Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hey Folks,
I finally have some color images for your review. The images are in my personal album. Click on Album, then scroll down and click on Users Personal Galleries and then click on my username. Let me apologize for not listing any dimensions. I had a heck of a time scaling these drawings because, I had to use two different programs. Joanne's beautiful picture of the MiniManor inspired me to attempt using color, instead of black & white.
Anyway, the trailer body is 10' long (I want lots of room) x 4' tall when the pop-up is lowered and it is going to be 5' wide. The canoe in one of the images is 17 1/2' long, so that should help with the dimensions.
I'm a little curious what people think of the design, but I am more interested in knowing if I should consider a different type of design, because of my wants and needs for extra length. Right now the galley takes up 3 1/2' of body length and the cabin takes up 6 1/2'. The cabin door is a two piece door that locks together when the pop-up is raised.

Hey Dean,

I meant to get back to you eariler on that design, but time just slipped away somehow!

I do like the addition of color to your images. I do have a couple thoughts or questions though...

1) How are you planning on raising the top section?

2) I'm not real clear on the back part that raises, does it flip into place, or is it fixed, and rides in a slot.

3) Do you have provisions for weatherproofing? Where will the water run when your top is up? When it is down?

The style looks good, it looks like a lot of work though. But having seen what other boat builders can do, I'm sure you're up to the project! The length looks good, and the canoe seems to fit fine up there.

Mike...

Mike,
I haven't made a final decision on the clerestory wall in the rear. It will either pivot down and rest in a channel with drain holes on each side of the trailer, or the clerestory wall will be fixed along with the rest of the upper section. The channel and drain holes would then be located at the height of the bottom of the clearstory wall, when the pop-up is stowed.
Hinging the clerestory wall at the top would be the easiest, but....
As far as raising and lowering the pop-up, I've been looking around on the internet at those heavy-duty drawer guides, which would be used to give me the tracking system. I haven't found what I'm looking for, so I'll probably end up building those as well. As far as providing lift and descent for the pop-up, I haven't made a comitment on that as well. The only system I have seen for that, is Sumner's cable system. I do have a friend that is quite the machinest and maybe he could machine some screw jacks for me. (I don't like the idea of a chain skipping a tooth on one sproket, of multiple jacks) There's some more food for thought at bedtime!
As far as weatherproofing goes, the roofline at the top of the clerestory wall, will be extendened a bit, so when the pop-up is stowed, the extended lip on the roofline will conform to the body, just in front of the galley hatch hinge and it will compress against a rubber boot at that location. I may end up hiding the galley hinge under the lip as well. (But I don't like the idea of only being able to get into the kitchen when the pop-up is raised)
When the pop-up is raised, my only concern about water, is at the base of the clerestory wall and I believe, That's one's a gimmie. I will need to address the perimeter with some sort of weatherstripping, so water can't be forced upwards in between the pop-up and lower exterior walls, in both positions.
Speaking of boatbuilding, I'll probably end up doing the body sides with wood strips on the exterior and use either aluminum or stainless steel ($ Ouch!) on the roofline.
Hey, this is just a drawing right now. I haven't ruled out the possibility of nixing the pop-up and learning to crawl again.
There is still much consideration at hand, before I start building. I was reading a post last night about the guy who was having a heck of a problem with condensation. Hmmmm.
The only thing that I'm comitted to right now is going with the extra length, so I can have a killer galley and not get crowded out elsewhere.
It's the extra length that's got me pondering things about designs.

Hey Mike,
About that clerestory wall... I played around a bit with both concepts and I'm going to go with a top pivoting wall that sets into a channel across the width of the trailer.
Making a slot for the clerestory wall, takes a lot of sheer away from the lower sidewall sections. (IMHO)
The pop-up will have three permanently mounted exterior stops mounted in the clerestory opening, for the clerestory wall to pivot up against; Two on the sides and one across the top. There will be a compresion type of weatherstripping at these locations. There will need to be allowances for these stops, in the lower section of the trailer when the pop-up is stowed.
Now that I'm getting the hang of drawing with a mouse, I'll make some detail drawings to better explain.

Looking forward to seeing your drawings...

Mike...