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Joanne's Trailer Diary Teardrops caught my eye a number of years ago when I watched a television show that highlighted these cute little trailers. Their diminutive size along with their art-deco shape immediately captured my attention. I found a number of online forums where owners and builders gathered to discuss their trailers. After spending quite a bit of time reading through the forums I decided that I might be able to build one myself. Here's Dave trying out my first attempt at building a teardrop. I didn't realize that the plans I have are half-scale! Back to the drawing board. 
Although I love the classic shape of a teardrop, for a number of reasons I have decided to build what is often referred to as a Grasshopper. A Grasshopper is functionally identical to a teardrop, with a small sleeping compartment and a rear galley, but has an angular shape rather than the rounded shape of a classic teardrop. Recently I have started thinking about the whole trailer concept again. This time I started thinking about how I would use the trailer rather than how I wanted it to look. I finally concluded that I want a trailer that strikes a balance between looks, functionality, cost, and amenities. I'm not going on the "Show Trailer" circuit, rather I want something I can hook up to my SUV on the spur of the moment and head out camping. Once I realized that my main goal was camping rather than impressing people with my craftsmanship, the design came together quite easily. I have some skill in metal work, but almost no experience in wood work. Because of that I'm going to try to minimize the amount of wood work. With that in mind I came up with the following goals: - Structurally strong - Simple construction techniques - Minimize cost - Simple cabinetry - Wide enough to comfortably sleep two ( I often have friends join me camping) - Reasonable build time This has led me to some specific design/construction criteria: - Start with the existing boat trailer I have - Use a grasshopper profile rather than a teardrop profile to simplify construction - Use a Formica counter top from Home Depot in the galley - Use plastic storage bins rather than constructing drawers - 12v only, no 110v - No sink or plumbing - No built-in stove Here are a couple of drawings I did to see if I could find a shape I like. 
Follow along as I try to build my "Desert Dawg"!
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