newbie from manitoba

[acousticallyblue]

hi--i'm in manitoba and planning to start my first build. i'm a woodworker, luthier, one-time tiny house builder. i love being outside and everything about camping except lying awake at night in a tent.

i'm planning to start work this week on a 5x10 squaredrop that i have designed specifically for my needs (me, my partner, and a large dog). would love to have your thoughts.

i drive a 2019 subaru outback (4-cyl) so i'm trying to keep it as light as possible. i'd also like to do some winter camping, both in campgrounds with hookups and boondocking. winters here get down to -30c/22f or so.

i'm starting very simple in order to be able to use it as soon as possible, with plans to build it out as i have time and as i use it and decide what i want and where. i've designed the trailer without a rear galley to keep any water tanks in the insulated space to avoid the hassle of winterizing and sacrificing the galley space in winter. layout is a trifold queen bed (shown folded and extended above) in the back and 3 feet of empty space in front. this will be the entrance, sleeping space for the dog, and where i will eventually build out a micro galley, electrical system, and storage. for now, i'll just bring water in jugs and a camp stove.

specific plans:

trailer: 5x10 landscape trailer that i will modify to suit the build

floor: 3/8" exterior plywood with 2 1/8" GPS foam (r10) with 2x4 (ripped to 2 1/8") framing, topped with 1/4" baltic birch.

front, back, roof: same framing/insulation as above with 1/8" baltic birch in and out. 14" fan in the roof with plans for 300-400w of solar panels eventually.

walls: 1x2/1x3 vertical studs spaced no more than 24" apart (closer in places i think i might want to mount things) with 3/4" EPS foam (r2.8 ) and 1/8" baltic birch on both sides.

finishing: i'm leaning towards 6-oz fiberglass, doubled on corners/seams, with a combination of natural baltic birch and paint.

electrical: trying to sort this out. i'd love to have a goal zero/bluetti/jackery unit to use immediately, but may go ahead and spend the money for a DIY solar setup (300-400w of panels, 200Ah LiFePO4 battery, and associated gear). I'd like to have AC outlets in the front and outside, USB in the front and each side of the bed, 12V interior/exterior lighting and power to the fan). i plan to put in a refrigerator and window AC unit, which i'd like to be able to use for short periods when not connected to shore power. i'll probably build a tongue box to hold a lot of this.

plumbing: nothing now, eventually a 10-15 gallon fresh tank, pump to sink and outdoor water heater/shower, and sink draining into a small gray water tank.

i have three main questions now:
1. with this wall/roof structure, can i use rigid solar panels? i'm not concerned primarily about the weight, but airflow at highway speeds. i can pay more for flexible ones if i have to.
2. my interior height is currently 51". i'm balancing effects of height/weight on towing with the desire to have enough vertical space for storage, comfort, and changing multiple layers of clothes, but this is just my best guess. on the trailer, this puts me right at 6 feet overall.
3. am i missing anything major with the initial build, either for now or to make adding/modifying the trailer less of a hassle in the future?

thanks, and nice to meet you all.

[QueticoBill]

Welcome and excited to see your drawings. I have a 2018 Outback and believe towing capacity is 2900 pounds. You should have no trouble being well below that. I like to think more airplane and less house like construction. If you get a good adhesive bond between foam and sheathing it adds a lot of strength.

[pchast]

Originally I had an older outback that did well towing a thousand pounds average....
I found a needed to change transmission oil at about 25000 mile intervals.
Using a ScanGauge I had noticed the transmission temperature raising 10 degrees.

[tony.latham]

3. am i missing anything major with the initial build..

Welcome.

You've missing the second door. I assume you have a significant other? Here's an experiment: For the next three nights, both of you enter your bed from where your (one) door will be. After the last night, make the bed from that spot.

Teardrops (and square drops) need two doors.





Tony

[Capebuild]

i drive a 2019 subaru outback (4-cyl) so i'm trying to keep it as light as possible.

Hello. Since building our trailer we've used our 2019 Subaru Outback (4 cylinder) as our tow vehicle. You probably are aware they have a 2700 pound tow capacity. Our trailer, when fully loaded, bikes and all, is just under 2000 pounds (a bit heavier than I would've liked, but so be it). The Subaru towed our trailer very well. Like so well I hardly knew I was towing anything. On the open road hi-way traveling at 80 or 85, no problems (although I try to keep it at 65. We do have brakes on our trailer which does help, it's subtle, but does make a difference. We just recently traded our 2019 Outback for a 2024 Outback. Our 4th Outback. But all in all, the Outback is great for towing our rig.

Interesting to hear you are a luthier. I just took up the fiddle.

Good luck with your build.

John

[acousticallyblue]

thanks for the welcome and the tips. i considered adding a second door, but i think with the small vestibule i may be ok without it. i'd rather avoid the expense, but i'm framing both sides the same, so going back to do it later won't be much different from doing it now. you're probably right though.

decided to start a build thread here: https://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=76537

[Ottsville]

Welcome! And will be watching your build!