Galley insights appreciated.

[bobhenry]

My teardrop Chubby is also 5'6" wide and 5 x10 very similar to your plans. I love having 9' of counter space in a 5 wide TD.

[bobhenry]

You also asked about hatch supports. I put mine to work. I purchased two "camp pals" and mounted them as seen in the picture below.

The collections of hooks and arms not only support the hatch but can be used to keep cooking and camping needs close at hand. You see hot pads and the paper towel holder in action. The square hoop on the right I line with a trash bag and have a trash bin close at hand. The rounded shelf just above the rash ring helps to keep spices and condiments in easy reach as well.I can also hook cooking utensils up to be in easy reach of the cook top.

[Shadow Catcher]

One of my/our goals was that food prep and cleanup would be as easy as at home when camping, and a six gallon water heater bar top type sink (big enough to wash something in) and three burner SS cook top with cover (which shields sides) get close to it. I use the small gas grill I use at home on a hose for grilling. Nancy Loves having hot water and most wives when they see how this works

[len19070]

This may sound like I'm trying to throw a bucket of water on a fire but...

I've built and used Teardrops for a long time and a few things I've come to realize is that galley counter space is very valuable and that cooking, other than boiling water in a galley is a clean up chore I don't want to participate in while camping or when I get home.

If you've got a 46 to 56" wide galley and put a stove, sink and plumbing in it you ain't gonna have much counter space left.

Now my galleys are strictly storage and counter tops for "Clean" food Prep and not cooking.

I've never gone anywhere where I can't put a stove and a wash tub on a Picnic table, and if there is I have a small table to bring with me. No daily clean up, no grease and I'm prepping my food in a known clean area.

There are others that will disagree with me though.

Happy Trails

Len

I'd like to back track on something I said earlier.

Yes I do use a "Portable" stove in my galley, But never for cooking food. Only boiling water. (And making coffee to me is considered boiling water)

As someone mentioned earlier theres also an odor factor.

As far as Hot water when I have electricity, which isn't often this is my water heater.



$4 at a yard sale.

Happy Trails

Len

[gene so]

Hello,
A very deep thanks to all of the people who took the time to reply to this request. I must be honest about this build. I have never talked in my life to a teardrop builder and user. We have retired from a very busy Seattle to a remote area in the Rockies in northern New Mexico. Thus, the insights you have given me are huge!
The many views of galley insights allowed me a wide range of ideas. My galley counter space was 66 inches. As result of your views given me, it can now be as much as 128 inches!
The camping in my 72 years has seldom placed me close to a site that had tables, electrical etc. Yet, I intend to set my unit up to take advantage of these areas, specifically in National parks etc. Being raised in Minnesota, I know the cold weather of 38 degrees below ( not windchill) on the 53rd story of the IDS Tower in Minneapolis, when I helped build it. Insulation of the trailer will reflect that history, although the trailer will be little used during the colder weather.
Your mentioning of odors in the sleeping area is a factor I never considered. Thank you.
I am still looking for answers in size and capacity with regard to a microwave. These units are efficient heaters for: water, oatmeal, baked potatoes, rice etc.
The concept of a cutting board fitting into the contour of the sink is excellent and will be completed. To S. Heisley: Your concept of laying out in 3D and the same scale, of the cooking area before fabrication to get an idea of what you can and cannot do is simple, easy, intelligent and greatly appreciated by me. I never would have thought of doing this without your advice. The site viewing all the other galleys will keep me busy for a long time, as to incorporating some of the many ideas into my final design.
The idea of attending a gathering of teardrops is excellent and I look forward to doing just that this Spring.
BobHenry-Your kitchen idea is an excellent usage of space. I can incorporate part of it into my design, but not all of it. Congratulations!
My sister bought me huge coffepot at a garage sale long ago and I look forward to using it in the future.
Once again, thank for all this insight as to the best way toi utilize my galley area. Good Camping to you all.

Gene So

[S. Heisley]

Please remember that, if you only need a cup (or two) of hot water, you can't beat a simple tea kettle on top of a propane stove. I tested that with a friend who had one of those supposedly fast hot pots and we ended up in a tie. Both took about a minute to bring tap water to boiling hot.

It's too bad that you live so far away from Albuquerque (a 2 hour drive from LV) because they are having a meet & greet tomorrow afternoon at 2PM. No trailers will be there; just the trailer owners; but, some of those people are very intelligent and experienced in all camp trailer types as well as other types of building and refurbishing/remodeling. I hope they get a nice turn-out. They want to start their own tnttt/Tearjerker camping division.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=62134

You're going to love being a member of this tnttt forum. It's one of the best forums on the Internet, not just for building but also for the pleasant, down-to-earth people who frequent it.

Best Wishes!

[DMcCam]

Hi Gene,

If I could add just a note to the discussion...take your time to look at everything. Definitely find a gathering near you and go have a look see. Climb into and around every trailer. Try out each galley as if you were making meals. You'll be amazed at the solutions these wonderful creative folks have found. There is such a wealth of knowledge and ideas here to help. I know you'll find the galley layout that works best for you and have a great time doing it too.

All the Best,

Dave

[Vernacular]

Newbie here planning my first build.

I am very interested in more "galley insights," as well as any links or directions to more galley ideas. I plan to use my first TD to haul cooking and camping gear for my Civil War reenactment unit. I will be using the galley to prepare meals at the beginning and/or end of events, and possibly on-the-road, while travelling to faraway events.

I am a professional restaurant cook by trade and have done lots of camp cooking too. I'm going to put in two burners and a small hand sink (mixing bowl) with a cutting-board top, probably with gravity-feed water and an easily-removable gray water tank. I'm only going with 12V electrics and that's mostly for lighting.

I am open to any other ideas that may be offered, especially clever ways to add counter space or store and access things like coolers. I plan to build on a 4x8 HF trailer. Thanks for reading.

[KennethW]

I found that a low cost armless camp chair work good as a cooler stool.Just pull the cooler out and set on the chair makes it easy to get thing out of the cooler when cooling.
click to inlarge

[KCStudly]

You can get table rail, which is kind of like a french cleat, to attach portable wing tables to your outside wall and extend your galley. I picked up a pair of old wooden crutches with the adjustable leg and plan to hinge these to the underside of my wing table leafs, angling back as a diagonal brace to the base of my walls. That way the leg will always be in adjustment regardless of the ground that I am on; if the trailer is level the table will be level.

Other people use fold out supports with flip up tables like the one shown in the pic above.

Folding tables are available at the big box stores for reasonable prices and have come a long way since the early card tables I remember at the family gathering kiddies table.

There is a "Show Us Your Galley" thread sticky in one of the forums, perhaps General Discussion (pause to look for a link).

Not sure if this is the original, but maybe was before the forum got revised: Galley Pics Linky

[bobhenry]

Here is my econo spin on side mounted tables

viewtopic.php?t=43504&highlight=side+tables+again


Originally built for the chuck wagon I installed rails on Rip Van Winkle also, so the same tables can be used on either trailer.

[Vernacular]

The linky that KC put up worked for me, so I was able to see lots of cool ideas, thanks! I couldn't find the SUYGalley stickey, but I'm still learning to navigate this Forum.

If the OP doesn't mind, I'd like to keep this thread going so I can see more cheap ideas like the chair cooler stand and the PVC table mounts. I think I'm gonna go drag in my drafting table from the garage and get started on my design! Thanks again guys and gals!!!

[Dalorin]

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I've never gone anywhere where I can't put a stove and a wash tub on a Picnic table, and if there is I have a small table to bring with me. No daily clean up, no grease and I'm prepping my food in a known clean area.

There are others that will disagree with me though.

That.... Is.... awesome. I did not know how I wanted to do the inside of my galley until this very moment.

[bobhenry]

I'd like to keep this thread going so I can see more cheap ideas like the chair cooler stand and the PVC table mounts.

My sister donated two of these little x legged utility tables......



The store flat and have several height adjustments. They have been with us for over 8 years and still going strong. They have been used for every imaginable camp use you can think of.

[Socal Tom]

If I could make my galley different it would be:
1) deep enough to put my cooler and oven longways. I don't have much room for room temp food storage. I use a camp chef oven and it takes a lot of space.( I like my morning cinnamon rolls
2) have a place for a water cube, it's the cleanest simplest way to keep water handy, and it could probably keep it from freezing overnight.

For coffee making I prefer a French press. You can use a pot to warm the water and there you go! It's pretty darn good it makes about 4 small cups, I keep them warm in a thermos.
Option 2 is a single serving Keurig system. ( if I have shore power)
Tom