Hey there, Seattle geek chick reporting in :)

[jmtk]

From one geek chick to another, welcome Jen!

Your goal of under a 1000 lbs loaded is quite doable. Building lightweight was one of my main goals, too. My 5x8 trailer comes in at about 750 lbs completely empty, and about 900-950 loaded. And we sleep 3 people in it.

Have fun designing your trailer, and don't worry if you become obsessed about it. That's normal

Jeanette

[MrBuzz]

Welcome Jen;
Keeping it lightweight won't be a problem if you plan on that from the start. My GenBen weighs just over 800 lbs...and that's with everything except the cooler on board.
My trailer is 3/4" plywood for sides & floor. My trailer is solid as a tank, over built really. Knowing what I know no I would definitely build lighter.
Don't over-build the trailer either. A lightweight TD built for moderate use doesn't need a trailer heavier than the standard utility trailers.
Obviously a 4 foot wide TD is lighter than a 5 footer...so width would be a consideration. Width also adds to the frontal area making it harder for the tow vehicle too.
You can go with shelves instead of cabinets to save a lot of weight. Many people here on the forum do that and then use plastic storage boxes to keep food & supplies in.
Painted or varnish type finishes for the interior & exterior are lighter than metal sheets, panelling, FRP, masonite-type products...that saves weight too.
Like everything else plan ahead, work efficiently...and don't be afraid to try something new!!

[caseydog]

If I were towing it more with the Miata, I'd want to go ultralight and aim for around 800 lbs loaded. It should be feasible if I used lighter (and more expensive) materials, like even more polycarbonate. ;
- Jen

Jen, it is not that expensive to build light. My TD was built with birch plywood and fiberglass sheets. It weighs about 800 pounds, and it has air-conditioning.

If you generally camp alone, a 4X8 is plenty large. If you camp with a second person, a 5X8 will do.

If you keep you structure simple, you can easily build a 4X8 that comes in at 600-800 pounds. A 5X8 could be done at 700-900 pounds, without expensive materials.

You shouldn't need air conditioning to sleep up there (it's a necessity in Texas). So, there's 50 pounds saved.

If you use 3/4 cabinet grade plywood for the walls, and use simple shelving instead of fancy cabinets, and don't go nuts on the appliances, you can easily build a solid, yet lightweight teardrop.

BTW, your rear-wheel-drive Miata may tow better than the front-wheel-drive economy car.

CD

[AmyH]

Welcome fellow Northwesterner! I am just north of you in Shoreline, but I work downtown in Seattle. Nice to see another gal on the forum.

Good luck with the build.

[QuietOutdoorsman]

WooHooo!!! Another Northwesterner!

From one self-admitted geek to another, WELCOME!!!!!

I'm just a little further North of you and AmyH being up in Everett, but working for that crazy aircraft company has me splitting my work week between Everett and Renton. I get a great view of the Bellevue highrise construction while I'm parked on 405!

Dirk

[dreadcptflint]

Hi welcome to the forum. It's always good to see another local. With your job being busy, I am surprised that you are not stepping right in and buying with plans to build as time allows.

[Cliffmeister2000]

Welcome, Jen! When you get to building, take lots of pictures!

Currently still dreaming and looking for a teardrop, will probably get a usable secondhand trailer soon, but eventually want to design one more or less from scratch. I'm working on some ideas for improved aerodynamics, huge polycarbonate windows, and an integrated WiFi antenna.

By integrated WiFi antenna I assume you are thinking something like a mountable SprintCard? Be interested to know if something like that exists. Many RV parks have WiFi now, but I haven't found any campgrounds with it yet.

I expect to use my partner's compact car as a primary tow vehicle, and I'd like to be able to tow with my Miata in a pinch- so weight is a major consideration, trying to keep it under 1000 lb loaded, absolute max around 1200.

Mazda in the United States will void your warranty if you put a trailer hitch on anything but their pickups. I have a Mazda3 Sport (okay, my wife has a Mazda3 Sport) and Iwould love to put a hitch on it! It's almost out of warranty, but I know she will never let me do that. She likes to get 200k+ miles out of her Mazdas, and this is her third in a row.

This is what I want next, with gas prices like they are!

[Greg M]

Hey! I'm the official geek of this list, so just back off missy

Welcome to the madness.

-Greg

[asianflava]

I think you guys scared her off.

[halfdome, Danny]

Jen, if your looking for a used teardrop like you mentioned Ed Ester of Seattle may still have a used 4x8 tear on hand. Ed has made over 40 teardrops and can be reached at 206-243-0160. I bet it would meet your weight requirements. Welcome to the forum. Danny

[fishfrank]

he he yall make me wish i was younger!

[Cliffmeister2000]

So, Jen, where did you go

[caseydog]

Yeah, she disappeared?

Sniff, sniff -- I don't smell too bad. Who ran off the noobie?

CD

[TheBizMan]

Hey Cliff,

I don't know about the car, but I like the trailer.

[Creamcracker]

Hey Cliff,

I don't know about the car, but I like the trailer.

Forget the trailer -- it's got no character --- however, the cars amazing!
Philip