So, you’ve officially joined the wonderful world of Minnesota RVing . Now that you have the RV, you look the part. The question is, do you sound like the part? As with most hobbies or lifestyles, the RV world has it’s own form of jargon. So before you head out in your new or used RV, take a quick lesson in RV terminology to help you communicate with fellow RVers along the way.
Let’s start with a few RV terms you should be familiar with.
Fiver – Another name for a fifth-wheel RV.
Hula Skirt – A skirt placed on the back bumper of a motorhome to stop debris that is thrown from the rear wheels from damaging vehicles behind the motorhome, either the vehicle you are towing or other vehicles behind the motorhome.
Dually – A pickup truck, or light-duty tow vehicle, with four tires on one rear axle.
Boondocking – Also known as dry camping, boondocking refers to camping without any hook-ups, namely camping without hooking up to any electric, sewer or water facilities. You can still have electric from your RV batteries and water from your freshwater holding tank.
Basement – The storage area below the floor of the RV, accessible from the outside. Basement storage usually refers to storage in a Class-A or Class-C motorhome.
Dinghy – The term for a vehicle that you are towing with your motorhome. It is also known as a Toad.
Now let’s switch gears a little bit and talk about RV grammar. One of the most common mistakes I hear first-time RVers make is calling their RV a mobile home or Winnebago.
Winnebago is actually an RV brand. If you’ve mistakenly called an RV a Winnebago, don’t beat yourself up too badly. This little mess-up is similar to people calling all types of soda a “coke” or any type of tissue a “Kleenex”. Back in the 1970s, the travel trailer maker Winnebago introduced an affordable, mass-produced, self-powered recreation vehicle. Given their massive headstart, people naturally began calling all motorhomes a Winnebago.
As an RVer, it’s also important to know the difference between “mobile home” and “motor home. This is an easy one to remember. Motor homes have engines… hence the name motor. A mobile home has no engine, no steering wheel, etc.
So Minnesota, after my quick little lesson in RV jargon, do you think you’re ready to hit the road and meet some fellow RV enthusiasts? Sure you are! If you’re looking for some more technical terminology, you can always swing by one of Pleasureland RV’s four Minnesota locations. Our experts will be more than happy to help.
