Camping in a converted box trailer

[no-no]

Thinking of buying an ex BT Openbreach trailer and using it as a caravan. I've heard that some campsites won't take trailers though......has anyone heard of this? Is it common? What's their fuckin' problem!?

 

[dessiato]

Have you tried the Caravan Club for information?

 

[Siouxsie]

I think campsites are strict on how they have been converted, if all the Electric and Gas standards are met and if you have certificates.

 

[no-no]

I think campsites are strict on how they have been converted, if all the Electric and Gas standards are met and if you have certificates.

I'm kind of planning to have the gas and electrics the sameas I'd have in a tent....a hookup cable and 4 bar adapter for the leccy.
For the gas just a butane can attached to a stove.

It'll be pretty much empty except for a couple of bunks, some bikes and boats.I was hoping they'd take it on a case by case basis rather thant just rejecting converted trailers out of hand.

 

[Siouxsie]

Phone the campsite up and ask them what their policies are. At least if they say no you won't have had a wasted journey.

 

[moonsi til]

We have a converted St Johns ambulance and were refused at a site in Windsor as they did not take any converted vehicles. This was the first and only time that this has happened in many years of using a converted van.

 

[wiskey]

Have you tried the Caravan Club for information?

from my experience they will go pale and hope you never darken any of their sites.

 

[friedaweed]

When the trailer's rockin...

 

[Saul Goodman]

Thinking of buying an ex BT Openbreach trailer and using it as a caravan. I've heard that some campsites won't take trailers though......has anyone heard of this? Is it common? What's their fuckin' problem!?

I bought one of those bodies to use as storage. One thing I can tell you is they're insanely heavy! I had to get a JCB to lift it off the trailer when it arrived, and had to use the front loader, as the excavator wasn't able to lift it. Even the front loader struggled to lift it.

 

[no-no]

Thanks Saul, good to know...the wheel placement isn't great either as these things were originally mounted on a van rather than a trailer. there'd be a lot of weight on the tow ball and the car's front wheels would be in the air.

The caravan club asked about ventilation and wanted to see a photo, i think they'll turn me away.

I've decided to get a caravan and strip out as much of the heavy wooden furniture as it can take instead.

 

[not-bono-ever]

How about one of the mini dinky caravans that the Dutch seem to love ?

 

[A380]

Will you actually save any money doing this? You can get some really cheap 'tired' caravans that need cosmetic work. Or don't you want something that looks like a caravan (can understand that...)

 

[no-no]

No a caravan is fine...I've found a few cheap ones nearby. As long as it's dry it'll be fine.

It needs to be fairly long so I can hopefully fit a 14 foot canoe inside....even if it pokes out of the window a bit that's fine. As long as I don't need to have keep strapping it on the car. That's the main reason I want to strip out a lot of the furniture.

 

[campanula]

Might be a bit tricky actually getting a canoe in the caravan - most of them having such piddley side doors. Have you thought about a basic van conversion (I have a 7.5 ton Leyland Daf horsebox but the weight means licence issues unless you had a licence in 1992).

 

[UnderOpenSky]

No a caravan is fine...I've found a few cheap ones nearby. As long as it's dry it'll be fine.

It needs to be fairly long so I can hopefully fit a 14 foot canoe inside....even if it pokes out of the window a bit that's fine. As long as I don't need to have keep strapping it on the car. That's the main reason I want to strip out a lot of the furniture.

Not sure I'd want to store something damp inside my living space. How about a lighter canoe. You can lift a 14 foot rolyex one on your own...

 

[no-no]

ill be removing all the soft furnishing, rubber or lino on the floor. my boat is plastic but its not the lifting that's the problem. its having it on the roof, i cant open the boot when its on top. it was a real pain on my last trip. id much rather be able to just chuck it in the van.

 

[campanula]

I am even less convinced a caravan is the way to go...not least because removing the furniture is a total nightmare and can even damage the structural integrity. I have a 17ft Coleman...and the idea of 'chucking' it anywhere is a bit insane...I can just about manoeuvre it onto my home-made dolly...but even a much smaller, lighter version (mines a clunker) is unlikely to easily insert into a standard caravan...whereas a Bongo or Transit or Hiace and such could have a storage rack on the roof. I joined a self-build forum -SBMCC - which is truly helpful for these sort of conversions.