Design comments please

[GeoffN]

Hello All

Newbie here. Been through a fair bit of the big thread and other threads on the forum. I have an old (>45 years) caravan that I am thinking of using as a donor. Chassis is in good condition with trailer brakes. This dictates the foot print.

After many hours of browsing the forum I decided the best fit option would be something along the lines of the Winter Warrior. So I spent some time using LibreCAD, QCAD, and OpenSCAD and came up with the following. Trailer is 2mx3m, the wife has always wanted an internal loo. I wanted something that would be small to tow and quick to set up.

I have a Porta Potti and a Bushman camp fridge https://www.bushman.com.au/fridges/portable/the-original-sc35-52. Only a happy customer. I wanted to fit both those in. The toilet space; I am wondering if it will be usable for a shower? The wife would love that. It will be nice if we ever have to camp some where with no showers. I would love some comments on that.

I also wanted to be able to sleep without setting up. Bunk beds become imperative for some floor space for the dogs. Once they are gone I may work out some method for a double bed. I'm thinking about converting the Bunk to a couch for the cold wet days where indoors is the only pleasant place to be.

Of course it will be a foamy. Been doing some research and found a supplier of XPS in Brisbane that may be suitable or there is this alternative http://australianreflectiveinsulation.com.au/products/rigid-board-insulation/pirmax-hr-panel/

Here is the design.

Build will not happen for many months yet as we are moving house soon and I will have to extend the garage. I know that if I put it out there I am more likely to get it done as I know that someone will be looking.

Kind regards
Geoff

[greygoos]

Welcome and good luck on the build. I look forward to seeing your progress. Try this thread. It is a Wild Goose in foam. viewtopic.php?f=55&t=49879

[GPW]

Geoff , Welcome !!! Your plans look good to purpose . You might try laying out all your gear on the garage floor , just as it would be in the trailer ..Then you and the wife have a sit in it a while , have a Cold one , and just see how it all “Fits” ( camping in place ) … if you can’t visualize it , you can use tape or sidewalk chalk to mark off the perimeter on the floor . Just gives you a better idea how your space is utilized. Allows you to make “changes” before the fact.

Ps. Our alternate shower is a bucket … “camping “ eh ? Wives never get that !

[me&z]

Ps. Our alternate shower is a bucket … “camping “ eh ? Wives never get that !

Some of us do.

Without dimentions, I'm just guessing here. But do you have enough vertical space for the bunks? You can sleep with less than .5 meter head room but it feels tight. If your camper is 2 meters wide and one of you is short enough, you could put the lower bunk crosswise and the upper bunk length wise with only your feet overlapping. With much less total hight needed. Someone recently did a very creative 4 bunk arrangement that way.

Gives you storage under the lower bunk and maybe a nice out of the way space for the dogs to sleep under the upper bunk. Might have to shift your door and swap the portapotty and the fridge (?). With a creative (and probably complicated) design, maybe the upper bunk could fold out of the way, allowing the lower bunk to be your couch.

GPE's suggestion that you do a mock-up is a good one. Maybe even use some cardboard to simulate how much head room you will have with the bunks.

Good luck! And don't pay too much attention to me as I'm still (after 6 years) designing my camper in my head.

[GeoffN]

me&z, GPW and greygoos thanks for the suggestions. the actual layout will have to wait until we have moved. I do like the idea of a mock up using carboard.

greygoos, the wild goose looks interesting. I wanted a side door as I have once or twice wanted to get in a sleep with no set up required. I also do want solid sides.

I couldn't figure out how to add dimensions to OpenSCAD. I'll see if there is a way to do it.

I'll be moving beds and layout around and keep thinking. Beds into a couch sounds good. I was thinking of folding the top bunk to be the back and the bottom bunk will become the seat of the couch.

OpenSCAD here I come.

[GPW]

An alternative to “furniture"/beds etc. , or perhaps a hasty decision, we just got a shedload of cushions and pillows that can be arranged/re-arranged in many ways to suit our needs … just a big floor space, for now …We got the cushions on clearance (CHEAP) and they are designed for outdoor furniture so they wear like iron inside and with infrequent use … One good camping experience ( or a bad one ) in the caravan and you’ll better know what you really need ...

[GeoffN]

An alternative to “furniture"/beds etc. , or perhaps a hasty decision, we just got a shedload of cushions and pillows that can be arranged/re-arranged in many ways to suit our needs … just a big floor space, for now …We got the cushions on clearance (CHEAP) and they are designed for outdoor furniture so they wear like iron inside and with infrequent use … One good camping experience ( or a bad one ) in the caravan and you’ll better know what you really need ...

I like that Idea. May go with it before I plan anything permanent. A test trip without bunk beds installed to see what works.