Boler reno questions

[David Thiessen]

Hello! I’m new to the forum, and really enjoy the diversity of questions/responses.
My wife and I purchased a ‘76 Boler 13 footer last fall, and after a quick cleanup, including lifting the shell and repairing the frame, had a great fall trip from our home in Manitoba to Vancouver British Columbia and back. Equipped the trailer with electric brakes and towed it with a 2016 Honda CRV.
Two questions:
Has anyone designed and installed an external roof rail that serves as a kind of “exoskeleton” to provide structural support to the roof and allows for the removal of the interior fibreglass furniture? (Would also provide a foundation for solar panels)
Has anyone expanded the interior space by building a rear push-out that allows for a reconfigured sleeping space?
Thanks! Hoping to hear some responses!

[Alex Adams]

Originally Posted by David Thiessen

Has anyone expanded the interior space by building a rear push-out that allows for a reconfigured sleeping space?
Thanks! Hoping to hear some responses!

Don't know about this, but there is a picture here somewhere of a Boler that was rebuilt from 2 separate crashed ones where they created an overhanging addition to the front of the shell. I assume it was for a bed since there were no interior pics.

[FRED SMAILES]

Ive seen pics but have no idea where they are.
An old pic of a rear slide out and thd one of the extension
over the tongue.
If you take on these ideas please post your
reno and results.
Fred

[Rick Mooyman]

Scamp slide out.jpg Views: 13 Size: 60.7 KB ID: 139011" style="margin: 2px" />Came across a pic of a Scamp with a slide out a few years ago and have been wanting to do it to my boler too but never got the guts to cut it up like that yet.

Originally Posted by David Thiessen

Hello! I’m new to the forum, and really enjoy the diversity of questions/responses.
My wife and I purchased a ‘76 Boler 13 footer last fall, and after a quick cleanup, including lifting the shell and repairing the frame, had a great fall trip from our home in Manitoba to Vancouver British Columbia and back. Equipped the trailer with electric brakes and towed it with a 2016 Honda CRV.
Two questions:
Has anyone designed and installed an external roof rail that serves as a kind of “exoskeleton” to provide structural support to the roof and allows for the removal of the interior fibreglass furniture? (Would also provide a foundation for solar panels)
Has anyone expanded the interior space by building a rear push-out that allows for a reconfigured sleeping space?
Thanks! Hoping to hear some responses!

[FRED SMAILES]

Originally Posted by Rick Mooyman

Attachment 139011never got the guts to cut it up like that yet.

understand where your coming from!
To me the boler is almost the perfect shape and any change to it is almost a degrade.
Fred

[David Thiessen]

I agree, the Boler is a good design as it stands, but the sleeping space really needs an improvement. With a push out, I’m looking at gaining just a couple of feet, so the bed can be oriented length wise instead of across the trailer. I built a bed extension for our trip to enable the length wise position, but it takes up too much floor space to make it a practical solution.
Thanks for finding that picture!

[Mark Bradley]

I see what you are saying David. We also have a 13' Boler. The solution the better half and I have is that we take turns between sleeping on the bed and the front seat/bed.

[David Thiessen]

I think your approach is the one we’ll ultimately take, Mark.
Like Fred stated earlier, the Boler, like an egg, is a near perfect shape. Why mess with evolution. What’s inside the egg, though, is up for challenges!

[FRED SMAILES]

We use sleeping bags and sleep with our heads at opposite ends.
We are average size and find it a great solution.
So much so that we have lived in our boler for as much as 3 months
on winter holidays down south,, our little dog sleeps on the couch,, well till early morning then he piles in with us,, lol
Fred