Steve & Cynthia's Teardrop

[S. Heisley]

Didn't get as much done as I'd hoped but a little more progress is better than none.

It looks wonderful!

[Oldragbaggers]

Your teardrop really is beautiful. The color of your wood is so warm and rich. Beautiful hatch. I will have my fingers, eyes, arms, legs and toes crossed that it fits for you.

[PSBreen]

@ Sharon ....Thanks for the compliment. Cynthia really likes the look of the stained wood to. I'll have to say that it has certainly complicated things at times though.

@ Becky.... Dang it you jinxed me. We wrestled with the hatch for hours last night. Appartently the sealing tape under the hinge moved it back just enough that it wouldn't close properly. A little work trimming here and there and it's closing now.

Tonight we check the door and galley seals for water leaks. If it all checks out we are hoping to do a "test trip" (local overnighter) this weekend without the battery or galley countertop.

[Forrest747]

Good luck on the maiden voyage. I did the same thing wasnt completed for the first trip

[TENNJIM]

Looking Good! Good luck on the "test trip".

Jim and Sheryl / Utah

[Oldragbaggers]

Ohhh, I am so sorry. I didn't do it on purpose. I found that same thing, the butyl tape I sealed things up with changed things a bit. Grrrrr.... And mine was a challenge to start with. I hope your test cruise goes well and come rain or shine I hope your head stays dry!!

[PSBreen]

Hey Becky! I have to blame someone cause there is no way it could be my fault.

The trim is installed on the cab section. The hatch will get trim when the binding screws arrive. I don't want to use rivets in case I have to take it off. We did a leak check and found a few. One in the corner of the hatch, easy fix with a scrap of weather stripping. The other leaks are between the doors/hinges and wall/hinges on both sides. It appears that some goober (me) forgot to put any type of water barrier (weather stripping, putty tape, etc) under the hinges So we are praying that the weatherman is right and it doesn't rain. I'll have to pull the doors off when we get back. I can hardly wait to do that.

Oh we also got the trailer weighed. We have a certified weight slip stating that the trailer weighs 740 lbs. Here in Utah that means that we do not have to register the trailer. It also got me thinking ..... What would it have weighed if I had used a 5x8 Red Trailer instead of the heavy duty 350 lb frame we have?

I'll try to post some pictures when we get back.

[PKCSPT]

Sure is pretty.
Have a great time

[Oldragbaggers]

740 pounds is great. Lance thinks ours weighs about 800#, I think it weighs more. Maybe next weekend we'll get ours to the scale.

Having to take the door off and redo may be an annoyance, but all in all not the worst kind of leak. You know where, why and how to fix it. I hope that no rain falls your way while you are on your test cruise. It must feel great to have come this far though.

Wishing the two of you an awesome camping season!!

[PSBreen]

The maiden voyage was a success all around. Cynthia completed her 100 mile bicycle ride and we were very pleased with our "Lil Bedbug". She towed like a dream on the 80 mile trip, barely notice it's behind the truck. We camped out with the "Big Boys" at the Lewiston, UT Recreation Center where they hosted the Little Red Riding Hood woman's only bicycle ride. We had a great time showing it off and answering questions. This short trip gave us a few ideas. The biggest one is that we really need a place to put our shoes. Just need a little something to get them off the bed, I'm thinking a narrow shelf under the cabinets will work. Now to finish up the galley and decide on a tongue box.

Should we go with a ready made plastic or metal one or get fancy and build a wooden one to match the trailer?