Maiden voyage with the unnamed aluminum trailer

[jonnyo]

My family as growth with a 9 months old child, a big german shepherd!!! The tiny little teardrop trailer wasn't enough anymore. It took me a good 8 months of limited time to build this trailer new trailer. Goal was to have enough room for 2 kids, parents and a big dog...keeping it light to be tow by subaru forester or crosstrek and able to camp in winter condition!

we drove for about 1000miles in the past few days in the Canadian rockies. A night in Revelstoke and a few nights in Banff, Alberta! with the nights getting close to freezing temperature, it was the perfect test or the rig!


Towed 1000miles
avg 22MPG at around 50-60mph
Subaru forester as no problem pulling it in the biggest hills/pass maintaining 50mph
around 1000-1100lbs for the trailer.
Trailer is just over 6.6 feet tall from the ground so not too much higher than the tow vehicle.
Trailer all aluminum, bunk bed (not finish) 14 feet long by 6.5 feet wide. well insulated!


i was a little concern with my little girl been warm enough during the night in the low 30s.... we let her sleep with us in our queen size bed. Much warmer this way!

The rear kitchen isnt finish but i went for the ultra light and simple system. i love using those plastic bins as i can load them in the house and transfer them to the trailer. simple, quick, easy!




and for those that have camp in banff...village 1 campground is beautifull, lots of space and shade....







i have finish many part of it but it s in unsable condition. I have build a temporary crib for my thougher but she prefer the big adult bed!!!



now time to finish the millions of little details. I have to get ready for another 3 day weekend of camping. this time, it s daddy and daughter only for this trip!!!!

And my biggest disapointement/issue...i should have used anodized aluminum. i m just not sure what to do to clean up this siding and make it look good...it s scratching up quickly!!!! driving me crazy after all this hard work!

[Shadow Catcher]

Thanks for sharing. I keep telling my self each scuff and ding is a memory (sounds good anyway). Look at what Airstream does with theirs.

[Martiangod]

Looks great out in the wild...
Bravo, outstanding build.....so far

[ctstaas]

You alpha chi trailer name is "Flounder". Why Flounder? Because! Animal House still makes me laugh. I'll keep thinking for a nice name for your nice work.
Enjoy, Chris

[Sheddie]

Hi Jonnyo,
Great to see you are out using your camper. Looks like you have some lovely places to visit. You are lucky to be able to take your dog with you, we don't have a lot of camps that allow us to take ours camping with us.
I had been watching your build journal and didn't realise you had got it this far.
Did you ever get to weighing it? Did it come in at your goal weight?

[jonnyo]

where do you live?

here in canada, it s very rare that you will find a campground that dosnt accept dogs. There is a few but for most part, you can bring them with you all the time. And i believe they are the best heater on the planet...safer than propane!!

i didnt get to weight the full trailer. i wanted to go to a commercail scale. But i ahve around 120lbs of tongue weight when empty. And with over 60% of the trailer ahead of the axle...this tell me that most likely... i most be right around 1000lbs for the trailer. it s still relatively easy for me to move it by hand lifting the tongue and walk with the trailer. People have a good laugh at the campground when i unhook the trailer from the car and place it where ever i want by hand.