Hey, Y'all!

[Karebru]

Hello from Southwest Florida!
I just registered, and have been lurking around for a few days. I’ve had my eye on teardrop campers for a while. I think one would be perfect for a fifty-something couple who aren’t up to sleeping on the ground anymore, but who also think that camping should be done outdoors. (Not spent inside a big box on wheels, with more luxuries than home.) My knees love the idea of being able to swing my legs out the side door and put my feet down to stand up. Beyond that, all we need is a decent mattress, and a little air conditioner. I’m thinking about building a 5x8. We have a queen-size at home, and it’s nice and cozy with the two of us and a pair of beagles. I’m a cabinetmaker by trade, so it would have to be a Woodie.
Has anyone built a teardrop without the rear hatch? I think I’d rather have a separate kitchen setup, and gain some head and foot room.

[CAJUN LADY]

Hi and welcome aboard! I live in Tampa (but I'm a full blooded Louisiana gal). I haven't seen a Tear on here without a rear galley but I'm sure if you build it, it may inspire others to do so. I sold my 5x10 a couple of years ago and bought a vintage Scotty. I love my standy but I do miss my Teardrop. Maybe one day if I have the room I'll get another one.

Look forward to seeing what idea you come up with!

[Techguy]

This gal had one made with the rear hatch being the only entrance



It in Ira's thread. http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=52296

I think if you added a foot or two to a standard profile, you may be able to have both interior room and galley.

[Junkboy999]

Welcome to the forum.

There's be a few made so far. They generally go by the name “sleepers” or “ just sleepers”. These tend to be smaller one and two people sleepers.

The Pico light is one.

Pico Light design concept thread.
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=34755

Pico Light first trip thread
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=50558

there a few other but I can’t remember where I saw them.


There is no reason why you can’t build a bigger sleeper. You can just add a bigger storage box up front for your cookware. A box Chuck Box.




Terry
Junkboy999

[Karebru]

Thanks for the welcome!
Yeah, a "sleeper". That would describe what I'm thinking about.
Probably something along the Benroy side profile.
Our last "camper" was a boat. On the trailer, it was pushing 7 or 8,000 lbs.,loaded with ice and fuel, etc.
I can haul "heavy", but we sold it because we just couldn't afford the fuel to drag it anywhere or run it anymore.
The ultra-light constuction stuff is facinating. If I watched my weight a little bit, I could probably leave my overdrive engaged...
Then I might even be able to afford traveling to the next county!

[nevadatear]

You can certainly go without the galley, however, you loose to me one of the prime purposes of the camper, to have some space dedicated to store the kitchen stuff, without having to load it up each time. And still have a full queen size bed in the cabin. At least we do in our 5 x 10 woody. Check our build thread to see how we did it.

[Rlowell]

Welcome from another Floridian,

I would agree about the hatch and the galley. That is part of the uniqueness of the TTT, small, compact and very useful and self-contained. Mine is a 5x9 with the queen
mattress. Loaded i guess about 900 lbs.

Welcome and best of luck on whatever you build.

Rod

[Lgboro]

My 4x9 has no leaking hatch but instead has a pull out in the side for a cooking section and a pull out on the drivers side for my air conditioner. It allowed me to have a shallow interior cabinet and a much more spacious living area inside my tear. Just finished a 5 week cross country and have yet to find a negative for this design. Its the same shape it would have been with a rear galley (I actually have a hurricane hinge that I chose not to use). It also allows me to use one awning for both the entry and the cooking area which saves space and money.