Want to visit a 13' Scamp in CA

[KMS]

I'm shopping for a lightly used 13' Scamp, but I've never seen one in person. If anyone who owns one within a reasonable drive of the Monterey Bay area (including San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento etc.) would be willing to give me a tour, I would SO appreciate it. My dream Scamp has the shower/toilet option.

I've located a quite new one down in the Los Angeles area, 5 + hours from me, hoping to see one before I take that trip.

Anyone??

thanks

Kay Spencer in Soquel CA

[Bob Miller]

Just so you know: The shower and toilet in the 13' are two separate options. Having the front bath is no guarantee of having a shower. In fact, of the front bath 13's I have seen, I am guessing that fewer than 25% also have the shower.

FWIW: We sold a 13' Scamp with front bath because it was just to small inside, but found happiness with another 13' without the front bath.

[KMS]

Good to know, Bob. I'm not seeing the shower on the one I was looking at, only a toilet. Would you say a porta-potty would be a better option?

[Nancy]

This has been discussed a lot. Many prefer what you are looking for.

I prefer a porta potty because the front bath would make the unit too small.

We are a couple and can sleep apart, one of us in the front and one in the back.

Solo would be wonderful. The solo person would sleep in the front and then have the dinette table for computer, eating, puzzles, etc.

It is all personal preference, no way would I forfeit the space to have a private room to use for a few minutes during the night.

Nancy

[wsollars]

We live in the Santa Cruz Mountains just above Soquel but we do have a 16ft Scamp that you are more than welcomed to take a look at. Ours does have a bathroom/shower combination with rear dinette.

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by KMS

Good to know, Bob. I'm not seeing the shower on the one I was looking at, only a toilet. Would you say a porta-potty would be a better option?

The shower option requires the addition of a water heater, a holding tank and a pump system to get the drain water back to the holding tank, as well as the surround and drain pan.

Ours only had the toilet and it took up all that space even when it wasn't needed. I fabricated a "Garage" for a porta potty under the front couch when we changed to a different 13'er.

That floorplan also allows you to leave the dinette as a bed and use the front couch for sitting & eating space or, as mentioned, leave the dinette set up and, if single, sleep on the front couch.

[ruscal]

With the 13' you can get a wider bed too. The standard one is a little on the cozy side.

[Wallo]

I have a 13' with bath/shower in front. I am the only person traveling in Scamp. If there were another person, it would be too crowded and uncomfortable. Would not give up the bath/shower though. It is so convenient.

[KMS]

I see I really need to get inside one and find out for myself. Also, sometimes I'll be alone, when I would really like a bathroom/shower, and sometimes with my husband, when I will want more room . . .

[solarscamp13]

During my shopping/research phase I was set on the shower/toilet model. I decided against it mostly for weight and ease of maintenance/winterization reasons. Now that I have my 13, I can't imagine giving up the space, the couch, the storage area, or the added sunlight from the window that would be sacrificed with a bathroom. I have a compact rv porta-potty that fits under the couch. Plus my inverter and solar charger/battery maintainer are in the front left storage compartment. With the bathroom floor plan you have to convert the bed back to the table to have any space, with the couch you can leave the bed and still have a place to sit and eat, and room for another person to sleep. I lent it to a friend and his two daughters, he's 6'2" and could stretch all the way out on the couch and give the big bed to the girls. If you're set on the bathroom you might want to think about getting a 16. They're actually easier to find and often cheaper. I couldn't be happier with my 13, but I'm used to long-term tent camping, so I don't mind not having the bathroom.

[Bob Miller]

Unfortunately the Expando-Scamp, that was bigger when you needed it, smaller when you didn't, never got off the drawing board (or on it for that matter).

What will be towing with? That may bring up some ideas for other options, or quash them...

[Donna D.]

IMHO see with your own eyes as many different layouts/brands of all molded towables as you can before you make a decision. Nothing quite like the sit/lay test! First, of course, figure out the tow limit of your tug. You MAY find something that suits you that wasn't within your original radar.

Best of luck in your egg hunt

[KMS]

I have a Honda Element which only is rated for 1500 lbs. So a Scamp is about all I can pull. Even so I am planning to go as bare bones as possible -- no AC, 1 propane bottle, etc. I will probably do more stripping than that. Anything I can do to lower the weight. In light of this, a toilet and shower are probably out of the picture.

I am really hoping to be able to keep my Element in the picture, as I use it to haul small livestock and my three dirty Aussies. We also have a 2000 Toyota Tundra V6 but I don't want to drive across the country with it.

I have always tent camped before, so I am well used to primitive. I looked into pop up trailers and teardrops but they seemed, frankly, too much like tent camping. The main thing I like about eggs is that they have a self-contained privacy missing in either of the above choices.

My main fantasy is to have a way to visit friends across North America without imposing upon them too much, and go to sheepdog trials (which are generally 2-3 days, start just after dawn, and are almost never near a motel). So, not so much sightseeing in National Parks or setting up base camp in a National Forest although this might happen especially if my husband opts to come along. He is still only "partially retired". Whatever that means.

I am 5 foot 2 if I stand up straight, so I don't need a lot of room to stretch out.

[Bob Miller]

An answer to weight and size might be an even lighter/smaller 13'. Here is a link to my Hunter Compact-II. Bare bones it is under 900 lbs, as seen about 1350. And, at 5'2" you would never have to raise the top.

Hunter Compact II Photos by advocateone | Photobucket

There is also a Bigfoot 13' in the library, but BigFoot trailers are notoriously heavy and our 13' liked to sneak over the 1500 lbs limit if not careful.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Wallo

I have a 13' with bath/shower in front. I am the only person traveling in Scamp. If there were another person, it would be too crowded and uncomfortable. Would not give up the bath/shower though. It is so convenient.

After 10 years and about 70000 miles and several hundreds of nights we find our 13D front bath to be quite commodious for the two of us... so much so that returning home can be a bit of a let down, seeing that another trip has to end.

[Roger C H]

Too bad you posted so late. We came through the Pleasanton, Walnut Grove area a couple of weeks ago.