are as good as the uk in most places. Never had a stone issue.There was only one place we crossed a washed out road on pebbles but not enough to reach the engine parts..
Personally I wouldn't bother unless you are going cross country or off road. 👍

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Waffle boards are now a permanent item in the garage and that‘s just for Europe.
 
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I took a tag axle around Morocco and some roads many wouldn't take.

Bit I still never required any extra kit.
 
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I have needed recovery boards twice in all my visits to Morocco. Both times after extremely heavy rain had turned sand into very viscous mud.
But I didn’t have any!
First time Had to let air out of the tyres and enlist the help of half a dozen Froggies to depart from a campsite.
Second time was at Taghazoute beach when i was pulling into position and got stuck. As it wasn’t a bad spot we just stayed for a week until the sand dried out. Even then I was struggling in a front wheel drive van until a Kiwi friend said to try reverse. The van fairly shot out!
 
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Skinboy said:
Hi all,
We are off to Morocco for a couple of months in mid Feb and I was wondering if I need to upgrade my van with a couple of bits of extra kit like:

Set of 2 Recovery boards - useful for getting out of sand traps etc.
An undertray for the engine - to prevent any stone damage.

I never want to find myself in trouble because of lack of kit but on the other hand, I dont want to take anything for no reason that adds additional weight. Im sure Im over thinking things (as usual) but interested in other folks opinions.

Thanks
Click to expand...
I have 4 boards.
They are velcroed to the bike rack
I travel with them all over Europe,
Only ever needed them in the UK
They got used 3 times in 2023!
One of which was to help extract the mini-tractor which had sunk to it's axels in the mud.
 
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scotjimland said:
I would add..

take plenty of pens, and paper for the kids, .. they will ask for 'stylos' (French for pens)
Click to expand...
They really don't need them any more. Free schooling for all children now and it's 7 days a week. They don't need pens and crayons anymore. (y)
 
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Ok all good as advice and here's another newbie question:

What about tyre temperatures and tyre thermo reflective socks? Seen them down in southern med often enough on parked up motorhomes...do we need those too? And what is an acceptable tyre temperature anyway?
 
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Skinboy said:
Ok all good as advice and here's another newbie question:

What about tyre temperatures and tyre thermo reflective socks? Seen them down in southern med often enough on parked up motorhomes...do we need those too? And what is an acceptable tyre temperature anyway?
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Honestly you don't need half that stuff. Just go and enjoy it with what you already have.
 
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We have some but again didn't need them. The odd time we were in full sun we were not sideways on so didn't bother. This time of year thers is not that much " hot" sun anyway.

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I worked in Algeria some years ago in Bechar. As it is at the start of the rougher roads heading off into the desert there were several roadside workshops fabricating and fitting sump bash plates. I saw several French motorhomes and off road vehicles being sorted. I assume the same can be found in Morocco. Ask around when you get there.
 
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Skinboy said:
Hi all,
We are off to Morocco for a couple of months in mid Feb and I was wondering if I need to upgrade my van with a couple of bits of extra kit like:

Set of 2 Recovery boards - useful for getting out of sand traps etc.
An undertray for the engine - to prevent any stone damage.

I never want to find myself in trouble because of lack of kit but on the other hand, I dont want to take anything for no reason that adds additional weight. Im sure Im over thinking things (as usual) but interested in other folks opinions.

Thanks
Click to expand...
We ve been to Morocco 5 times now, driven on piste roads etc. As long as you dont go outside the stones shouldn't be a problem, but even if there will usually be someonecaround to help you out, The Moroccans are marvellously resourceful.

I would focus on a plan for power requirements, I choose to have a lot of solar and an ext bbq point but much has been written about other solutions.
 
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jongood said:
We ve been to Morocco 5 times now, driven on piste roads etc. As long as you dont go outside the stones shouldn't be a problem, but even if there will usually be someonecaround to help you out, The Moroccans are marvellously resourceful.

I would focus on a plan for power requirements, I choose to have a lot of solar and an ext bbq point but much has been written about other solutions.
Click to expand...
Thats great advice jongood. We have 350W of solar and 235 aH battery, 11kgs of gas and BBQ point, so all good. I quite like the idea of some Moroccan custom additions on the road! We'll come back looking like the A Team's van 😁
 
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Skinboy said:
Thats great advice jongood. We have 350W of solar and 235 aH battery, 11kgs of gas and BBQ point, so all good. I quite like the idea of some Moroccan custom additions on the road! We'll come back looking like the A Team's van 😁
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All good but be careful with their ehu. Voltage is very unstable can easily kill fridges and chargers.
 
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jongood said:
All good but be careful with their ehu. Voltage is very unstable can easily kill fridges and chargers.
Click to expand...

Fitting a Sollatek AVS30 a good idea then?

www.sollatek.com

AVS30 - Max 30amps Voltage Protection - Sollatek

AVS30 - Complete power protection device combining over voltage, under voltage, powerback surges/spikes protection.
www.sollatek.com www.sollatek.com

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Skinboy said:
We have a Victron DC to DC converter that does the job 👍
Click to expand...

jongood said:
I'm struggling to see how a B2B will protect your fridge and chargers from surges and drop from Moroccan ehu.
Click to expand...

Same here. On EHU won’t the onboard DC to DC have no influence on the fluctuations and surges of the incoming AC?
 
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jongood said:
I'm struggling to see how a B2B will protect your fridge and chargers from surges and drop from Moroccan ehu.
Click to expand...
Sorry, should have said Victron 3000w Inverter that has built in protection of interior 12V circuits
 
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Skinboy said:
Sorry, should have said Victron 3000w Inverter that has built in protection of interior 12V circuits
Click to expand...

Does it offer any protection to all the onboard electrical installation and components from over/under voltages or surges on the incoming 240v hook up though?
 
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