My take on the 15' Caravan

[trccc]

I shared in another post that the Mechanix Illustrated Caravan was very close to what I had in my head. So I took that plan and tweaked a few things for my needs.
First, it needed to fit on a 6'6"x10'10" donor frame.
Second, I wanted the outside height to stay under 8' by an inch or two to fit into my garage.
Third, I wanted the inside height (at least at the dinette) to be at least 6' or more if possible. I managed 6'3" with a 2" thick ceiling.
Fourth - fixed bed, convertible dinette.

The overall trailer length is about identical. But the box is about 2' shorter and works with the existing cross members. I shortened the dinette but added width to the bed. I will have to angle or shorten the table to get into the seat beside the galley. But that should be okay. Then I took the overall difference out of the middle and tried to match up the end radii to still get an inch or two of front to rear slope in the roof. The walls will be thinner than the plans, and other than a line into the sink for city water and a hose out to a bucket, there will not be on board water. Of course there are a few windows and overhead cabinets. I know it's a bit crude, but gives me enough to start a model. Just as soon as we get back from a long weekend away for our 19th anniversary.

[jstrubberg]

Two issues I see, your entry door is going to be very narrow and that left hand dinette seat is going to be tough to get in and out of. You can fix the second problem by either putting the dinette table top on a slide or radiusing both he table edges and the countertop edge. Not sure what you can do about the first.

Also, it seems like your axle might be a bit too far forward. If you can slide that back a foot, you will get better towing manners and put your wheel wells under the bed where you don't have to build everything else around them.

[trccc]

Thanks for the feedback - it all helps!

There is clearance for a 24" door (actually closer to 28" believe it or not), but I am really on the fence about the closet. It seems to take up a lot of room without a whole lot of gain. The only plus would be to use it as a bathroom with a porti-potti or similar camping toilet. And I will definitely need to angle the table.

Not sure about the axle though - as this is a re-used trailer frame, moving it would be quite involved. Not that I disagree, pop ups always seem to have the axle very close to the center. But I did try to account for it by putting the galley over/just forward of the axle. My other concern with that part of it was more just being aware of putting too much weight in the storage area under the bed.

[len19070]

What you've designed is a 13' Scotty Wardrobe....the box being really 10' long, and yours, only longer at 15' long.
Your design answers a lot of problems.

First off it gives you the opportunity to have a Grown up bed, not the 48" ones the Scotty's had.

Second it gives you a usable galley. and third a wardrobe that you can actually use.

I wouldn't worry about the 24" door, 99% of all houses have a 24" bathroom door and I have never heard of anyone never being able to get into a Home Bathroom.

Look up "Scotty sportsman"



Forget the dinette in the rear, make the bed bigger and the Kitchen counter and the closet.

A young fella from Lancaster should know all about Scotty's
Happy Trails

Len

[Junkboy999]

Trcc

Not sure if you seen Doug’s Kamp King rebuild, but it is a beauty and is the same width but 2 foot shorter
than your planes. Page 7 and 8 show his table. Doug’s has a bigger radius on the galley side of this table.

Camp King rebuild

Keep up the good work.

[jstrubberg]

I wouldn't worry about the 24" door, 99% of all houses have a 24" door and I have never heard of anyone never being able to get into a Home Bathroom.

Interior doors in homes are typically 28", 30" or in a more modern house, 36". 24" is very narrow. RV doors are typically 26" to 31" depending on the model. Measure yourself across the shoulders, I think you might be surprised.

[len19070]

I wouldn't worry about the 24" door, 99% of all houses have a 24" Bathroom door and I have never heard of anyone never being able to get into a Home Bathroom.

Interior doors in homes are typically 28", 30" or in a more modern house, 36". 24" is very narrow. RV doors are typically 26" to 31" depending on the model. Measure yourself across the shoulders, I think you might be surprised.

Bathroom doors!

Happy Trails

Len