Solo in a camper trailer

tonyd · Guru

Solo in a camper trailer

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Hi Tony,

I am Solo and have a Avan Camper, I find it real easy to set up and pack up. I got it for that reason plus NO canvas, only the awning. The only thing is, it is not off road friendly but I have been told by other Avan owners that if you can get a normal car in, the Avan will go there as well.

I am just about to head out into the playground for my first extended trip but have done a few shorter trips and love the Avan.

I don't mind the being Solo but I don't eat out much as I find that a bit hard. In CV parks I always walk around and end up getting back to the camper a couple of hours later, always someone to talk too. I have just set up for "Independent Camping" so will be trying that out on my trip as well. From what I read on this forum most members do IC and love it.

Happywanderer · The Master

My son has a camper trailer and would be going solo with his two kids, who are too small to be of much help.
The only time he has taken it out my older son was with him and a lot more energetic, did most of the work.
I doubt whether this son, owner of the campertrailer, will be able to manage erecting and dismantling on his own.
So I'm with you Tonyd, unless you are able to manage it very well on your own, expecially if travelling and parking in a different spot every night, I would go with something a bit more manageable.

Oxley · Veteran Member

I'm in similar situation, I did a 3 week shake down trip with a canopy on the ute and 2 different tents. I was fond of the single pole tourer 9 tent over the RV5 but during heavy rain or wind I missed having a solid roof over my head.

I'm about to fit out the canopy so I can sleep in it at a pinch, but I found it is also nice to have somewhere to stand up in when changing etc. I've had a tear drop camper, but it was a home made job that I bought second hand and wasn't well designed.

I'm currently looking at the Avan Weekender for sleeping, and some sort of awning for standing room, and keep the canopy as kitchen and storage, which is something the Weekender and tear drop types lack.

I've also owned an 18 foot 1988 Vicount with all the bells and whistles, but found the best tug was an F100 and the whole towing a large van thing stressful at times, so would not go back to that set-up.

Duh · Guru

Like Doug said Tony, a hard walled camper trailer like the Avan or campervan would be better for you and a lot easier to pack up etc (up and down in 30 seconds). You can have a canvas awning or annex if you wish, but they are canvas so unless you are staying in one place for awhile not worth putting up.

I had one for 7 years and although I did have an annex, only used it twice, but did use the awning now and then if staying in one spot for a few days.......

Having met you Tony, I did wonder whether a canvas CT would suit your needs.

Good luck with whatever you decide to go for.

Have a look at something like this too, they have both side and back door entry models, I think I looked a this one and it was pretty smelly inside from food cooking or something though, although there is another back door model on gumtree that looked like a nice clean unit. http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/maddington/caravan/1988-viscount-nipper/1007361891

If you buy a second hand Avan camper trailer, if you get one after about 2000, they have higher walls and therefore a larger fridge if you want more fridge space......

-- Edited by Duh on Saturday 29th of September 2012 11:18:26 PM

sarg · Guru

I nearly bought a camper trailer, was doing research for 12 months and then a mate said to me ...what happen when it rains and you have to pack up and everything is wet, or the canvas leaks, especially over the bed area, and it is harder for one to do it all.......I was on a very restrictive budget...........then this 14ft 1986 poptop caravan yelled out to me "Buy me Buy me", so I did. Much easier to just lift the top and your in bed. Rain ..no worries, wind no worries... Now just putting a longer/stronger drawbar and off road suspension and away I go. I tow with a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder, with dual fuel. It should do. I recon that a small poptop for a solo nomad is a lot better to manage. All the best.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Definitely better in the packing up with 2 people Tony. For long-term travelling you'd get the routine down pat, although you'd get pretty tired, I think. If you are the kind of traveller who stops in one place for a while before moving on then it might work out better, as theres quite a lot of room in a CT when set up.

tonyd · Guru

Thanks for replies, which are very helpful in my deliberations.

I have now decided to stop being a wimp and take the CT out for another run, having first solved the small but irritating problem of the tow ball on my Colorado being too low for the amount of movement possible in the CT's swing-up jockey wheel. This problem coloured my first trip.

Had to jack the CT drawbar up to get it on to the hitch and get the cursed swing-up jockey wheel up . . . and having done that, of course, could NOT get the jack out! Solved fairly easily but I was by then not in a good mood! The fact that it was raining did NOT help. Luckily there were no children about, as the language was VILE! Have ordered a (surprisingly cheap) higher tow hitch.

I have also had a chat to the CT manufacturer/seller, who gave me some very useful tips on packing up (my helpers and I started at the wrong end of the CT, apparently).

And of course, there is always Plan B. It's called the Blackwolf Turbo Tent. Easy peasy. Also looking into the AVan situation. I always thought they were a strange design, but I can now see the whole thing in an entirely different light.

The saga continues!

Cheers, Tony

Cruising Cruze · Guru

G'day Tony

I'm a newby to this web site
We use to camp with a Kamperoo junior ( The smallest one they use to make not anymore so far I know ) towing it with a Gold-Wing Motor bike what was an breeze to tow
we done that for nearly 15 Years but the trailor seems to get smaller all the time ( or we were getting bigger )
we always had an big tarp over the top trying to find an photo on the computer sorry not one with the bike , but this is the idee of it

this would far big anough for single camping

Cruising Cruze · Guru

forgot a bit sorry

Regards John

Happywanderer · The Master

John, that looks like one I have seen on the main street here in town (Biggenden) with a for sale sign on it. Also saw one over at Maryborough a week or so back. Also for sale.
Hard to tell without a folded up photo.
Are they only small enough to be towed by a morotbike, and when folded down they are flat with metal bits across the top.

Cruising Cruze · Guru

G'day Marj

Was for shure not mine that one is still in the Garage at home
but it is for sale with the tarpaulin and Post and the top bars of the well whole kit

regards John

Duh · Guru

I just saw on your profile Tony your camper trailer is a Jayco Flamingo, they are a nice camper and Jayco has one of the best warranty services in the business which I can vouch for from my own experience.

I am sure once you get the hang of everything you will be more than happy with it.

Happy Travels

Vic

Happywanderer · The Master

Cruising Cruze wrote:
G'day Marj

Was for shure not mine that one is still in the Garage at home
but it is for sale with the tarpaulin and Post and the top bars of the well whole kit

regards John

Haha, no I meant it must be the same type. Not the exact one. I had never seen one so small before.

Cruising Cruze · Guru

that must be it LOL

regards John

tonyd · Guru

Duh wrote:
I just saw on your profile Tony your camper trailer is a Jayco Flamingo, they are a nice camper and Jayco has one of the best warranty services in the business which I can vouch for from my own experience.
I am sure once you get the hang of everything you will be more than happy with it.

Thanks, Duh, but I should have made clear originally that the CT I had trouble with is a soft-floor Red Earth offroad model which I obtained so I could go offroad (probably starting next year, after the Wet).

The Flamingo is indeed a good'un and I can handle that easily on my own, but it's NOT an offroad proposition. I have now spoken to the Red Earth man who gave me some useful tips on packing up the CT. Apparently I started from the wrong end! I also had some vital poles in the wrong position.

I really wonder if I should be out in the bush alone!!

Planning another outing after the school holidays.

Cheers, Tony