20' toy hauler trailer build

[elkhunter338]

By request a description and few pic. of my future toy hauler. Why build my own, same reason we ride china bikes, we all can't afford new expensive stuff.
I am building a 24' toy hauler/camp trailer, living/cargo is 20' (5 sheets of plywood long to maximize material. Trailer frame is 4" standard Channel, single 3,500 lb axle (build so I can move it front/back, tongue weight adjustment). Every 4' I have cross member, I don't have pictures of just the bare trailer frame. I sheeted the trailer frame with 1 1/8 tongue/groove plywood (bolting it to the trailer frame), primed/painted the underside, glued the joints. Makes a nice stiff floor. Framed the walls out of 1 1/8 plywood studs (cut all of them) why because I could not find straight lumber for a light weight stud 2" wide 1 1/8 x 2 studs. Sheeted the trailer with 6mm marine plywood then fiberglassed the exterior. The entry door will be a door in a door. 4' wide plywood door and in that door will be a rv. entry door, that way I can load motorcycle thru the big door and use the rv entry door for normal use. In the front will be a bed, camp stove, freezer and such, insulate it and probably install a wood stove.
My back ground is I build a stitch/glue plywood skiff, basically a fully fiberglassed boat so the plywood does not get wet. Renn Tolman skiff.
I will post pictures, need to figure out how to shrink their size, too large.

[elkhunter338]

think this will work for pictures.

[JerryHawk250]

That looks like a nice project. I like the boat too.:tup:

[wheelbender6]

You are very skilled. I can barely build a saw horse.

[ben2go]

Cool. I've been wanting to build a 6x12 camp toy hauler and a boat similar to yours designed by Jeff Spira named Sitka.

[elkhunter338]

Cool. I've been wanting to build a 6x12 camp toy hauler and a boat similar to yours designed by Jeff Spira named Sitka.

Basically I built a shallow v version of the 27' Sitka. Mine is a Renn Tolman Jumbo Skiff, I stretched it from 24' to full 26' 11". 8'2" beam. If you don't beach launch, then I would highly recommend looking at the tolman. The tolman has dory flare sides so the boat rides up and over the waves. I have 160hrs on the engine, all pacific ocean fishing. I love the boat, other than when I have to dock in wind, being light weight the wind pushes the boat around.

Sitka looks like a nice boat too.

The boat was a big project, my first boat build ever.

[ben2go]

Basically I built a shallow v version of the 27' Sitka. Mine is a Renn Tolman Jumbo Skiff, I stretched it from 24' to full 26' 11". 8'2" beam. If you don't beach launch, then I would highly recommend looking at the tolman. The tolman has dory flare sides so the boat rides up and over the waves. I have 160hrs on the engine, all pacific ocean fishing. I love the boat, other than when I have to dock in wind, being light weight the wind pushes the boat around.

Sitka looks like a nice boat too.

The boat was a big project, my first boat build ever.


I looked at the Tolman's. I've never come to like the stich n goo method of boat building. I was planning on the 30' version of Sitka with the V entry bow. I do plan to beach but not launch from the beach. I also like the less than 12-inch draft, motor up, for my areas of boating. We have sudden shallows here. Lots of towing companies taking advantage of people too.

[elkhunter338]

I draft 16" at the stern, flat bottom boat will draft less. I was not sure about stitchnglue until I put some plywood together in a v shape to simulate the keel, and tried to break the joint.

[dh]

Fabulous job with your trailer and boat. I am rebuilding an old 8x20 office trailer as a cabin right now and I feel your pain when it comes to the low quality lumber. I ended up buying kiln dried 2x4 and ripping all my own 1.5" x 1.5" x 8' studs to re-frame a couple of rotten walls. I like your idea of using the plywood for studs. Do you plan on painting the fiberglass exterior?

I have also enjoyed stitch and glue building and built several 8-12' dinghies using plans from Hannu's boatyard: http://hvartial.kapsi.fi/

The teal boat is one I made for a part of a floating display at a local Zoo a few years ago and the red boat was one I made for cruising a local lake with a 3hp outboard..