Ideas for a slide in camper for my snowmobile trailer?

[Green!]

Hello all, I just came across this forum and think it has a lot of great ideas and members.

Here is my situation

I would like to do some camping with my family, wife ,5 year old daughter and a chocolate lab! because of the dog I think I need a hard sided camper so that eliminated pop ups or tents. My vehicle is a KIA sportage with a 2000 max towing and I am on a limited budget So home built seems like a good idea. I own an aluminum frame 6x8 tilt bed snowmobile flatbed trailer that I use as a utility trailer. I was thinking I could design some sort of slide on module that would allow me to use the trailer for camping and still use it as a utility trailer as needed. the following are the requirements that I can think of.

light weight so I can slide or lift it on the trailer
sleeps 2 adults 1 child ...and a big dog
simple construction, I am handy with tools and wood working but not a cabinet maker if you know what I mean.
I don't think I need a galley
space to sit up inside on rainy days would be nice.

I am welcome to any plans ,ideas pics etc.

[bobhenry]

I did a quick sketch and by making the box hang over 1 foot front and back you will have a 6x10 floor plan. Grab a pencil and scale this on a piece of paper. In the front draw a 36" deep single twin bed with the length running side by side put in a 30" isleway then the 4'6" full bed in the rear. A 30 " door goes on the curb side at the isleway. Since you still have to crawl over one another a 2nd door is of no advantage. The single bed is elevated to 1/2 the total inside height so it can be folded flat to the wall. Underneath will be all storage A few drawers a few cabinets and a large cube for cumbersom stuff. If they were stopped short of the wall the single mattress could be stored behing the lower cabinets so the bunk could be used for a rainey day kitchen counter.

At the foot of the full bed make a large cabinet 4'6" wide to within 4-5" of the finished ceiling leave yourself a foot well for your feet (15" to 18" from the bare floor??) This cabinet will be kinda shallow 12 15 maybe 18".
The kicker is it is accessed from the outside. A pair of 15" - 18" doors are mounted to run horizontally the 4' ?" . The bottom door folds down and is supported as a counter at 36" above grade. The top door folds up to provide a mini roof or someplace to fasten a canopy. Here is your mini galley. Epoxy or glass the inside to eliminate the possibility of inside leaks. ( Nobody likes a wet bed) If you cut in the hole after the wall is built 1x material can be added inside to act as a stop and a place to fasten some rubber gasket type material to all but eliminate water intrusion. The floor pan should be at least 4 2x4 joists running front to back with osb or plywood on both faces. Close in the ends with a front and rear 2x4 as well. I filled the cavities in mine with scrap blue foam sheathing to stiffen the box. If you attach the sidewall sheetgood to the perimeter 2x4's you have a fairly strong box. While a square cube is not the prettiest profile it is economical and easy to build and there is no wasted space given up to curves. Maybe a slightly curved roof would soften the profile somewhat and be easy to do. Load and unload with 3 or 4 rollers made from schedule 80 pvc the bigger the better you will not be lifting it off and on with just manpower

Whew are my fingers tired. These are just some off the wall ideas.

Good Luck whatever you do and remember the 2nd one will be even better.

[angib]

You could build a Compact 3 body that would fit with only slight modification:



Andrew

[12ladyblue]

You could always put the Fishin' Hut on the trailer:
http://www.weiscrafttrailers.com/fishinhut.html