Hi, I am the CEO to Cortes Campers.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Civilguy

The larger trailers seem to share a common design. I'm not quite clear what the intent is, but they appear to be a clean-sheet design. I wondered if they are trying to achieve something like what a Kammback does aerodynamically.

From what I’ve read, a Kammback should have a rear profile about half the maximum cross section. Wondering about the integrated deflector on top. Will it tend to increase downforce on the back of the trailer at speed? Good for a rear drive sports car, maybe not so good on a travel trailer?

Axle placement seems unusually far aft on the larger models. If you move the unloaded center of mass rearward, that means lots of empty space forward, which means storage, which means high loaded tongue weights...

No expert here, just wondering...

[k0wtz]

Well in my days of owning a business I had the touch for what I did! Not bragging I just did many things dropped into my lap! I worked hard but I never forgot my roots except I got sort of bored with it!


Then I thought I needed a new challenge after all I was successful must have all been me! I did that I opened a new endeavor close to what I did but it looked even easier well it wasnt and i lost a lot of money!


Many times I have regreted those moves and being a little guy it was hard to recover!

[CarlD]

The shell construction is the same a Lil Snoozy and Snoozy II, which is par for the course for a fiberglass boat. The wall filler is aluminum coated which will surely kill any radio reception (faraday cage) so an owner will need external antennas for phones, radios, stupid TV, etc.

The trailer looks like painted steel. You build a shell that will last for decades and a trailer that will rot out. Considering the cost of this trailer, galvanizing won't affect the price. If you want a black frame, the paint the galvanize! Aluminum is another option, but it has its own issues.

This shell construction is a nice platform for a DIY people, because:
1. It is a free standing structure, which allows you to built whatever you want. Comparatively, most fiberglass trailers need the interior cabinets for structural support.
2. You can fasten things to the sides by screwing into the interior wall only, leaving the exterior with no penetrations, and no leaks. I reinforce my holes with some runny epoxy or CA to spread the force over a larger area.
3. The wall filler provides some insulation, which is a plus. An inch thick filler would be nice.
4. The floor is also fiberglass, like Snoozy, so no wood is needed there. Just make sure the mold is flat which makes it easier to build on!

This is a niche market and you will need to be open to considerable customization.

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

I applaud Paul for reaching out to learn what he doesn't know or to confirm what he thinks he may know.
I would venture to guess that very few glass trailer owners would say they think they own a trailer that cannot be improved in some way whether it be features, lay out, or quality. He has the resourcefulness to come here to the people that may provide insight. All ideas and new ventures begin with hyperbole prior to having a product. This is not something to be condemned by naysayers as we may see a "better" Glass RV in our future regardless of our intent to replace our current trailers.
The fact that Paul has reached out to us may lead the way to a better trailer and we will have the satisfaction of knowing we played a part.
Just my humble opinion.

[Raspy]

I wish them well too. There certainly is room for more manufacturers. Each one needs a niche.

Any negative comments I may have made were in response to what seems to be unrealistic claims. Not to tear Cortes down, but to ask about obvious holes in the story.

Oliver is an excellent example of a new company that saw an opportunity, had the expertise and the resources, understood public relations, and developed their own brand.

Maybe the fundamental difference in approaches between Oliver and Cortes, for instance, is that Oliver simply said they could do it better, and they proved they could. Better primarily means people are happier with Olivers than with others. It's an emotional decision. People like having a sleek new trailer they trust. They like joining a family of other owners. They like the genuine support Oliver offers. They like the people at Oliver. These features are much more important than discussions about what the chemistry of the gel coat is, or whether the glass is hand laid or sprayed on, or how Olivers may be poorly built.

Happier Camper seems to understand this too. They listened to and worked with potential buyers and developed relationships. They incorporated ideas from those buyers. An again, they didn't tout new kinds of chemistry as the foundation for success. They sell the view out the windows, and the fresh interiors. They improved the usefulness. They dealt with emotions.

There is a difference between saying your competitor's products are terrible, that you are going to force them to change, as opposed to acknowledging them, but pointing out how your product is an improvement. One method stirs argument, makes people take sides. The other stirs interest, opens the conversation, builds relationships.

[k0wtz]

raspy you and i think alike but it s going to be hard reinventing the wheel!


employees and costs


bob

[k0wtz]

i wonder what airstream has in their little trailer? just the engineering money scares me! No doubt this guy knows boats which is a far greater market and possiblities of sales against a fiberblass trailer!


yes he had fine ideas who is he going to steal the business from i would say the market is pretty saturated now! you know people that know their market!


we will see! and good luck!

[WaltP]

Why do you say the market is pretty well saturated when most have a 1 yr or longer backlog?

Walt

[CortesCampersCEO]

Why would you transport firewood from one place to another???

[CortesCampersCEO]

Ok, I'm finally back from my business trip. We are working on the interior cabinet molds.
I still can't figure out why no one has a small woodstove like a cubic mini in a camper or why they just don't have a small generator like a Honda as an option.

I don't believe that everyone that buys a travel trailer takes it to a campsite.

Any useful comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanx,
Paul

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by CortesCampersCEO

Why would you transport firewood from one place to another???

Main reason cost
With firewood running $5 to $7 a bundle at many campgrounds, it’s not hard to go through $50 for firewood in a single weekend .
When we camp locally and can comply with the firewood ordinances , I haul enough firewood along for 2 nights worth of fires

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by CortesCampersCEO

Why would you transport firewood from one place to another???

For the same reason that you transport propane - to have it when you get there.

[jcassady]

Originally Posted by CortesCampersCEO

Why would you transport firewood from one place to another???

This would be a question asked by someone who has never purchased wood at a campground or near one.

Most near camp site wood is scraps, unknown species and often not seasoned well enough and have a high moisture content. I've purchased more than my share of firewood that takes a lot of work just to get burning, then you see a puddle of moisture building at the end of the log and sizzling.

I've maybe once or twice purchased good reasonable firewood near a camp site.

[Glenn Baglo]

I had a cottage wood stove in my house. I had to cut all wood down to less than 10" to go in the firebox, and it had to be constantly fed. I hated it, and so did the insurance company.

[DougA]

Hello Cortes Campers CEO and all!
This thread fascinated me on several levels. First, this is my first post on FBRVs although I've posted on the Hi-Lo forum. I sold my Hi-Lo and Nissan Frontier recently and bought a Subaru XT. I hope to buy a FGRV soon. Unlike buying a car, I don't mind driving a long ways to pick up my new RV. I don't think dealorships are a terribly important consideration, and like some others, I found it naive to think you might build a dealorship by asking posters here.

My wife and I are senior citizens and, unlike some others, definitely want a toilet and shower, even if we're at an RV park. We want to be as comfortable as possible in a small RV. Most of my RVing will be alone pursuing my nature photography interests. In the past, my two longest RV trips were to Belize with most of the time spent in Mexico. And that requires a follow-up post!
Doug

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by CortesCampersCEO

I still can't figure out why no one has a small woodstove like a cubic mini in a camper or why they just don't have a small generator like a Honda as an option.

I know a few people that do. As you suggest, they are full-timers and boondockers. They form a teeny sliver of the RV market.

For the rest of us, firewood available in campgrounds is leftover landscapers junk wood, not high quality dried cordwood. Small diameter, lots of bark, unpredictable heat output, and you’d need a saw to make it small enough for a Cubic Mini. One campfire’s worth costs as much as a week’s worth of propane for my furnace.

I love my wood stove at home, but I just can’t see it being practical in an RV. Once you allow for required clearances, it takes up quite a bit of valuable real estate, too.

Could be wrong, but I recall seeing a small portable Honda generator listed on the Scamp parts website. But why would you buy it from them?

[DougA]

Hello again CEO Paul and others,
Like other posters, I appreciate the effort and enterprise to learn about FG RVs and sell a new, better product. It's probably a more competitive and mature market than FB boats, and maybe not all that easy to enter and master. Because I would want to RV to Mexico, I want to add my reservations to your company name. This isn't just trying to be politically correct. I don't know if the Cortes name is offensive to Mexicans and our U.S. native Americans, but I think it must be. Paul, please study the history of the conquistadors and their history in the Americas. The last thing I would want to do, RVing in Mexico, is to offend them. I've travelled to Mexico almost every year for 30 years, usually flying and renting a car. I've often said that I would rather have my car or RV break down in Mexico then in the U.S. The Mexicans (when you get a few hundred miles south of the U.S. border) are good samaritans and the nicest people. I would not feel good (or as safe) RVing in Mexico with the Cortes moniker.
Doug

[Defenestrator]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

From what I’ve read, a Kammback should have a rear profile about half the maximum cross section. Wondering about the integrated deflector on top. Will it tend to increase downforce on the back of the trailer at speed? Good for a rear drive sports car, maybe not so good on a travel trailer?

Axle placement seems unusually far aft on the larger models. If you move the unloaded center of mass rearward, that means lots of empty space forward, which means storage, which means high loaded tongue weights...

No expert here, just wondering...

Honestly, I suspect the protrusions are the biggest issue aerodynamically for a lot of small trailers. Vents and window sills all over the place, plus solar panels and antennas. And the underside of almost all of them is a complete mess.

[redbarron55]

Dear CEO,

Good luck with your endeavors. I have watched while several small fiberglass builders have started or restarted their trailer companies.
They have found that they have incorporated serious design flaws that showed up later when they were in service for a while.
Several have had relatively serious cracking in the shell.
But each should pursue their dream and if this is your dream you should chase it.
However there have been several who's dream has turned into a nightmare due to inherent problems in their design or changes in the economy.
If you are starting in the high demand COVID RV Boom you could be disappointed long term.
Of course there are success stories, but look at how long they have had to amortize their investment and where they are located.
Scamp comes to mind as they developed the Boler design into the Scamp and the brother into the Casita.
Scamp was victim of a fire that actually helped them build a bigger and better business. They are also located in the north woods where there is a low cost pool of workers and they do follow a philosophy of keeping cost low and avoiding extra benefits for that pool.
Casita had the experience of the old Scamp manufacturing to build on and both have a mature product and customer base.
There is a niche market and currently a hot commodity.
Look into the failed manufacturers and their errors to guide your decisions.
My guess is that the established manufacturers have relatively slim profit margins, but can rely on this steady income from an established base.
I assume it is your money you will be investing so it is your risk and reward.
How about the cost for a prototype? We followed the designer and builder of the nest from conception to the eventual sale to Thor (Airstream) and it's explosion of cost and lack of market penetration.
I would think that the KISS approach could work and perhaps your ideas will bear fruit for you.
Good luck with you plans.
Most or at least many here are in the lower end of the market (buying and fixing up their dream trailer. I know that was my approach).
By the way I have not kept up with this thread along the way so I may well have missed many pertinent comments and replies. If so I apologize.
Good luck again.

[Bruce H]

Hi Paul,


I thought I would list a few more things to consider while you are in the planning/design process:


1. A compartment in the interior to store a broom, mop and fishing rods.


2. A water management system that allows easy, complete draining and winterizing of tanks, lines and water heater, as well as flush and refill of the same. WITH EASY TO ACCESS VALVES which have settings clearly marked for each process.


3. Also, if equipped with a sink, position it so that you can lean over it to wash your face or shave and and the water will drip back into the sink instead of the floor.


Consider making it a requirement for all employees who build these to spend one week a year using them. That means hooking them up, filling them with water and propane, pulling them to a camp site, setting them up, charging the batteries, heating, cooling, cooking, storing items, showering and sleeping in them. There is where your design and quality control will come from. Also, when you get into the larger models that full timers might use see if one or two of your employees would want to live full time in one for a year going through a cold winter and a hot summer while working at the factory.