Hello from Austin, TX- Out to build the ultimate dive trailr

[Texas Torpedo]

Greetings all..

I sure am glad I found this community... Making a living with online communities one might think I'd do a direct search for "cargo trailer conversions" and end up here, however I was having a hard enough time pulling up direct scuba trailer builds in dive related forums, and I just didn't think about it. Fortunately, I heard about it in one guys cargo trailer conversion build blog...

I'm an avid SCUBA diver who travels from Texas to Florida (soon to be all over the U.S.) at least 3 times a year to cave dive, wreck dive and spear fish. Hauling gear is a real PITA, as is always renting hotels, and so on.. Worse (currently), I live in a high rise right downtown Austin and my man cave garage and rooms of the past have pretty much been consolidated into a man closet and a small storage unit.. Hauling gear up and down to the 18th floor is also one of my least favorite things to do, especially if it is still wet.

A few months ago I purchased two dive compressors, 8 cascade storage bottles, filter towers, and all the other parts to do my own fills rather than make the trip to the local dive shop. Further, the gases I breathe quite often are significantly more expensive (and hard to find) if purchased at a dive shop rather than mixing them yourself..

It's great having all that equipment but no place to set it up right now.. So, I finally decided it was time for a serious dive trailer aka toy hauler that myself and friends can use for diving as well as "living" while on the road or at events.

I recently got a great deal on a 16' V-Nose trailer which I plan to turn into the Ultimate Dive Trailer... I've hear of a few really incredible ones but this one will suit all of my needs..

My spec list is long and the conversion is going to start next week... I will post up a new thread in the conversions forum when I started and I hope to get a lot of feedback and direction. I've got a history in low voltage vehicle wiring and such, but I've never done anything with a trailer.. Until I start my build, I'll be reading as many threads / posts here as I can..

This place is a gold mine and I'd like to thank everyone here that participates in advance.. Not to mention the owners and any staff..

Look forward to getting to know everyone..

Thanks,
David

[honeask]

Welcome Dave from another Texan. We just saw two cargo conversions this weekend at a gathering, both were very cool and looked really comfortable. You will have fun coming up with your own build but I know there is a wealth of info at your fingertips, have fun with it and before anyone beats me to it, take pictures and post 'em often.

[asianflava]

Welcome to the forum! We lived in Round Rock for 10 yrs before moving to Colorado a couple years ago.

[The Teardrop Nanny]

Hi David, the diver.

Great write up and explanation about your plans. I love scuba diving in tropical waters best. The North Coast waters around here don't have the best visibility or warmth. Warm water diving is great cuz I can go w/o a wetsuit.

There is a guy and his son who are divers on this forum and you should check out their posts/history.

One of the biggest issues was how to allow for suit drainage. As long as you dive consecutively it would be okay as it never dried out. It would be hard to let it stay outside to dry unattended as it might get stolen. Also, a way to secure your trailer and that might mean a lock on the hitch so somebody doesn't back up and haul it away while you are down under.

Looking forward to readiing more about your adventures.

Joanie
The Teardrop Nanny

[Texas Torpedo]

Thanks for all the warm welcomes.. From these and browsing many of the forums, it seems like T&TTT is one big family...

Joanie: I'm looking into the possibility of using a Rhino type spray-in liner on the floor and 1 foot up the walls throughout the trailer, and leaving the trailer a few degrees up when parked with wetsuits & drysuits hanging across the back. I was also looking at the industrial coin pattern flooring.. Of course, I'll still need to figure out the draining at the rear... I'll be all ears when I get the build thread going and it's great to know there are other divers here that have built their own trailers..

I'm with you on warm blue-water diving. I lived most of last year in Cozumel, Mexico and dove practically every day. (I can work from anywhere as long as I have internet and IP phone) That being said, I can't wait to get out to NC & SC to go out to some of the ship wrecks you all have off your coasts. That's really my passion in diving... Even if its cold and dark.. At least after this is done I'll have a place to warm up between outings..

Have a great day!
David

[The Teardrop Nanny]

Keep us posted Diver David.... and Cozumel is beautiful-drift diving and no wet suit....woo hoo. I like your avatar picture.
TDN
Check out Diverguy (profile)

[Texas Torpedo]

Well, I'm very happy to say I just regained access to the forum and it is good to be back.
I wish I could update everyone with the cargo trailer conversion of my dreams but I was very nearly killed when one of my decompression (SCUBA) oxygen cylinders exploded right after I put it in my truck Feb 2012.
I spent over two months in the hospital, had major skin graft operations, one carpal tunnel release surgery on both hands to try and get sensation back in my fingers, and a whole lot of out patient rehabs..
All that being said.. I'm finally pretty much back to where I was before the explosion sans the 3rd degree body art I get to carry around with me.. A very small price to pay to still be here today!

Sooo.. Moving forward! Since my previous gas truck didn't make it through it with me, I ended up buying a Dodge 2500 5.9L replacement with towing in mind. Recently, a friend of mine started trying to sell a 30' 8.5" wide car hauler but the market isn't there for it I guess.. He's offered it to me at a steal.. I still have all the parts & equipment I originally purchased for my 16' V-nose (storage tanks, electrical systems, pumps, distribution, power system, water heater, etc, etc..) but when I purchased the 16 footer I did so pretty much only due to my truck's towing limits.. I'm teetering back and forth right now but I'm itching for a multi-month road trip to hopefully see as much of this beautiful country as I can, and the 30' conversion just might be the ticket for hauling the toys to the drop-off point, and giving me a really nice base to go from..

Either way, I plan to design it with more than diving in mind now.. R/C Airplanes and Helicopters were a passion of mine before I ever thought about SCUBA diving.. As I build this now it will have both in mind, plus the ATV / Watercraft component factored in..

I know.. Talk is cheap.. Lets see how I roll..

Thanks again to all of you who are active here.. I had a fairly complete build outline, parts, prices, and the links to match but thanks to the fact that I was moving when the explosion happened, my home computer and laptop burned along with my truck after the explosion.. All data lost.. (The computer had a full RAID system running in it plus a backup hard drive.. A backup hard drive doesn't do you much good if you lose the computer physically.. )

Regards,
David

[Junkboy999]

Welcome back David


Sorry to hear about “ THE BIG BANG ” Good to have you still with us.


I fly RCs planes and I’m working my way up to bigger gliders. It would be nice to keep all my models in the
TD I’m planning but I’m leaning more to just camping in the TD and filling the truck or Minivan with the models.

Love to see what you come up with.