by eamarquardt » Sat Nov 07, 2009 6:18 am
I haven't done a lot of teardropping yet but I used to own a tent trailer and did a fair amount of crusing in the Channel Islands in our 38 foot sloop. Based on this experience:
Meals are fun and a major focus of the day.
So based upon my experience this is what I want:
1) A real reefer to keep some things cold and fresh w/o buying ice.
Solution: three way reefer (not having the weight of ice partially
offsets the weight)
2) A real oven to bake homemade pizza, bread, baked apples, etc..
Solution: Small rv range/oven (not really that heavy)
3) I like doing dishes in HOT water. I (but more importantly #1 wife)
MUST have a hot shower (unless swimming in fresh water) once a day
to feel civilized.
Solution: BIG pressure cooker to do duty as a dishpan. If the water
gets cold, put it on a burner and heat it up even with dirty dishes
inside. For showers, fill with approximately 3 gallons of water, heat to
perfect temperature, put lid on, pressurize with a bit of compressed air
from on board air compressor, and you have a nice Navy shower. See
album for pics.
4) Water distribution. Hand pumps are a pain. Need fresh water supply.
Solution: 20 gallon on board tank, shurflo on demand pump, only
outlet is a kitchen type sprayer (with valve to meter flow for low flow
for rinsing off clean dishes). Also a y valve so you can suck water
out of 5 gallon plastic jerry cans or use camp water from hose hook
up. NO built in sink. Nothing but a pain.
5) I hate cleaning up confined spaces with all the nooks and crannies.
Solution: Detachable table off the tear with portable (high output)
burner on it. Most cooking and dishwashing is done here (not on
range top in galley) . Propane hose from galley to burner located on
this table.
6) Small stainless steel BBQ where most meat and a lot of vegtables are
prepared.
Although the air compressor and water pump will require some dc, experience has proven that they are not major drains on the battery due to the short amout of time they run. Solar panel should provide all the dc needed.
There you have it, camping on a small scale with all the comforts of home.
Cheers,
Gus
The opinions in this post are my own. My comments are directed to those that might like an alternative approach to those already espoused.There is the right way,the wrong way,the USMC way, your way, my way, and the highway.
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