Hi From Michigan - Want To Build A Foamie For My Motorcycle

[jhhayesii]

Hi, I'm new to the forum and want to build a foamie teardrop for my 2001 Yamaha Royal Star Venture. I've been looking at the forum for a while and studying the whole idea since last Fall. I'm finally ready to bite and I want to move quickly. I have a lot of ideas and am looking for suggestions and advice.

What I'd like to do is build a foamie teardrop using the rectangular Pico-Light dimensions and probably that frame design as well, but use a modified version of the Rimple shortened to 80", truncating the bottom half of the galley. This idea is inspired by the Moby1 C2. That commercial camper appears to be built in this fashion. I really want something of a galley for my wife and I to use.

I want to borrow a lot of construction ideas from aksnowryder. It appears that he used foam for almost everything except the roof. I don't believe he used any spars/cross members between the walls and it appears he made the doors and floor using foam. If that is possible that is want I want to do, and then or course cover the outside with fiberglass. The inside now, that I'd like to finish with some thin wood panneling, maybe a few millimeters of Luan or something like that. I want the lightness but would like a few frills.

I'm still kicking around the idea of using a a 48x96 folding Harbor Freight utility trailer. I saw somebody had figured out how to take the 1750 pound model and reduce it to 4X4. If I couid do that with the folding one I could consider going down that path as it would save some work (I just don't know how much additional weight it would cost me). Right now the folding trailers are on sale for $279. At 4X8 they weight about 250 pounds.

In any even I'll be ready to start in roughly a week or so. March 31st in my deadline to commit to a path with the trailer as that is the end of the Harbor Freight sale.

Would anybody know how to set the top up to accomodate a kayak rack?

I'm going to begin the plan design for what I have in mind. I'll upload this as I move along.

[rowerwet]

Reducing the length of a HF trailer is easy, pick the length you want, trim the side rails to that length.
I don't get how you will be able to sleep in a tear built on a 4' long frame.
Foam can be used as the floor, it will need to have thin plywood laminated to it though, and blocks through it for hard points, the places for bolts and screws to grab. Much more work than just a 3/4" ply floor.
To carry a kayak on the roof will take a bit of structure in the walls. In most cases foamies have wood in the door frame to an anchor the hinges and latch, I would make the door posts vertical wood members 1x3" or 1x4" running all the way from the floor to above the roof. Make the part that rises above the roof rounded with a hole in it for a cross bar to support the kayak. Reinforce the wood above the roof with a layer or two of marine epoxy and fiberglass. Inside the tear a 1x2 laminated to the 1x4 in a T shape will make it all strong. Tie the uprights together at the top and bottom of the door to brace them.
You could also make the aft cross bar support part of the galley wall for more length. How long of a kayak are you bringing?

[Tabazooron]

Good luck with your build. I have a 40x48 based Harbor Freight trailer (12") wheels and was going to build a small tear on it but needed a cargo trailer for work. Works well for me as a 4'x7' cargo trailer. But I pull with a car so weight was no a real issue.

[bc toys]

welcome to site of info as you have discovered with all the reading you've done Good luck with your foamie

[Gold5one]

Welcome and good luck on getting your camper built.
It's very easy to extend the frame on the HF 40"x48" trailer-- just make sure your bike can handle the side loads and sway from a camper.
Before- a $40 craigslist bargain

after- now almost 8ft long- to haul a small boat for local use.- a bit too long for a heavy camper. I used free bed frame steel and some electrical super strut channel for the extra cross members. You have to rotate the frame 180 to move the axle to a more balance location.