In need of a nice Fiberglass RV!

[Famous Frank]

Hi! I'm Frank in Georgia. I'm looking for my first ......well sort of second trailer. Years ago I purchased a nice lake front lot on Lake Oconee, GA. I purchased my first RV, a pop up from friends of my sister. They kept it in their garage and it looked like new. I figured I would occasionally take it on trips but mostly I wanted to keep it at the lake and stay there until I could afford to build a house. A year went by without finding the time to go to the lake. I finally went out there with my wife for New Years Eve. Opened it up, and found that it leaked and the entire inside was filled with black mold and rot! I never want a leaking anything again which explains my interest in a Fiberglass RV. Sorry if I got too wordy. Other than that I love restoring vintage cars, biking, and spending time with my college age son. Frank

[Civilguy]

Welcome to the forum Frank. I expect you'll find a lot of interesting information and discussions here.

[Borrego Dave]

Welcome to FGRV Frank. Off hand, I would think any RV being closed up in a humid environment for a year would be subject to the same problems. Storing it at home and towing it for the camping trips would probably end that issue.

[Carol and Mike]

Welcome Frank. You'll find owners of all the different fiberglass brands here willing to answer questions and help. Mike

[thrifty bill]

I've seen several molded trailers pop up on Atlanta C/L in the last year. Just don't wait, launch immediately. I sold my last one in four hours. One to two days is typical for a good one at a realistic price. No time to wait until it is convenient, for the weekend, payday, or whatever.

A nice Scamp was listed for sale on Asheville C/L about a week ago. Gone in one day.

+100 To below. Leaving any trailer unattended for over a year = problems. As a minimum, invest in a relatively cheap carport to at least keep it out of the weather. Really, towing it home is by far the best option, running a dehumidifier, etc.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Famous Frank

.... I never want a leaking anything again which explains my interest in a Fiberglass RV. ..

Good luck. I have been battling leaks off an on since I bought my fiberglass RV 19 months ago. Any cutout in the shell can leak, and will leak eventually. Knowing what I know now, I would never store my fiberglass camper remotely if it were outside, where I could not check on it almost every day. If your plan is to leave it at the lake property, I would put it under a good car port at the very least, and make sure it is is well ventilated, or use a dehumidifier.

But its also true that my Scamp is almost immeasurably better than the pop-up I had before it.

[Jon in AZ]

I have to agree with Dave and Gordon. Everything is subject to leaks. Mold can grow even in the absence of leaks simply due to the humid climate. Everything requires attention and maintenance. Letting anything sit unattended for a year or more- even a cabin- is likely to produce some unpleasant surprises.

The advantage of a trailer over a cabin is you can bring it home with you and keep an eye on it. Second best, as Gordon suggests, is putting it under a covered structure and taking measures to reduce humidity inside: desiccant crystals, solar-powered vent fan, perhaps, or, if you have power, a dehumidifier (How do you drain it, Gordon?),... Being from Arizona I'm not an expert on humidity , but there are many old threads with lots of suggestions.

Most important, though, are regular inspections. If it's not a leak, a critter will take up residence, and if not that, then something else. If you can't check on it regularly yourself, perhaps you could arrange with someone local to check in once a month or so. Things will happen, and you want to catch them early.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

... or, if you have power, a dehumidifier (How do you drain it, Gordon?),... ...

Well if you must store it outdoors with a dehu where you can't tend to it.. drill a hole in the floor and run a hose. Holes in the wood floor are easy to patch later.

[Jon in AZ]

I thought it might be something like that. I would want to run the hose far enough so that the water doesn't end up under the trailer. Hoses can also become an entry point for insects, so you'd want to protect the end in some way. We discovered that the hard way when ants invaded our Scamp icebox through the drain tube to get at a strawberry pie. The pie was a total loss.

I grew up in MD, so I actually do know a little about humidity. We did not have central A/C and ran dehumidifiers during the summer. Each one produced several gallons of water every day. Mom used it to water the garden.

[gordon2]

Not saying I did that.. just thats what I would do.. except that here in the humid southeast, so far I have done ok with the rain cover over the fantastic fan so I can leave that vent open, and the side jalousie windows open a little. And I open the door and run the fan sometimes on nice days. Also helps to remove the cushions, bed clothes, etc. when not using the camper for a week or two or more. Ventilation is great.

[merflyer]

Hello,

I have decided to sell my 2014 Parkliner as I have a 21' Bigfoot that has my name on it.
If you are interested in a loaded PL with all options let me know. I just put in two new deep cycle batteries (Interstate brand) and new load range D tires.

[Bill Berry]

Originally Posted by merflyer

Hello,

I have decided to sell my 2014 Parkliner as I have a 21' Bigfoot that has my name on it.
If you are interested in a loaded PL with all options let me know. I just put in two new deep cycle batteries (Interstate brand) and new load range D tires.

Hi Darrell,
You should really have this notice as its own thread as it will be noticed by many more people than buried in another thread with a title that will attract folks that are selling (like you) rather than those who are looking. All that said, best of luck!

[Kai in Seattle]

OP, not too wordy at all, look at all the space they give us for even the most minimal of posts! And you can go a lot longer than that, too!


Paul and I feel for you! I agree with other posters here, frequent checks, using a carport, putting Dry-Z-Air or some other type of dehumidifactant inside, a dehumidifier, that kind of thing, really helps. Paul is out in Peanut at least every week and often every day (he reads out there and has coffee and a view down the neighborhood...it's his little man-cave)...no matter how sealed up, things happen. The best fort cannot stand without good vigilance.


BEST wishes.


Kai
(Kathleen near Renton)