New from East Central Florida

[Trebor English]

Thank you Mike for this fantastic resource.

I was lurking here a year ago and got mired in analysis paralysis. I was looking under my Ford Windstar to make sure there would be no problem installing a hitch when I realized that I had an RV right there. The rear hatch opens up and leaks a little bit. Both sides have doors that leak a bit less. It is a 2 seater cab with a teardrop attached.

With the analysis paralysis broken I bought some stuff and gathered up some stuff from the garage and put it in the back of the mini van. Dear Wife prefers to fly to the destination and stay at the Double Tree Suites on the 8th floor overlooking the ocean, waking up to the sound of the waves gently breaking on the beach. I offered to bring her with me but she declined to go in my minimal RV. I can understand that.

I live in central Florida and have a son who lives in Tucson. I set off for a trip. I visited in Tucson on the way out and on the way back. I stayed a couple of weeks on BML desert south of Quartzsite, AZ. When I got to the desert it rained for three days. It was a good opportunity to test my set up.

I decided that the galley out the back wasn't what I wanted. I rearranged the "furniture" so that I could make coffee in the morning without going out into the rain. The oil change drain pan worked fine as a grey water tank and sink combination. The Lugabale Loo worked ok but there wasn't enough headroom to sit up straight. I used a swimming pool chlorine tablet bucket because the lid screws on air tight. The Mr Heater Little Buddy was good but more heat than I needed. It puts out a lot of water vapor and steams up the windows. Now I know better what I want and what I don't want.

[Trebor English]

I have a quandry.
I really like the side indoor/outdoor kitchen of the Glen-L Sequoia. The large awning looks like a good start but a big tarp awning will be necessary to have a weather protected area outside. https://www.glen-l.com/campers/sequoia.html

Andrew Gibbens' Wanderer 10 looks like it might work for everything I want and is the best under 2000 pound compromise. http://tnttt.com/Design_Library/The%20W ... d%2010.htm

The Tim Lemke Vardo has the upper half built of reflectix and a tarp. That does cut the weight substantially. According to my spread sheet a 10 foot version could be made and outfitted for about 775 pounds using the wood box as the frame. Including the Harbor freight frame makes it 835 pounds and a few inches higher. The big wood pieces, the floor and 1x12 sides, are 3/4" foam and 1/4" plywood sandwich to get the weight down. http://www.amvardo.com

I think my favorite is the dropped floor in the back of the Tin Stream but the whole thing is way too big and heavy. http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?p=170832

To accommodate Dear Wife I think a 2KW quiet inverter/generator, small microwave, tiny refrigerator, and air conditioner will be a good start. She is only 5' 2" (157 cm) tall so the standing height of any of the above TTT will be good enough. To keep the trailer weight down the tow vehicle can carry the generator.

To keep it simple, I prefer having the trailer light enough, < 33% TV weight, to not really need brakes. A couple of states have a 40% limit. With my Windstar a 1000 pound trailer is 20%. If the hitch ball is low and the trailer mass is low and concentrated around the axle and the trailer is relatively long I think it will tow well.