1000lb or less trailer for 4 adults?

[loaderman]

Thanks for all the replies.
Gpw - yes wind resistance is a huge factor in towing. Your foamstream has a rounded front which is good for aerodynamics. Tapering frontnto back is also good.
Aggie - you got me thinking. A 5foot wide 10 foot long trailer that is about 2feet high with the lid flipping to the side would work great. Would be easy to tow. The lid would open the tent top. Bed would be on the lid with bench and table in trailer. And portapottie area.
Just wonder if 2 people could flip 5foor by 10foot lid open? 3/8 ply. Styrofoam and painted canvass.

[GPW]

Foam is normally 2 lb./cu.ft. so you can easily figure out the weight of a roof or hatch ... The Math ... 4’X8’ sheet is 32 sq.ft. .. 2” thick means there’s ~( 6 )Sq.Ft. in a cubic foot .
32/ 6 = 5 .3333 cu ft or ~ 10 pounds + ... OK ???

[mikeschn]

I've given some thoughts to bugging out... I'll have to revisit that soon...

http://www.mikenchell.com/weekender/bugout.html

Mike...

We’re Not Camping , we’re Escaping !!! BIG difference ... One FUN , one , not so much !!!


I must be the Only One here who has built for BUGOUT rather than Fun stuff

[GPW]

That’s a GREAT page ...

[mikeschn]

That’s a GREAT page ...

I thought so too at the time... but it's in dire need of updating...

But that won't happen this weekend...

Mike...

[GPW]

There is a Practiced art to proper Bugout .... especially when you're on the road with a Million other people ... We always plan to leave early , avoid the Madness... Last minute Average Traffic speed ... 4.75 MPH ... and that's no Joke ... It's really AWFUL !!!

Normally, someone doesn't have to be prepared as much as we are ...but should something go wrong and you're stuck outta' town , It's really NICE to have a private place to stay ... Natirally I've discussed this with all my friends I intend to stay with , and they're OK with me living in the driveway or backyard as long as I need ... but they ALL still want me to COOK ...

[GPW]

We remember several years back in Houston , everybody got trapped on the highways during an EVAC... a real mess .... So it's not just here...

[loaderman]

I think this build is off for now. We have a boler so we will add an awning, a screen tent and a washroom tent. Our teen daughter who is 5' 10" tall and adult size can sleep in a tent or the back of our dodge van as the couch in the boler is to small for her..
I do not think I can build what my wife would like around 1000lbs so really no sense in wasting time or money. Here is a rough layout of what she would want. It would be a standy teardrop about 84inches wide and either 10' long with a flip down back wall for the bed or 14' long.

[loaderman]

I've given some thoughts to bugging out... I'll have to revisit that soon...

http://www.mikenchell.com/weekender/bugout.html

Mike...

We’re Not Camping , we’re Escaping !!! BIG difference ... One FUN , one , not so much !!!


I must be the Only One here who has built for BUGOUT rather than Fun stuff

WE have been on alert 2 years ago for evacuation due to fire. We live in northern BC and fire alerts are common. We keep the boler ready to go.
My 2 sisters in law live in Fort McMurray. Just about a month ago they got evacuated along with 88,000 other people. and like GPW said the highway was just a crawl. They could not go south (they are very northern at almost the end of a highway) had to go further north to work camps, then when they were ablepolice escorted 50 at a time and open and closed the road.

[GPW]

We found it’s best to leave as early as you can ... not always possible , but that’s the plan ...

[fireaunt]

Things that I see - build under $2000. Wow - that seems tight.
Tow weight factors I am considering are : I am rated for 2,000# so I have been looking at a trailer of about 1,000# +/- and gear, water and people at around 500#. It seems like a good idea to not load to the max. You might consider taking 2 cars so you can go max on trailer and the other for people and gear -your water for boon docking is going add up - isn't one gallon equal to 7lbs? - just my 2cents.

[loaderman]

I agree with staying under weight. My actual towing capacity is 1800lbs, so 100lbs gives me some room.

[KCStudly]

Water is 8.34 lbs/gal. It adds up fast.

[loaderman]

Here we use imperial gallons so it is 10lbs/gallon. imperial gallon is a little more then an US gallon. most places have some form of water, at least a old hand pump, useable to bucket showers and porta-potti but not drinking.

Ok, we realized a few things. We never cook inside, and yes porta-potti outside in a tent is ok with wife!

Here are my latest thoughts and sketches. I would love a clamshell design like the winter warrior but the large frontal area is a huge drawback for us. But it got me thinking. Why not lift the whole roof!!?? So a 12' long and about 7' wide and less then 3' high plus trailer gives about 4' high overall. Round the front of the roof and taper to back for aerodynamics, I may talk to the guys at ecomodder.com to get input on that. Toilet is outside in a tent for those 3am trips, awning on side of camper to cook under if it is raining.
The straight lift roof allows to tent walls to always stay connected and keep interior dry even setting up in the rain.
Here is my latest sketch - the big question, can it reasonably be build under 1200lbs or so? And at what cost? Which I know is hard to say.

[GPW]

L’, the big expense is the trailer ( and heaviest single item) ... Foam we use is normally ~ 2 pounds per cubic foot , so a sheet of 2” foam 4’X8’ would weigh about 10 pounds ... The weight of canvas stays the same , some glues evaporate and lightens a bit ... all these factors can be calculated to better estimate the finished weight ... Close is good ... And DON”T BUILD more than you need !!! ... It’s camping ,not a cute attempt at Better Homes and Gardens ... Keep the practicality high , and the decorating lightweight ... Remember even ten little things make a BIG thing ...

If you keep the lift up roof to a minimum , it should be no problem for even two children to lift ... ( the weight) .. Build to function and keep the rain out .... NOT to be Bear proof ...