Bigfoot -- Gaucho or Center Bath?

[MN_Ice]

Hi --

I am pondering purchasing a Bigfoot. What are opinions on whether a gaucho model or a center bath model is 'best'? (And what is 'best' :-)) Also, can anyone give me dimensions on the bed size when the gaucho is pulled out?

Thanks,
Rob

[Jack L]

What is best--- well that is a matter of personal preference. I have a CB and the decision to purchase it was made because it was available and at a reasonable price. In short, I took what I could get.

I think the Gaucho bed would be more comfortable to sleep in, but my CB has a much larger refrigerator. It's a trade off. Do you want better sleep, or more beer? There might be some Gaucho models with a larger refrigerator. The bath is the same in both units. Hope this helps, but really it's best to look at both models if you can.

[ZachO]

Yep, there is no better, only what's better for you.

I have a guacho, and that's what I want. In all these fiberglass trailers, having a center bath seems to me to just take up too much of the width of the trailer. Makes them much more narrow. But Bigfoot trailers are wider than most, so not quite as big a deal. I just think the camper feels bigger inside with the corner bath, I like the gaucho couch much better, and the layout just feels right to me.

Hopefully someone will beat me to it, but if I get a chance I'll go measure the bed sometime today.

[MN_Ice]

Thanks Jack and Zach!

[Tom Trostel]

We have a very early gaucho model and the bed measures 78" x 46". Later models have a slightly narrower bed due to the bathroom being larger and moving the closet to the rear wall.

http://s293.photobucket.com/user/tom...ml?sort=3&o=18

[Gilles]

Before acquiring our "Gaucho" we visited a "Center Bath" and found it a little less spacious, because of the bathroom in the center.

Also the "CB" is a little heavier than the "G". In our case the weight calculation was to be considered.

[Tony Nowak]

Hi Rob,
As Jack said we found a CB for a good price so that's what we got. We wanted a larger refrig and big back window, so there was really no choice. Zack is right that it is narrower in the middle, but at 8 feet wide it feels spacious compared to the Scamp. The bed width in back is the big drawback, only 42 inches, 2 inches less than the Scamp! But as always you get use to what you have and make it work. I have often wondered if the rear couch/ bed in the 17.5 BF is any wider than our 17/1500 series. I believe they are 10 inches longer.
Tony

[Jack L]

If I could change any one thing in my Bigfoot, it would be a larger bath. Both the CB and Gaucho use the exact same bath module. As others have already said, the Gaucho does feel more open. Best of luck with your search.

[40bpm]

I'd take the first one you find at a price you like. Both layouts have merit and you'll learn to like the one you have. If they were easier to find, my advice might be different. Best of luck and let us know what happens.

[Gilles]

We have a Gaucho 86 for 3 years and last summer, during a gathering of shells, I noticed that the door was two inches wider than another Gaucho visited.

After checking, I concluded that I can remove one inch on each side of the door, move the hinges and handle, making the bathroom more accessible when the back bed is in place.
One inch on each side, because I have a drawing in the door and I have to keep it centered.
Modification of the door to be completed this spring ...

[ZachO]

Depending on where you're at in MN, and how willing you are to travel, most Bigfoot trailers come up in Canada. It's where I got mine. I jumped on mine FAST because it was what I wanted at a price I could justify, so I dropped everything and drove 7 hours up into Alberta to buy it.

That was in early March. Well...I have no regrets about my trailer, but about a month later there were a bunch of other trailers similar to mine that came up for sale, some at better prices. I probably saw 10 trailers that I would have been happy with during April and May.

So while they only come up pretty rarely in the US, they're fairly common up north. Use this site if you aren't already.

Up at the top, notice that you can search by the US or Canada.


**I just measured my Gaucho bed. I got basically the same as Tom. Only maybe an inch off and I'm guessing that just comes down to how we measured. Mine is a 1991. I got 46" for the width, even with the closet at the back wall. It has worked just fine for me for two people, but we're two narrow people.

[Yvon Chayer]

I have a 1992 gaucho andnow i have modified the gauho bed for larger bed


now i have modified the gauho bed for larger bed

[Jack L]

Originally Posted by Gilles

We have a Gaucho 86 for 3 years and last summer, during a gathering of shells, I noticed that the door was two inches wider than another Gaucho visited.

After checking, I concluded that I can remove one inch on each side of the door, move the hinges and handle, making the bathroom more accessible when the back bed is in place.
One inch on each side, because I have a drawing in the door and I have to keep it centered.
Modification of the door to be completed this spring ...

Wow! That's a great idea. Widening the door opening would be s big help. Now if I could only figure out where to put my size 13 feet. Big feet in a Bigfoot--

[FRL001]

To add to this post, last year we bought our first trailer - a 2008 Bigfoot Gaucho. After a weekend shakedown trip we were on the road for 6 weeks and loved it. We are delighted with the trailer.

For us, the Gaucho layout gave us two separate areas to sit in if we needed space or one of was cooking. When you cook you pretty much are forced to use the dinette table for things as the counter is non-existent. Especially when it's cold and wet outside.

I'm tall and skinny - 6'1", size 13 feet and 178 lbs. I found the Gaucho bed very comfortable.

I would recommend the Gaucho.

[Martin A]

I had a 2005 17.5 Gaucho for 4+ years, the flexibility is great, couch or bed, plus the dinette can sleep 1 or 2 also. The dimensions you were given are accurate.
There is an issue with balance and tongue weight with this trailer, the fresh water tank is parallel and next to the rear bumper thus when the tank is full it makes the tongue weight a bit light which caused some porpoising ( bouncy on hitch when towing) and could lead to sway also.
I had a hitch extension fabricated to add to the tongue that added about 80# to the hitch and extra clearance between my tailgate and jack, killed two birds with one project so to speak.
The other issue we had was when the Gaucho bed is all the way out for the full bed width you can not fully open the bathroom door. My wife wanted the bed out full time so she didn't have to make it every night, after a bit of thinking I went to a cabinet company and had a new door made in two pieces and hinged it like a bifold door with a piano hinge. Stained to match the interior it was a great upgrade and worked well.
These changes met most of our needs I did several other mods, but they were mostly preference type things.
I usually traveled with less than a half tank of water to keep balance heavy on the tongue and not tow more weight then needed.
Also keep in mind that Bigfoot says this trailer weighs about 2900# ours weighed closer to 4400# ready to travel, so you need to consider your tow vehicle capacity.
We bought a 2008 27.5 front bedroom last fall and it weighs about 6500# empty so we had to upgrade our tow vehicle.
Looking forward to traveling in it this year when my wife retires from school.
Pictures should help visualize our mods
If you need more detailed instructions or information private message me I can send more pictures.

[FRL001]

Interesting design changes. The 2008 17.5ft gaucho has a dry weight of 3040 lbs and the fresh water tank is under the right hand dinette seat in the front!

[Nancy F]

Originally Posted by Martin A

I had a 2005 17.5 Gaucho for 4+ years, the flexibility is great, couch or bed, plus the dinette can sleep 1 or 2 also. The dimensions you were given are accurate.
There is an issue with balance and tongue weight with this trailer, the fresh water tank is parallel and next to the rear bumper thus when the tank is full it makes the tongue weight a bit light which caused some porpoising ( bouncy on hitch when towing) and could lead to sway also.
I had a hitch extension fabricated to add to the tongue that added about 80# to the hitch and extra clearance between my tailgate and jack, killed two birds with one project so to speak.
The other issue we had was when the Gaucho bed is all the way out for the full bed width you can not fully open the bathroom door. My wife wanted the bed out full time so she didn't have to make it every night, after a bit of thinking I went to a cabinet company and had a new door made in two pieces and hinged it like a bifold door with a piano hinge. Stained to match the interior it was a great upgrade and worked well.
These changes met most of our needs I did several other mods, but they were mostly preference type things.
I usually traveled with less than a half tank of water to keep balance heavy on the tongue and not tow more weight then needed.
Also keep in mind that Bigfoot says this trailer weighs about 2900# ours weighed closer to 4400# ready to travel, so you need to consider your tow vehicle capacity.
We bought a 2008 27.5 front bedroom last fall and it weighs about 6500# empty so we had to upgrade our tow vehicle.
Looking forward to traveling in it this year when my wife retires from school.
Pictures should help visualize our mods
If you need more detailed instructions or information private message me I can send more pictures.

I know this post is a little older. I also want to keep bed made up full time. My first thought was to try to angle the bathroom door like I'd seen in some more modern rv's, but would then have less shower space. Love your idea, will take it to my soninlaw to see what he can do. I will however, lose my big mirror on the door. thanks for the great mod idea.

[Martin A]

Cutting the corner of the bath to make more room for the bed would be a mess as the bath interior is a fiberglass unit.

You may consider removing the door if you are a solo traveler, or possibly an accordian type door. We used a bifold door as it worked well for us.