Author Topic: Would a trailer work for beach camping on the east coast?  (Read 12558 times)

stoneaxe

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Re: Would a trailer work for beach camping on the east coast?
« Reply #30 on: June 05, 2018, 07:37:17 PM »
Fritz has been taking a back seat to it's sidekick--Archie, the Dune Buggy I plan to drag behind it. I'm just about done with Archie and I'm anxious to get back to work on Fritz. I did finish the kichen cabinets, but that's the last thing I did.

Hey Bill...not to hijack but your comment reminded me. If you want anything made from wood for Fritz let me know. This arborvitae is insanely light and I could speed up the dry with a solar kiln if you want something built from it.

Back to the OP. My wife and I have gone back and forth between van, trailer, or small RV. For what we want to do the trailer seems to be the best balance. If it were just me...stealth van all the way. We won't be stealthy...we'll be planning most trips in advance to find some good spots. I also like the idea of unhooking for exploring an area instead of driving a larger vehicle all the time. I do like creeks idea of converting the trailer and it would be fun to work on....maybe get my bro to come out and do some metalwork for me....:)
Bob

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Rider

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Re: Would a trailer work for beach camping on the east coast?
« Reply #31 on: June 05, 2018, 07:44:50 PM »
Fritz and Archie. You should be able to go under the radar most surf spots. :)

supthecreek

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Re: Would a trailer work for beach camping on the east coast?
« Reply #32 on: June 05, 2018, 07:46:12 PM »
Summer on the East Coast.


Did I read this right that you designed a rig that you shared with me, or maybe someone else?  I must have missed that.  Please let me see it.

I just mentioned that your interest in trailers last fall prompted me to mock up some ideas I had on cargo trailer conversions. I posted some in my last response, just so you would see what I was thinking. You could make a nice space, with everything you need with very little work and not a lot of expense. Basically Cheap Sleeps, with good comfort.

I could buy a brand new new 24' x 8.5' cargo trailer, carpet it, throw in an awesome bed, some recliners and have a great travel trailer for short money. Use campground facilities and cook with a backyard grill and deck furniture. (Pic)



PonoBill

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Re: Would a trailer work for beach camping on the east coast?
« Reply #33 on: June 05, 2018, 09:04:51 PM »
So here's the weird thing--older BIG airstreams are cheap. They pull like a dream. even my 34' with a race car in the back. I get 17 mpg with Nero on my rig. That's 2MPG less than no trailer, hauling 14K worth of weight and drag. New ones are crazy expensive but used are not. And the bigger they are, the cheaper they are. 19' Bambi are crazy, a 31 foot is free. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1976-Airstream-Land-Yacht-Camper-/153048544141
Ok, $6K, but looking at Tom's 23k tent camper, yeah, free. And they are super comfortable, and you can pull them with anything.
« Last Edit: June 05, 2018, 09:11:48 PM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

surfcowboy

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Re: Would a trailer work for beach camping on the east coast?
« Reply #34 on: June 06, 2018, 01:51:19 AM »
I love the idea of cargo conversions but check with the spots you want to stay in. Some don't allow home made conversions (it varies widely.)

Air streams are cheap (outside of SoCal) and good and easy to make cool if you don't go "full Pono". (Never go full Pono unless you're a trained professional or actually Pono.)

But do the math and don't forget that if you want a place at the beach on the east coast it's far more do-able than SoCal and you get rental income for those other 3 weeks a month during the summer.

Our cabin in the desert makes more than it costs and is a solid investment. That'll pay for your used stealth van for surf strikes. I agree, the wife will likely never camp in a van or anything one of us surf bums would dig. That's why used RV's and trailers are so cheap.

surfinJ

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Re: Would a trailer work for beach camping on the east coast?
« Reply #35 on: June 06, 2018, 01:54:33 AM »
Of course a beach house is the ticket, but...

In my idea, creeks layout would too. This is one of the work rigs I’m looking at.
Insulate and vent, add solar, floor heating, 110, water, toilet, fridge. Some camping furniture and a good mattress.

Zooport

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Re: Would a trailer work for beach camping on the east coast?
« Reply #36 on: June 06, 2018, 08:37:52 AM »


But do the math and don't forget that if you want a place at the beach on the east coast it's far more do-able than SoCal and you get rental income for those other 3 weeks a month during the summer.



Good point.  That's the way I'm leaning.  Buying a place on the beach would limit my spot choices but I could still make a cheap van rig too for wider surf bum expeditions. 
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Zooport

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Re: Would a trailer work for beach camping on the east coast?
« Reply #37 on: June 06, 2018, 08:43:22 AM »
So here's the weird thing--older BIG airstreams are cheap. They pull like a dream. even my 34' with a race car in the back. I get 17 mpg with Nero on my rig. That's 2MPG less than no trailer, hauling 14K worth of weight and drag. New ones are crazy expensive but used are not. And the bigger they are, the cheaper they are. 19' Bambi are crazy, a 31 foot is free. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1976-Airstream-Land-Yacht-Camper-/153048544141
Ok, $6K, but looking at Tom's 23k tent camper, yeah, free. And they are super comfortable, and you can pull them with anything.

I hate it when people start an eBay auction at a low price and then put a reserve on it.  I wish they would just start those auctions out and the lowest price they are willing to take. 
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PonoBill

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Re: Would a trailer work for beach camping on the east coast?
« Reply #38 on: June 06, 2018, 10:01:11 AM »
It will probably go for somewhere slightly north of $10K. The seller might be thinking it will go for more than that, but it's a 1976, and no one thinks 31' airstreams are cute. They are practical. You can let the wife redecorate it and still be in for less than 20K. It's only when you start gutting or replacing major systems that the cost starts climbing. Any goofy vinyl on top of the interior aluminum can simply be painted. That what I did with Nero and it worked perfectly.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Bean

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Re: Would a trailer work for beach camping on the east coast?
« Reply #39 on: June 06, 2018, 10:01:57 AM »
Buying a place on the beach would limit my spot choices...

Consider that for certain parts of the east coast you would have to drive hours north or south to see any significant change in the surf for any given day.  That is not to say that as a surfer, we just want a change in scenery and any subtle variation is welcome.

Zooport

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Re: Would a trailer work for beach camping on the east coast?
« Reply #40 on: June 06, 2018, 10:44:17 AM »
Buying a place on the beach would limit my spot choices...

Consider that for certain parts of the east coast you would have to drive hours north or south to see any significant change in the surf for any given day.  That is not to say that as a surfer, we just want a change in scenery and any subtle variation is welcome.
Wow, in SoCal, conditions vary greatly every few miles.  It often goes from overhead to flat even in the 8 mile distance between Huntington and Newport in the winter.
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stoneaxe

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Re: Would a trailer work for beach camping on the east coast?
« Reply #41 on: June 06, 2018, 11:13:49 AM »
Buying a place on the beach would limit my spot choices...

Consider that for certain parts of the east coast you would have to drive hours north or south to see any significant change in the surf for any given day.  That is not to say that as a surfer, we just want a change in scenery and any subtle variation is welcome.
Wow, in SoCal, conditions vary greatly every few miles.  It often goes from overhead to flat even in the 8 mile distance between Huntington and Newport in the winter.

Geographic features are what defines it here. All depends if you're in the shadow or not. I wouldn't imagine it effects NC like it does NE but I'm sure there are times when swells get shadowed by the Cape there too.
Bob

8-4 Vec, 9-0 SouthCounty, 9-8 Starboard, 10-4 Foote Triton, 10-6 C4, 12-6 Starboard, 14-0 Vec (babysitting the 18-0 Speedboard) Ke Nalu Molokai, Ke Nalu Maliko, Ke Nalu Wiki Ke Nalu Konihi

OUTSIDEWAVE

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Re: Would a trailer work for beach camping on the east coast?
« Reply #42 on: June 07, 2018, 10:02:47 PM »
go to the site expedition portal.  Your dreams fantasies about offroad  camping beach or other wise will be answered and then  some  eveything from ursa minor camper that are like a  westphalia for jeep wranglers to  expedtion worth live for 6 months  go any where  monster  4x4 trucks with  full solar and  water filters  to a bazillon light weight  off road trailers.
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NEplay

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Re: Would a trailer work for beach camping on the east coast?
« Reply #43 on: June 09, 2018, 11:30:03 AM »
New England Is My Playground

surfinJ

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Re: Would a trailer work for beach camping on the east coast?
« Reply #44 on: June 09, 2018, 01:18:01 PM »
Sprinter of my dreams NEplay!  Though a bit too refined and pricey for me. That’s a new rig that’s been pimped, probs~$80K.

Stateside this truck hasn’t been on the road for so long so the prices of them are quite high, even used.  Over here they have been the most common work van for a long time resulting in a very large and reasonably price secondhand market. Still hunting for the right one.  The one pictured above got away while wavered.

 


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