bunk bed over rear dinette

[harms]

I am looking at buying a 13' Scamp and was wondering if there is anyway to put a bunk over the rear dinette for my two boys. I am hoping for something that can be taken down and stowed, easily kinda like the fornt bunk setup.
thanks

[Scott S.]

anything I've read about bunks states a weight limit of about 80 lbs. there's always a way but I think it would involve support the comes up from the floor and drilling holes in your egg. not sure how you would make it removable either.

[Donna D.]

I wonder if you could build something that looks like a table that folds in half, with a leg in each corner? Steve Hillby built a hollow core table covered with 1/8 plywood, then formica. This would make it light weight for removing. See Steve's finished product here: http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z...t/DSCN2017.jpg

[Davie B]

Our Lite•House has a fabric "bunk" that fits over the end of the dinette. It's just a piece of fabric with wood dowels along the long ends. The dowel ends fit into wood brackets on each side of the trailer and are adjustable so the bunk can be different widths or closed.

We use ours as a daytime storage area for bedding while the dinette is in use. If it wasn't raining right now, I'd go take a photo. Like many details of the Lite•House, it's clever and well thought out.

[Borden]

17' Bolers use a upper cabinet / bunk over the rear gaucho it uses alum end rails and sheet of ply that slides out for over folding cabinet front (door unit) with bolts in outer corners to lock it up and down. This could work as an upper bunk in a 13' as well and add storage when not in use for bedding.

[Mike Magee]

I recall the old family Winnebago. It slept 8, thanks in part to 2 double bunks, one over the back bed and one over the driver/passenger captains chairs. These bunks were hinged and folded up against the end (front or back) of the MH. Rails on either sidewall supported them.

Since the back of the trailer is curved, you would have to build a separate part into that curve I guess, but to that I think you might be able to attach a hinged piece going up and to that another hinged piece coming down, so they fold up flat toward the rear but accordion out flat.

[harms]

Thanks for all the replies. I may end up getting a 16 if I can't figure this out.

[Greg H]

You'll figure it out, If you know anybody that drives a semi truck almost all of them have a upper bunk that folds up, maybe you could take a look at one.

[Eddie Longest]

Jedd
All the 16' gives you is 3' more counter space on the curb side and a closet/bath on the driver side.
I have a 13 Scamp where someone had made a frame out of 1" steel tubing to mount a sound board into it. It was a semi-permanent frame that was real sturdy and the weight was not too bad. I think you could build a frame for a rear bunk but I think it would be a semi-permanent arrangement. I would support it on four legs attached to the floor above the frame rails. I don't think I would not try to attach it to the shell.
Good luck
Eddie

[harms]

This site has been a big help. I live 150 miles from anywhere and it is very hard for me to find stuff to look at to get ideas from. I have only seen one real live Scamp in my life and that was 16 so it is hard for me to visualize all this. Hopefully it will all come together.

[Joy A]

So you are trying to sleep 3 in the dinette area, right!! Two on the main bed and one on the bunk. Or, one main bed and one on bunk??

At any rate I've been thinking about this and it occurs to me that it woud be a tight sleep for who ever is on the top and bottom. I say this because the height from the main bed to the roof is about 5 inches shorter than the couch up front to the roof in a 13 footer. There is a step up in the foot wheel of the dinette about 5 inches. So bunks in the back would not have the same room for those who might have trouble with tight spaces.

Any way, what about some type of cot with taller legs so someone could slide under. Check out some cots. You never know the length might be perfect and legs might just fit nicely against the outer wall between the wall and cushions. Cots are pretty sturdy. If nothing else they might give you an idea of how to make your own or maybe modify a cot. Most cots fold up nicely.

[harms]

I am actually trying to sleep 4, two adults and two small children which weigh about 60#'s together. Anyone have the dimesions of the dinette are so I can look for cot or other options?
Thanks

[Lizbeth]

May i ask why you just don't use the front bunk set up for the boys?

[harms]

Originally Posted by Lizbeth

May i ask why you just don't use the front bunk set up for the boys?

The front bunk takes away the bathroom in a 13 footer and to me the whole idea is to have a bathroom/shower. Otherwise I would just use a tent and a coleman stove and save about $10k.
My goal is to find the cheapest way to sleep 4 with a bathroom/shower setup.

[Joy A]

I just went out and measured for you.

The bed width across the trailer is about 78". I measured the back wall at the center of the curvature and the bed would be about 70"

The depth front to the back wall of the bed is 45"

Height from the top of the bench seat with 4" cushions in place is about 45" except for the very center of the trailer it's about 48". The 48" spans about 35 inches in the center of the trailer.

I just measured my shoulders and they are 21 inches across. So needless to say I'd need some 24 inches just to turnover, I'd want more. But that would leave you with roughly 21 inches at the least for the bunk but then take off inches for the mattress or pad you might use up there. A cot would only be the thickness of the material. Seems pretty tight to me.

I put the front bunks up once and I know I wouldn't want to sleep in either the lower or upper and that's with some 5 inches extra in height split between the two. They would have been do-able for little kids.

If I had 2 little kids, I'd forego the bath and get couch/bunks. Then you could get both upper cabinets in the front and back.

The measurements above did not take into account a rear overhead cabinet.

[Lizbeth]

Originally Posted by harms

The front bunk takes away the bathroom in a 13 footer and to me the whole idea is to have a bathroom/shower. Otherwise I would just use a tent and a coleman stove and save about $10k.
My goal is to find the cheapest way to sleep 4 with a bathroom/shower setup.

Ah I see, in that case I would look for a Scamp 16fter with the bunks in front and the side bath shower. I can not imagine having a bunk over the rear bed in a scamp with a front bath, the inside area is quite small.

[harms]

Originally Posted by Lizbeth

Ah I see, in that case I would look for a Scamp 16fter with the bunks in front and the side bath shower. I can not imagine having a bunk over the rear bed in a scamp with a front bath, the inside area is quite small.

I think you are exactly right. I will save little extra and get the 16.

[Mike Magee]

I agree, a 16 will be more comfortable for a family of 4.

I think one child could sleep under the dinette (made up as a bed) but it would be really tight for 2 kids. For one kid it could be fun, if they were told they get to sleep in the cave.

[Joy A]

Yeah, that's the solution. A 16 footer with sidebath and the couch up front to convert to bunks. I had forgot about that floor plan. Then you have the best of both worlds.

[Donna D.]

You still run into a weight problem eventually. I don't think Scamp has ever changed the weight limit for the upper bunk. I believe it's 80 pounds. I can't imagine what it would be like to be on the bottom if the top fell down. And yes, there have been instances where adults have slept on the upper bunk, but it only takes one "break" to ruin a trip... or for someone to get badly hurt. YMMV