Base Camp Trailer Design

[gww25]

I’m contemplating a new build for what I call a small ‘Base Camp’ trailer that I can haul into the mountains for some extended trailer camping. Like most folks I want all of the amenities of a 20-foot, 3500-pound trailer squished down into a 10-foot trailer that only weighs 1500-pounds. This trailer will serve as a base camp for groups of tent-campers and provides housing for the guides that normally number two but on some occasions can be four depending upon particular sites.

The specific criteria for this dream design is:

Maximum width – 80â€

[Woodbutcher]

This is a very aggressive plan. So many things need to be crammed into a small space. This may be why you have not gotten any responses. I would look into an aluminum cargo trailer to start with. Maybe the guys over in the cargo conversion area could start you off. Once you have a basic plan I think more people could help you tweek it.

[Yota Bill]

since it is going to be used for longer periods at a time, yo could handle a bit more work for set up and tear down. I would be looking into making things like the galley, wood heater, solar panels, etc. something that just stores in the trailr and can be removed and setup outside when base camp is set up.

[gww25]

I used to build cargo trailers so my first instinct was to do exactly as suggested. The following sketch show the initial space planning for building just a big box for the project.

[gww25]

For a cargo type solution this would have worked but when I put together the weight estimate the 'big-box' design came in around 2600 pounds dry and I wanted something considerably lighter. To drop some weight I just started cutting surface area where interior height wasn't important.
This ended up creating a military looking multi-faceted box but it did drop the weight by about 250 pounds.

[gww25]

When I first started looking at designs the two that looked like I could use them were the old 1940 'Terra-Cruiser' and the 'Widget'. The Cruiser was to large and the Widget was a little to small. In the end I just kind of melded the two design together and came up with this preliminary concept.

[robertaw]

I want all of the amenities of a 20-foot, 3500-pound trailer squished down into a 10-foot trailer that only weighs 1500-pounds.

Sounds just like my pop-up.

I have a furnace, but don't think I'd want to get a wood stove too close to my vinyl tenting.

[Craig McCormick]

Hmmm, I had a wood burning heater in my 1938 Travelo. It was wonderful!

AZCRAIG

[gww25]

I’ve had all kinds of heaters on boats in the past including kerosene, propane, wood and charcoal and the wood or charcoal is by far the best as far as heat output goes.

[gww25]

I'm still working on the profile, trying to cut down on surface areas as much as possible to save some weight without cutting into people-space. This is the lastest version so far.

[jandmz]

If you put one of your beds along an outside wall, you could open up the outside wall underneath the bed and put a slide out galley in the space under the bed. That way that bit of floor space does double duty.

[gww25]

That's a great idea. One of the interior options I've been working on is bunk beds on the sidewall.