2013 Camping Thread

[fundmark19]

Well I just picked up my first trailer! I wanted something no bigger then 14 ft and wife wanted something with a bathroom. You don't see many out there but we found this old gal. A 72 sportsmen we named her Bessy.

-A couple of problems I need to fix is replacing one broken window and a broken roof vent from hail.
-I also noticed the protective stripping on the edges has broken off in most places leaving the hex screws rusting. Should I replace all of these with new screws and seal them in with Plastidip or something like that?
-The water pump doesn't work so I need a new one
-There is no faucet in the bathroom I wonder how hard that would be to put in

Here she is she isn't pretty but she doesn't leak and will keep us off the ground. For $1200 including a hitch & Sway bars I couldn't go wrong

[Regulator75]

Originally Posted by fundmark19

Makes me claustrophobic just looking at it.

[fundmark19]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

Makes me claustrophobic just looking at it.

It technically can sleep 6 if you have two small kids and put them on the top bunk over the couch! It will get nice and cozy in there!

[ken0042]

Sometimes smaller is better. There's a few places I have camped that normally don't allow travel trailers due to some tight turns.

[Slava]

^ good start! Replacing a water pump takes less than 5 minutes and will cost you roughly $150. I haven't replaced any fixtures, but I would guess its simple. For the most part my work on trailers (which is somewhat limited, but I always try to do it myself) has shown that there isn't much to them. I would guess that some of the new models are more complicated, but the older ones seem pretty simple and easy to work on yourself.

[Regulator75]

Originally Posted by fundmark19

It technically can sleep 6 if you have two small kids and put them on the top bunk over the couch! It will get nice and cozy in there!

Maybe it's the gloomy weather that makes it seem even smaller.

[fundmark19]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

Maybe it's the gloomy weather that makes it seem even smaller.

Don't get me wrong it is small! But I don't want a large trailer and I hate tent trailers so it is the perfect size 16ft was our max. I wanted something small that will keep us warm and dry and leave room in the back of the truck for my quad.

[greyshep]

Good for you. And who cares if it isnt pretty, as long as its functional and gets you out and away having some fun.

As Slava already mentioned, working on trailers is usually pretty simple. I have replaced faucets, etc in the past and found it very easy. Or maybe you mean there has never been a faucet in the bathroom and you are wondering about adding a sink/faucet? That obviously would be a different ballgame altogether and would really depend on how much room you have in the bathroom and how hard it would be to tie into the water lines, etc.

[fundmark19]

Originally Posted by greyshep

That obviously would be a different ballgame altogether and would really depend on how much room you have in the bathroom and how hard it would be to tie into the water lines, etc.

There is no faucet at all it is very strange. The bathroom is very spacious so there is lots of room to work with. Here are some pictures.

Spoiler!

[greyshep]

Originally Posted by fundmark19

There is no faucet at all it is very strange. The bathroom is very spacious so there is lots of room to work with. Here are some pictures.

Spoiler!

Cool. That definitely looks like a possibility to me. I would tie into the supply line that is going to the toilet and run it along the drain line that goes the same route to the sink. You should be able to punch through the top of that angled counter at some position to install the faucet itself. The only negative with this is that you would only have cold water. Unless you found a hot water line source nearby.

[fundmark19]

Originally Posted by greyshep

Cool. That definitely looks like a possibility to me. I would tie into the supply line that is going to the toilet and run it along the drain line that goes the same route to the sink. You should be able to punch through the top of that angled counter at some position to install the faucet itself. The only negative with this is that you would only have cold water. Unless you found a hot water line source nearby.

The trailer only has cold water no hot water tank so that doesn't bother me I think it would just be nice to have something to rinse your hands off with that would be better than nothing. That is what I was thinking as well. I will know more once I play around and get everything hooked up. I need this gloomy weather to turn to sunshine. First order of business is to get everything running as it is supposed to.

[greyshep]

Originally Posted by fundmark19

The trailer only has cold water no hot water tank so that doesn't bother me I think it would just be nice to have something to rinse your hands off with that would be better than nothing. That is what I was thinking as well. I will know more once I play around and get everything hooked up. I need this gloomy weather to turn to sunshine. First order of business is to get everything running as it is supposed to.

Well that makes it a bit easier then. Only one line to worry about.

Agreed about the weather.

Good luck with the project.

[fundmark19]

Anyone know what scales you can use to weigh your trailer? I would like to find out the exact weights as previous owner just said 2000-2500

[ken0042]

There's a free one a few hundred metres west of the junction of highway 22 on the Trans Canada.
Google Maps link

I think if you want to pay most truck stops would have them; like Flying J.

[fundmark19]

Great that is awesome 10 mins from my house! I take it the scale is on both sides of the highway?

[ken0042]

I think it's just on the north side. IIRC the south side it just a roadside turnout with a washroom.

[fundmark19]

Good to know! North Side is best for me anyway as I can cut back up to 22 through that service road by the petro.

Does anybody have any tricks for parking trailers? Is the best way to learn just to take it to a parking lot and do it?

[greyshep]

Originally Posted by fundmark19

Good to know! North Side is best for me anyway as I can cut back up to 22 through that service road by the petro.

Does anybody have any tricks for parking trailers? Is the best way to learn just to take it to a parking lot and do it?

Just take it slow. Especially since yours is single axle. Those things will turn on a dime.

You will likely be making a lot of small corrections when backing that thing up.

If you have a place to practice, go for it.

Hopefully when you do go out, you wont be providing entertainment to the campers that arrive before you. Never fun being one of the last to arrive and having everyone watching you back in and setup. lol

[fundmark19]

Originally Posted by greyshep

Just take it slow. Especially since yours is single axle. Those things will turn on a dime.

You will likely be making a lot of small corrections when backing that thing up.

If you have a place to practice, go for it.

Hopefully when you do go out, you wont be providing entertainment to the campers that arrive before you. Never fun being one of the last to arrive and having everyone watching you back in and setup. lol

Well it took me like 20 mins last night to get it where I wanted it on my driveway. I could only imagine what a tricky spot in a campground would do to me.

[Isbrant]

We are going camping in a week and it will be the first time we will be bringing a dog. We will be in a tent but others in the group will have trailers. Are there any tips from people out there that are used to camping with a dog?