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Old 09-24-2016, 05:55 AM   #21
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Name: Peter
Trailer: G30 Elite Class C
British Columbia
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Walt, what about a Bigfoot 5th wheel,

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Originally Posted by WaltP View Post
About the only molded fiberglass trailer I can think of is the 25' Bigfoot, but pretty pricey unless you can find a used one.

Walt
:I see them for sale up here quite often but I have never been inside one to know what they have for sleeping quarters.
I can keep my eyes open for any that come up in British Columbia but have no idea where these people live.
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Old 09-24-2016, 07:55 AM   #22
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New Jersey
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If they were to get a Bigfoot fifth wheel they'd need to get a new tow vehicle which is what they were hoping to avoid. I looked at some of the floor plans for Bigfoot and couldn't find bunks -- They are new to trailer life and picked the particular tent trailer they did (I don't remember the name) because of mold allergies -- All this was done really fast. IMO what they really need to think about now is what tow vehicle they would like as much as the Mercedes Van, and then they would have more options.
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Old 09-24-2016, 08:13 AM   #23
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Thanks I'll for that detailed explanation which I'll pass along.
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Old 09-24-2016, 10:36 AM   #24
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Name: Peter
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British Columbia
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Tow Vehicles, Yes to tow a large trailer or a 5th wheel,

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Thanks I'll for that detailed explanation which I'll pass along.
:your going to need a Pickup Truck but there are lots of Pickup trucks out there now that will handle 6 people and tow larger units. But now were talking a lot of money but that Mercedes Van is not a Cheap item and it can tow up to 5000#'s which in my eyes is a lot of weight.
All I can say is good luck.
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Old 09-24-2016, 11:22 AM   #25
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Trailer: 2002 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
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You really need to think this out B 4 you purchase. 6 people full time in a really small camper will be a test. Bathroom with toilet and shower, Cooking, dinning table that you must convert back and forth to a bed, the air conditioner and furnace noise and weight of the vehicle. ME, I would go with a Crew Cab Pickup that will tow any camper that you purchase. That way, when the cracker box seams to tight for 6 people, you can upgrade to a larger one that you can tow as a tag along or 5th wheel.
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Old 09-24-2016, 01:32 PM   #26
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Name: Ruthe
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New Jersey
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So I started this thread for my daughter, thinking that maybe there was a large fiberglass trailer that I didn't know about, but now she's ruling out fiberglass because of the reality of 6 people in such a small space. They're looking at an aluminum brand -- Lance -- and recognizing that they're going to have to make hard decisions about the tow vehicle.

I appreciate the comments (Glenn hit it right on when he said they needed a double wide . They were kind of a reality check.

Thanks everyone.
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Old 09-24-2016, 01:44 PM   #27
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Name: Steve
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Colorado
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Sounds like they should just move to a low mold part of the country, AZ, UT, NM, CO, NV or WY and live in an apartment near a school.
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Old 09-24-2016, 04:17 PM   #28
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There are lite weight campers out there that use aluminum fraiming and sandwitched with plywood on the inside and some form of plastic on the outside. They have a rubber roof covering and seam to be water tight. They also have slideouts.
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Old 09-24-2016, 04:21 PM   #29
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Trailer: 2017 Escape 17B
SW Virginia
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And they develop leaks, just like stickies. Rubber roofs and seams. Enough said.

Walt
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Old 09-24-2016, 07:25 PM   #30
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Name: Huck
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Talking

Two in the van and 4 in the trailer.
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Old 09-24-2016, 08:32 PM   #31
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I think I would find that many people in our 28' Bigfoot Silver Cloud to be crowded for full-timing. I am glad your daughter's family has decided for something different.

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Old 09-25-2016, 06:27 AM   #32
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Judging by the rigs most full-timers use, I'd say a Bigfoot Silver Cloud is too small for a couple.

Clearly this family is not following the crowd. They're already full-timing in a tent trailer!

Unfortunately I can't think of any molded fiberglass trailers that check all the boxes: 6 beds, bathroom, galley, under 5000 pounds, van-towable.

I think they need to be careful about total weight here, too. With 6 people in the van and, apparently, a lot of cargo, they may exceed the van's GVWR or GCWR if they get anywhere near a 5000 pound trailer. That 5000 pound rating typically assumes only two people and minimal cargo in the vehicle.

As you say, some hard choices lie ahead. But I wish them well!
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Old 09-25-2016, 10:40 AM   #33
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WaltP View Post
And they develop leaks, just like stickies. Rubber roofs and seams. Enough said.

Walt
Walt, And there is a plethora of posts on this site concerning water leaks in Fiberglass Campers.
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Old 09-25-2016, 10:52 AM   #34
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Not really, but there are some. The difference is, barring physical damage, the leaks in FG trailers tend to be around windows, which happens in all trailers and are relatively easy and inexpensive to fix, unlike leaks in seams and rubber roofs.

Walt
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Old 03-23-2017, 03:02 AM   #35
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Future Owner of a Molded 5th Wheel
Idaho
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Have to weigh in, even though it is a older Thread.
Friends of ours, Fulltimed in a 30' Travel Trailer (no slides) with 2 Adults and 6 Kids. Really its then all just beds, but it can be done.
Their are many Families living on the Road, check out what others have done and think very hard before buying new rig. Check out the Fulltime Families, you will find much input how other do it with big families.

Good Luck
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Old 03-23-2017, 06:51 AM   #36
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Name: Ruthe
Trailer: Escape 19
New Jersey
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Here's the update: They decided to get a 26' Lance -- it has a slide out and a bunk room for three of the kids. The littlest one sleeps in the bed made from the kitchen table. Eventually the older ones will sleep in a tent. Anyway, they are really happy with their choice -- I visited them recently and was amazed at how much room there is. They had to get a new tow vehicle and they were able to sell the tent trailer. They somehow connected online with another full timing family that has 4 kids and the same trailer so they were able to ask a lot of questions before they made the purchase. I'm hoping that they don't have any of the issues associated with the "stickies."
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Old 03-23-2017, 01:35 PM   #37
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Name: Mike
Trailer: Future Owner of a Molded 5th Wheel
Idaho
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Glad they found a trailer that will work.
To connect with other Families, check out
Fulltime Families on Facebook
The Group is Free, easy to connect with others.
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Old 03-29-2017, 06:24 AM   #38
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Name: Amy
Trailer: BigFoot
Alberta
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Good for them for doing this

Our Bigfoot sleeps 6 and it did come with a bathroom in some units.

We are planning on full-timing with two kids, two dogs, and a parrot.

That said we have a 17B 1981. We have taken time to Reno it and make it functional with this in mind. We added storage pullouts outs the table and under the sofa. Redid the kitchen and top storage.

For the last three month it is like I have lived at IKEA opening every door in their displays wile making lists and measuring every thing to get all of it, in a way that works.

We have a bath with out the shower because I did not want to deal with over use of water or flooding inside and we have a take along outside shower for quick clean ups. I use campground shower houses, recreation centres, and climbing gyms for showers for everyone. Kids wipe off with a wash cloth on days we don't have shower access. We also pulled the toilet and use our black tank as a grey tank just hooked to the kitchen sink. With kids and overuse of water I did not want to get in to a situation where I had to pull out to dump all the time. Solution was to use the cartridge toilet from our PopUp and put a plug in to top of the black tank and build a platform on top to sit the portapotty. Easy to dump at any location like a rest area if needed.

We consider laundry as a go to town day and the kids get ice cream or subway at the laundromat and use it as a way to charge up electronics and such.

We are also spending the money ($$$$) for an awning with a screen room. Our last trailer that was a PopUp had one and it saved us more than one time on a rain day or just giving the dog a place to go. We can leave the door wide open with the screens closed and it really becomes another room.




We have only done two months at a time at this point but this spring we leave in May for a six month run and decide at the end if we are staying on the road or just doing have the year.

Good luck to them in their search.
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1981 Bigfoot B17 Standard
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Old 03-29-2017, 12:38 PM   #39
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Name: Peter
Trailer: G30 Elite Class C
British Columbia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mountain Moma View Post
Good for them for doing this

Our Bigfoot sleeps 6 and it did come with a bathroom in some units.

We are planning on full-timing with two kids, two dogs, and a parrot.

That said we have a 17B 1981. We have taken time to Reno it and make it functional with this in mind. We added storage pullouts outs the table and under the sofa. Redid the kitchen and top storage.

For the last three month it is like I have lived at IKEA opening every door in their displays wile making lists and measuring every thing to get all of it, in a way that works.

We have a bath with out the shower because I did not want to deal with over use of water or flooding inside and we have a take along outside shower for quick clean ups. I use campground shower houses, recreation centres, and climbing gyms for showers for everyone. Kids wipe off with a wash cloth on days we don't have shower access. We also pulled the toilet and use our black tank as a grey tank just hooked to the kitchen sink. With kids and overuse of water I did not want to get in to a situation where I had to pull out to dump all the time. Solution was to use the cartridge toilet from our PopUp and put a plug in to top of the black tank and build a platform on top to sit the portapotty. Easy to dump at any location like a rest area if needed.

We consider laundry as a go to town day and the kids get ice cream or subway at the laundromat and use it as a way to charge up electronics and such.

We are also spending the money ($$$$) for an awning with a screen room. Our last trailer that was a PopUp had one and it saved us more than one time on a rain day or just giving the dog a place to go. We can leave the door wide open with the screens closed and it really becomes another room.




We have only done two months at a time at this point but this spring we leave in May for a six month run and decide at the end if we are staying on the road or just doing have the year.

Good luck to them in their search.
:in your 6 months of travel where will you be going Canada or the USA?
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Old 03-30-2017, 07:36 PM   #40
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Name: Amy
Trailer: BigFoot
Alberta
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:in your 6 months of travel where will you be going Canada or the USA?

Stude


We are doing both. West from Alberta to BC then south down pacific coast go east and back North through the National parks. We leave in May back home is September.

Maybe it will be so good I skip home and just keep driving. I can always dream
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1981 Bigfoot B17 Standard
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