Planning a Mostly-Foamy V-Nose Maybe-Stoopy

[celadon]

Stopped in here to remember what I had already posted to find my images all disappeared into the ether again. I think (hope!) I fixed it for real this time...

[celadon]

More work on planning out the interior. Dimensions are fairly provisional; the primary purpose of the scale model is just to work out what I want spatially.

First, I decided that the door could use a window for people as well as for dogs...



Here's what the kitchen/front area looks like from the door so far:



On the right is the fridge, should be about 12-18 inches off the floor to put it at a good rummaging height. Open underneath for some kind of storage tbd. Up high on the left, the model just has a shelf but that will likely be more like cubbies or maybe a shelf with a lip on the front to hold in containers. That top shelf is just 12 inches deep the whole way across. Below that, the countertop, 18 inches deep in the v and 12 inches deep on the side. Under the countertop, a regular rectangular cabinet area--probably drawers, which might be the only fancy cabinetry I have planned off the bat. To the left of that cabinet, more space that's kind of an awkward trapezoid shape. That would likely just remain shelves with a lip or maybe shelves with cargo netting on the front.

Also a window over the counter, for ventilation in case the weather persuades us to cook/heat water quickly inside. I was also thinking this could make for some nice cross-ventilation with the windows on the door, in warmer weather.



Here's another view toward the bed. I've got the fixed window we already own on the back wall (asymmetrical so I can put storage and whatnot near my head, which also will appreciate not being next to the window on cold nights). I've placed a 24x36 window at the foot of the bed; I'm planning for an exit window here, both for exiting if necessary but also for general trailer access on that side if needed.

Finally, a view over the bed:



I put in a shelf just under the roof, level with the bottom of the wall between the bed and the kitchen area. This is to place sweatshirts, books, and whatnot on--I'm finding we can always use more places to quickly stash things. This would be just for stationary stashing, not for storage while moving.

[tony.latham]

Forget "flex" panels, for longevity...

John61T: Let me guess, you've never built a camper-–or owned a camper–-and used flexible panels. Just a guess.

Celedon:

ETFE flexible panels will work fine. You might also consider the new CIG flexibles (but I have no experience with them). Just stay away from the flexibles made from PET.

Here's Renogy's flexible:





No degradation after four years.

Tony

[celadon]

Thanks for that info, Tony! Your book's been very helpful to me in terms of imagining ways to construct things and I really appreciate the time you took to document everything with photos. Your use of the flexible solar panel is one of the reasons I decided to look into them. I'm very glad yours is doing well!

[tony.latham]

Your book's been very helpful...

Thanks, it was a bit of a project.

Tony

[KCStudly]

The profile shape is pleasant. But is there enough headroom in the V-galley once the roof goes on? From here it looks like not having the roof on the model is giving a false sense of headroom. Would want you to get to full scale and find out it's a problem.

[celadon]

The profile shape is pleasant. But is there enough headroom in the V-galley once the roof goes on? From here it looks like not having the roof on the model is giving a false sense of headroom. Would want you to get to full scale and find out it's a problem.

Good question! There may not be standing room in there at all, since I'd like to keep it below 7 feet tall for garageability. We intend to cook outside unless the weather says otherwise; the standy/stoopy part is mostly for standing and changing, room to put shoes on, accessing the storage, and a place for dogs to go if they want to leave the bed. I suspect it'll feel somewhat like one of those fourish-person tents where your head brushes the roof if you leave the very middle. The highest point of the profile is at the transition to the v, which should be close to 6 feet tall. The point of the v is mocked up at 4 feet tall, which may end up too short, but I'd like to do it if it's at all reasonable.

There will be a lot of profile experimentation, I suspect, once we have the chassis together and a floor built out.

[OP827]

The profile shape is pleasant. But is there enough headroom in the V-galley once the roof goes on? From here it looks like not having the roof on the model is giving a false sense of headroom. Would want you to get to full scale and find out it's a problem.

Good question! There may not be standing room in there at all, since I'd like to keep it below 7 feet tall for garageability. We intend to cook outside unless the weather says otherwise; the standy/stoopy part is mostly for standing and changing, room to put shoes on, accessing the storage, and a place for dogs to go if they want to leave the bed. I suspect it'll feel somewhat like one of those fourish-person tents where your head brushes the roof if you leave the very middle. The highest point of the profile is at the transition to the v, which should be close to 6 feet tall. The point of the v is mocked up at 4 feet tall, which may end up too short, but I'd like to do it if it's at all reasonable.

There will be a lot of profile experimentation, I suspect, once we have the chassis together and a floor built out.

Hi Celadon! You certainly could make enough headroom with dropped floor, similar to Woody's trailer design. You could also consider lifting roof options at this conceptual phase of your design..

[celadon]

You certainly could make enough headroom with dropped floor, similar to Woody's trailer design. You could also consider lifting roof options at this conceptual phase of your design..

That is a fab idea, and one I played with for a while. In the end, I decided that I felt more confident in my ability to create something long lasting if it had fewer potential leak locations and failure points. I do admire those designs though. Yours is really nifty!