13' Scamp to live/travel in full time - Fiberglass RV
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Old 11-06-2018, 01:33 PM   #1
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Name: Gail
Trailer: In the market for 13' deluxe
Texas
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13' Scamp to live/travel in full time

Hi, I'm Gail. I'm retired and an avid minimalist. I think/hope a 13' Scamp will suit me well and be easiest to pull. I am hoping to see inside a deluxe model that's located 30+ miles from me in the next few days to see if 13' is doable or completely unrealistic. I have no experience camping or pulling an rv but am willing to learn.
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Old 11-06-2018, 01:38 PM   #2
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It's easier to back up a long trailer than a short one.
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Old 11-06-2018, 01:43 PM   #3
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Do you plan to stay in RV parks?
My wife and I travel several months at a time with our Boler (very similar to yours) and are comfortable. We almost always use RV parks though.
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Old 11-06-2018, 02:13 PM   #4
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Name: David
Trailer: 2013 Scamp 13 S1 BB
IL
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo View Post
It's easier to back up a long trailer than a short one.
Now you tell me , i learned this very quickly the first week i towed my 13 and the gps led me down a dead end street....

Gail, there are at least a few people on youtube etc who live in small rv's. You can search for elsa rhae or tim mikkos on youtube for their videos.
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Old 11-06-2018, 02:23 PM   #5
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Name: bill
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I met a couple in CO full timing in a Trillium 1300. Smallish bed, small dinette in the front. No toilet, no AC.

Yet they had been doing it for over two years, traveling all over NA for over 40,000 miles.

Could my wife and I do it? No way. But that couple loved it!

If you have one 30 miles from where you live, DON"T WAIT! Go now. If someone grabs it in the next day or two, you will be kicking yourself.


I've had to travel a very long distance to find my trailers. One was 500 miles away, the other was over 600 miles away. And I am talking one way miles!
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Old 11-06-2018, 02:29 PM   #6
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Good call on YouTube like the Elsa Rhae videos. That’ll give you a realistic idea. A Scamp 13 will test your minimalism/essentialism, that’s for sure. I won’t call myself a minimalistic but definitely lean that way. I live 6 months of the year in a Bigfoot, the most spacious fiberglass RV. Mine is a 17’. I have space left over but not a lot. When you’re camping it’s easy to “go without” or barebones. When you’re “living”, you start wanting more things.

If you can avoid that temptation, you’ll be alright. You absolutely must plan to spend as much time outside the trailer as possible. It’s real fun to hang out inside and enjoy the space for a while. But really quickly you’ll begin to hate the thing. So you’ll want to stay in warm areas. Even in my 17’, what really saves me is doing a lot of house sitting. I get to spread out for a while and deep clean things.

Depending on your finances, if the 13 feels too small after a year or so, go bigger.
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Old 11-06-2018, 02:31 PM   #7
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Trailer: 2004 13 ft Scamp Custom Deluxe
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It can be done comfortably...Especially if you are solo.
My wraparound couch can used in several configurations.
One of which can be a full thirty inch bunk and a two person dinette which can be left up.

It can be easily converted to a full dinette, or a wraparound couch( with or without the snack table which also doubles as a sink cover.
The possibilities are endless and my wife and I spend many weeks per year for 14 years so far traveling in comfort in our Scamp13D. It has all the comforts of home without the distance or stairs involved when moving from room to room.

Below are some pics of my Scamp13D which provides everything a house provides in a tiny package...
Attached Thumbnails
scamp pictures 018.jpg   Pic009.JPG  

Pic015.JPG   Eggy-Sue inside 008.jpg  

Eggy-Sue inside 006.jpg   DSCF0203.JPG  

Eggy-Sue inside 009.jpg   DSCF0034.JPG  

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Old 11-06-2018, 03:24 PM   #8
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Name: Gail
Trailer: In the market for 13' deluxe
Texas
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I have watched many you tube videos of couples living/working in a 13' Scamp. They all seem to be quite young and have a different perspective on the lifestyle than a retiree has. Would love to hear from retired singles/couples living in one.
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Old 11-06-2018, 03:33 PM   #9
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Name: Gail
Trailer: In the market for 13' deluxe
Texas
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It will be a huge adjustment for sure. Hope to spend much more time outdoors as space in a 13' will almost nonexistent.
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Old 11-06-2018, 03:47 PM   #10
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Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
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I think if I were going to full time I'd be looking just a bit larger. I love our 13', but we only camp 3-5 days at a time and cook outside. I'd like a bit more galley space for inside cooking, a bathroom, and place to eat and lounge separate from the bed.

Storage comes into play when full-timing, too. Presumably you'll have clothes for different seasons with you all the time.

It's a very personal choice, so have a look at some different options and see what's right for you.
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Old 11-06-2018, 04:12 PM   #11
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Speaking from experience. We've camped for years with last 13 years in our 13' Scamp STD. Never has there been any real thought about need a BIGGER trailer. This one works very nicely. Right now retired and camp in the winter for 90 to 100 days at time. Could camp longer but other parts of our lives cause us to go home after 90 to 100 days.


I keep wonder why it is that so many people want something bigger. We don't have AC, Television, a bathroom, hot water heater. Part of the reason for camping is to get away from the news and internet. Never have hookups. A small solar panel recharges the battery about every 4 or 5 days. We go through an average of about a gallon a week of propane. With smaller trailer we can any place we desire. Some place you couldn't get to with a larger trailer. As far as backing is concerned, all trailers take a little practice to back up. By now I can back this one up pretty easily and put it where I want it.



The simplicity of a small trailer makes set and tear down short and easy. We are generally set and enjoying the scenery in 10 minuets of arrival and takes us about the same to hook up and leave. Leaving much more time to enjoy the surroundings. A nice walk around to get to know the neighbors whether they plant, animal or human. Some places we enjoy the geology and wonder at the forces that form the mountains and valleys, some places it's watching the animal life. In others looking for old friends and they're colorful blooms. Each place is different and by traveling from place to place you get see more, learn more and stay young.
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Old 11-06-2018, 04:37 PM   #12
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Name: Gail
Trailer: In the market for 13' deluxe
Texas
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Hi Jon. I will hopefully be following the sun and staying where winter clothing, that I have now, will not be needed. At first, I will keep some clothing and shoes in tow vehicle until I'm ready to donate them. I have lived in a small room at a relative's house for more than a year with no problem with lack of space. Everything I own is in this room except my kettle. I like a small living space and do not accumulate things. I have a small SUV but do not store anything in it now.
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Old 11-06-2018, 05:01 PM   #13
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Trailer: Casita SD
Tennessee
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I think a 13 would be perfectly satisfactory for one person. Be aware that some don't have bathrooms. I rarely use the shower but consider the toilet to be one of the factors that elevates trailer life above sleeping in the back of a van.
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Old 11-06-2018, 05:06 PM   #14
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Name: Jon
Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scamp4gb2 View Post
Hi Jon. I will hopefully be following the sun and staying where winter clothing, that I have now, will not be needed. At first, I will keep some clothing and shoes in tow vehicle until I'm ready to donate them. I have lived in a small room at a relative's house for more than a year with no problem with lack of space. Everything I own is in this room except my kettle. I like a small living space and do not accumulate things. I have a small SUV but do not store anything in it now.
I camp in the Arizona deserts in the winter, and evenings/mornings can be downright chilly. The are popular winter places in south Texas that have been known to drop below freezing for several days. So... while you may not need your -40* down parka, you will need to prepare for a wide range of weather conditions when full-timing. I'm sure you can get it pared to a short, efficient list of items that can be layered for various conditions.

You'll also need tools. Stuff happens, and if you're full-timing, you have to handle it in the field. The longer you're out, the more things you'll have to be prepared to deal with.

Realize that a 13' Scamp is actually 10'x6.5'- more like a large closet than a small room! When the trailer is small, you end up with more stuff in your vehicle. We keep our clothes duffles in the vehicle, for example, and just take what we need for the night into the trailer. Tow ratings typically assume only a driver, sometimes one passenger, and no cargo- check the fine print- so it's a trade-off. Make sure your vehicle can handle the trailer along with any cargo overflow.

It sounds like you are really committed to the idea of a 13'er. By all means go for it! Clearly there are folks here who make it work well for long-term use. Your big decision is whether to have a bathroom or not. It's convenient and allows you to camp almost anywhere, but it does make a small trailer feel smaller.

One good thing about molded fiberglass trailers is they hold their value really well. If you decide later something different might work better for you, you can sell and buy without the pain of typical RV depreciation. My 13'er is worth 50% more now that I paid for it 6 years ago.
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Old 11-06-2018, 05:16 PM   #15
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Name: Gail
Trailer: In the market for 13' deluxe
Texas
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I will definitely want a deluxe one with a shower.
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Old 11-06-2018, 05:23 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scamp4gb2 View Post
I will definitely want a deluxe one with a shower.
Just to clarify, in Scamp-speak "deluxe" means a custom wood interior, available with or without a bath. "Standard" means a molded fiberglass interior, which can also be ordered with or without a bath. Floyd's pictures show a deluxe with bath.
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Old 11-06-2018, 05:26 PM   #17
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Name: Gail
Trailer: In the market for 13' deluxe
Texas
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Thanks for clarification. Don't really care about wood finish but a shower is a must.
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Old 11-06-2018, 06:22 PM   #18
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Name: bill
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
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Once you need a shower, then IMHO, a 16 foot Scamp is much better.


To get a bathroom/shower in a 13 footer, you give up the couch or a dinette. Experienced campers tend to prefer a full time bed (back dinette) and then a separate place to sit. A 16 footer allows you to have a bath/shower, bed area, and a separate area to sit.

A full time bed allows you to replace the myriad of dinette cushions (to make the rear dinette every night into a bed) and instead purchase the mattress of your choice. That is a BIG plus! Full time makes this even more important. A bed that may not be very comfortable on a weekend is not that big of a deal. But every night, back to back, it becomes a big deal.
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Old 11-06-2018, 07:04 PM   #19
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You should give this one some serious consideration. If I wasn't in the middle of dealing with my mom's hand-me-down Roadtrek van camper, I'd be all over it. I just don't need 3 RV's in my driveway right now. It looks like an excellent value with some really nice ($$$) upgrades.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post723339
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Old 11-07-2018, 11:11 AM   #20
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Yep, if you can keep things simple, you'll be good. My "problem" is I hunt a bit, I x-county ski, backpack, float, play some music, like to cook, mostly fix all my own stuff, have a dog, live in a northern climate and I'm still working.

That means a good amount of gear, even though I have the bare minimum, backpacking pack with everything for that, plus a lot of tools, enough change of clothes to work 5 days a week in an office (plus gear and clothes for field work), winter and summer clothes, an instrument or two, life jacket for me and the dog, space for dog food and bed, then stuff that goes with my trailer: solar panel, small telescoping ladder, towing mirror. For me a pickup with a topper or a larger van as a tow vehicle is a necessity to store extra stuff.

I'm definitely impressed with people who can fit their lives in a 13' Scamp. I kind of wish I could, but every time I lay my stuff out in front on me and try to get rid of things, there's just nothing left I'm willing to part with, for now. It's amazing how stuff adds up. But when I see other people living out of a trailer, towing the trailer with an old Uhaul truck full of stuff...I feel a little better about my stuff.
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