teardrop toy hauler

[Rlowell]

What KC said would be a good start. You may have no problem at all the way it "looks".
Take the rig down the road empty and loaded to get a feel for everything and then deside what to do.
You may also be able to use an anti-sway bar to assist.

The build is looking real good.

Rod

[sumo]

That might be the best way to go. Thanks for the input. Could some of you tell me what your teardrop weighs.

[Rlowell]

I can not find a scale anywhere near me but I am guessing about 1000 lbs loaded for bear...oops...camping.

Rod

[KCStudly]

Could some of you tell me what your teardrop weighs.

Which piece?

For all of the work and time that I have put in, I'm just not that far along

I'd be happy if I'm under 1500# all up with camping gear, dual batteries, cast iron cooking stuff, a 1/4 thick steel griddle plate, an undetermined amount of potable water, loaded cooler, bear repellent sporting equipment, beefy suspension, considering linear actuators for the hatch, etc.

All indications seem to be that the basic camper will be fairly light compared to a similarly configured traditional stick built. I'm hoping that the light weight building materials (cedar, foam, 5mm thin ply) and technique will compensate for the extras. As GPW says, build light so you can carry more stuff (...500 gals of beer, or whatever ).

[LDK]

Another pic. I got the internal brackets made and put in place. The old canvas straightened out alot when the brackets were in place

I've got to ask you, where did you get your boat? I'm looking for something like that.

[sumo]

I built it. Here are a few more that I built over the last couple of years. This is one reason for the platform on my camper. Each of them have a little different design.

green boat is 4x6 i gave it to my dad for fathers day. the brown one is 4x5 kick boat style and the end boat is the folding bolt 4x6


this one is my primary boat it has additiona foam under the seat for my big a$$. IT has retractable wheels and a built in cooler. I now have it registerd and use a trolling motor on the fornt it is alot for fun to fish form.




this one was built for my borther in laws mother in law. This was a Charistmas present.

[donaldraver]

OH Heck Yeah one person party barge A flotilla of those is got the making of a country song. Ok already been done. Those are cool Just cant show mama the pink one, or our tandem kayak is out with last weeks crab shells... Great job on those

[LDK]

I built it. Here are a few more that I built over the last couple of years. This is one reason for the platform on my camper. Each of them have a little different design.

Wow!! I bet you could make alittle money making those. Is the tubing aluminum or emt conduit? I guess the pontoons are styrofoam.
If I knew how to weld I'd try making my own. They look cool as hell! How much do you charge making those?

[LDK]

Hey Sumo

Check out this thread I started in the general discussion thread.viewtopic.php?f=2&t=54106
Maybe you could explain how you made your boats.

[sumo]

The frames are emt conduit. I have built 6 in the last few years. I build 4 x 5 and 4 x 6 . I have 2 of the 6 footers registered and use trolling motors on them. They are very fun the 5 footers are kick boats and you use flippers to move around. The brown one is a kicker. Here is another kicker. The kickers are also a blast

[sumo]

Ok last of the boat pictures. Here is another boat. I built this one to fold in half so that i could haul it on my atv. It now has a solid olive green seat on it that matches better. This one seems to be the one that folks ask about the most. It was also the first one i built.

[rowerwet]

you should do up a short article and a bunch of pictures, including construction ones, maybe even a rough plan and send it in to http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/ the guys there would love these.
If you go through the whole build on one with pictures and text you could win a prize on http://www.instructables.com/, they run contests and the users vote on the best entry. just make the Instructable, but don't submit it until the contest is announced.

[sumo]

I also have a in the works other versions of these boats that breaks down so that it will fit in the trunck of a car. I would think that it would easly fit the any teardrop. Basically the pontoons and seat area are 3 pices and the pontoons fold in half . and another version where the seat removes and the pontoons fold lenght wise. I may build one after i finish the drop. THe next step that i wold like to take with these is figuring out how to fiberglass over the foam and steamlining the design a little.

[sumo]

Few more drop pics. I got the rack mounds made and tested the fit.

[sumo]

A little ms paint work. This is my goal for the finished product. I have changed it many times but this is the look i am shooting for.