"Why self publish?" I asked when I first met Collyn and a very straightforward reply came back, "So I keep control and make sure everything is accurate. Also I can run off very small print runs and update them as Australian standards and other matters change". So all that makes very good sense, especially after you have spent some time just sitting in the back of Collyn's OKA with several stubbies for company over a couple of hours, as I did one afternoon at the CMCA Barcaldine Rally.

To say Collyn calls a spade a spade is an understatement - he calls it a bloody shovel in no uncertain terms! But it is this sort of directness and total lack of facade, that makes him an even more interesting personality. There is no misunderstanding his opinions on any subject. Ask any question and be prepared for a very definite well researched response.

Whether it is a fault or a strength, Collyn will tell you exactly what you want to know, like what any supplier or manufacturer is doing right or wrong -- and then back his statement with the facts. During his talk at the Rally. we learnt for example that 5 minutes of microwave operation will take 4 HOURS to recharge your battery due to the amount of current being drawn. The sales of his new Motorhomes Electric book spoke volumes for the desire of both men and women CMCA members to gain this in-depth knowledge.

Without prompting, many of those who attended all the technical talks voted Collyn's the most comprehensive. Most also nominated him as the most knowledgeable speaker, able to answer so many queries from the audience straight off the top of his head.

Bertha is Collyn and Maarit's trusty OKA four-wheel-drive all-terrain truck/motorhome. She safely rumbled from Broome to Barcaldine straight through the centre of Australia in just five days - and back in four and a half.