Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Nick Taylor's photos were too much temptation for me to withstand, so here is my design for:

The Amazing Trailerboat

Andrew

Andrew,

Cool work on the trailerboat!

The only thing I would change is the roof of the trailer. Most of them I've seen have a somewhat domed roof to give more headroom and rain runoff. I'm not sure of the roof configuration of the wooden one that I posted but here is an aluminum version that is missing its boat. I would assume this design would require that the seats be removeable from at least the forward portion of the boat.

I can go back to the wooden one and see if I can tell how the roof is laid out.

Click on this image for a larger view. I have more photos of this trailer.



Nick.

why dont you try a flat faced boat, It would increas front space and storage. Would prob. make construction easier too. Just an idea, bye

tdthinker wrote:why dont you try a flat faced boat, It would increas front space and storage. Would prob. make construction easier too. Just an idea, bye

The flat front wouldn't give you much more space since it would have to start further back from the hitch. The pointed design lets you bring it very close to the hitch. Plus it's a more pleasing design.

Here is the most common trailerboat, made in the 1960s. It has a rounded front boat which lets the trailer be more square in the front.



There is another style that the back end looks like a 1954 Ford wagon. It has a pointed prow boat. I'll have to dig up pictures of that one.

I don't know much about boats but I would assume that there are places where each design of boat is more desirable and if you wanted to make a trailer boat to actually go boating, that would be the first design criteria.

Nick.

I saw one of these while on vacation in June 2004. I had to stop and take a picture of it.



You can see my Tear Drop in the Back Drop...

Ryan,

You'll be more in favour (sorry, favor) of the scow-tear then:



The boat on top is one I built for some family members with full plans here.

The trailer part is loads easier to build than the Trailerboat's too.

Andrew

That was what I was talking about.

Nice work, there, Andrew!

Just goes to show that the concept can be applied to most any boat design. How about a 14' lapstrake Whitehall rowing skiff, or a double-ended Swampscott dorey?

You want to keep the design to 14' or less though, 'cause if you get any bigger, you might just as well put a cabin on the BOAT, thereby eliminating the need (and the hassle) of the cabin on the trailer! I've got a 12-1/2' micro-cruiser sailboat with a full cabin with 6'8" bunks (kind of my "teardrop for the waterways"), so I don't need any other camp-trailer accoutrements when I go out with it ...

CHEERS!

Grant

don't forget the wine glass transom!

there are several trailerboats out there from the past.

In the book Ready to Roll by Gellner
viking studio 2003

pages 38 and 39 show 2

one was called trilerboat looking much like the photo's you show.

the other 1956 kom-pac made of fiberglass with it's body looking alot like the rear of a 1955 ford delivery car it was wide in the back and pointed in the front fitting the shape of the boat on top.

According to the book one of the trailerboats showen is found at the Simpson's Graden Town Nursery in Jamul, CA where several old cars and trailers will be found among the plants.

also look up trailerboat on the net I remember several sites.

Ron,

The wooden trailerboat I posted a photo of is at Simpsons. It's near where I live. It is a neat nursery and the museum is an added bonus.

Nick.

Hey ....

I have this crazy idea ....

One could make a small trailer or teardrop that slides onto a boat trailer .... and when you stop to camp you could remove the cabin part ... park it on the ground ... remove the sled (flat bed) part that would fit onto the rollers .... Then remove the boat from ontop of the trailer and put it on the boat trailer and go off fishing.

Advantages no one is going to steal a trailer with no wheels .... you will have a flat bed for your trailer for hauling ..... and you can back the boat into the water at any lake or river you choose if there is more then one close by and go fishing or just enjoying nature from the water.

You could have stands on the sides like a truck camper so the kitchen can be used to cook the fish at proper height.

Then reassemble replace the flat area for the cabin to slide onto
put the boat back on top before or after sliding the cabin back on
and when you get home remove the cabin and have a utility trailer for house and work chores or you may want to just go fishing and not bring the cabin.

So if you already have boat and trailer now you can add a cabin or buy the boat and trailer together often they give you a deal if you buy both together.


here is one idea for loading the boat.

http://www.campomatic.com.au/boatloader.html

Re: Trailer / Boat combinations. I just purchased a 1954 (?) Kompac trailer with the boat on the roof. Yes it looks like a '52-55 Ford sedan delivery from the rear. It is in pretty sad shape and missing parts. Does anyone have any information about this interesting item ? I will be more than happy to share information. Photos not available as yet.

QQMoose wrote:Re: Trailer / Boat combinations. I just purchased a 1954 (?) Kompac trailer with the boat on the roof. Yes it looks like a '52-55 Ford sedan delivery from the rear. It is in pretty sad shape and missing parts. Does anyone have any information about this interesting item ? I will be more than happy to share information. Photos not available as yet.

Welcome Aboard!!!

Couldn't resist that one. Below is a picture of your type of trailer. There is a company reproducing them in Washington State. You can get parts from them as well. Click here for their flyer.

Nick.

Click on the picture for more.

Can you purchase plans for anything like this camp boat any where? Or better yet download them for for free.