Lost one, bought one!

[26.982 amu]

I'll rustle up some pix as soon as I can. I haven't decided what to do with the shell yet, but it is towable if the tires are resealed. I may sell it, or I may use it as a storage shed (sniff).

There was no insurance--unaffordable. I just drew the short straw.

My username is the atomic mass of aluminum (I teach chemistry).

[whitsend]

Originally Posted by 26.982 amu

I'll rustle up some pix as soon as I can. There was no insurance--unaffordable. I just drew the short straw. My username is the atomic mass of aluminum (I teach chemistry).

So sorry about your loss!! And I applaud your attitude - you just gotta get back in that saddle & not let it all get you down!! A friend used to own a house on Bolivar, on the beach right next to the old WW2 fort. I'm sure that's all gone now - certainly the house, but the old fort too. I was in Houston 9/28, for a day. LOTS of damage still evident to see, and still no electricity or water to the rv park in Spring. So, we got the family business taken care of and "hauled" out - for Tyler!!! I was there in the mid 60's, playing at "college", in reality just playing. We stayed in a really nice rv park near the airport for several days, trying to find my old haunts (The Toddle House, now "D's", Loggins Rest. & the school of course. Really had a nice trip down what's left of my memory lane. Then over to Canton for my Wally units rally & the First Monday Trade Days. Talk about change since the mid '60's!!! Thank goodness for the scooters !! Couldn't have done the Canton "Shop Till You Drop" without them.

And thank goodness for our Airstreams - they make emergency trips a little better, and fun trips so very memorable. And thank goodness for our Airstream family of nurturing supporting friends!!

[osolow]

i would keep it even if you end up using it as a shed. it will be the coolest shed on the block and a sweet story to tell guest!

[26.982 amu]

Well, here they are. It looks OK on the outside, but the inside is disgusting. Notice that the Corps of Engineers came by and cut off my two beautiful 30# aluminum propane bottles--location unknown!

[Eliminator46]

WOW, what a DRAG. Hate to see that. Overall on the outside, it looks like it survived pretty well. I can imagine the inside. I would say Ike 1, AS 1. Tie. Could have been worse I guess. Good thing you were not in it. Keep your chin up.
Adam

[aircooled4]

Im really surprised that the curb side doesnt look worse than it does..

[Distantdrummer]

Hello Professor;

I too am surprised (happily) at how little crush the roll over did to the curbside.
Does it appear the roll was caused by a wave of water or wind?
Do you think the debris shown alongside (perhaps a shed) or the trees in pic. kept the trailer from rolling again and again?
Is the concrete pad (if that is what I see) shown where the trailer was before roll? i.e. How far did it move?
What ruined the inside? water? or just the 90degree nap?

How exactly did yall right the ship? I would like Inland Andy's thoughts on what a fall over and the resulting righting does to the axles. If anything.

Had you ever had any vandalism probs in leaving your Airstream down there all alone?
Oh, and how do you know it was the Corp of Engineers who removed the gas bottles? What do they have to say about their whereabouts? And why did they remove them?
Did you guys use Bolivar as a base camp for fishing, or do ya just like the salt air? I once owned two Airstreams, planned one for the coast and one for the lake. Sold the coastal and the other ended up on storage lot by way of hunting lease, still planning the lake side placement. My fear of the coast (Matagorda) was not storms but vandalism and corrosion worry.

Lotsa questions I know, but your misfortune is out of the mainstream (no pun intended).
Best of luck in your new direction and please keep us all posted on both trailers fates.

[26.982 amu]

Wow, what a load of questions! I'll try some general answers.

I think the trailer boated on its right side about 180' from where I parked it. What you see it lying against in the pix came from who knows where; it's not my neighbor's. The leveling struts beneath are not ripped off, so they were not touching the ground at any point once movement started. However, the foldout steps were ripped off the frame and two windows were smashed (one removed), indicating some trauma.

I believe the trailer rolled several times before coming to rest. My neighbor, whose property the trailer ended up in and who guarded it for me in the past, noted that the height of the water on his house indicates that at the storm's peak there was 14' of water, so my trailer was probably a submarine for a time!

It's simply not possible to imagine the violence of Ike. A neighbor's house down the street was hit by a tornado that spun off the eye wall--totally obliterated. I'm lucky to have anything left, but what I do have is a mud-filled disaster. The salt water and the battery combined to produce a deadly combination with my electrical system; everything copper is electrolytically dissolved. All of my books, scientific equipment, kitchen, furnishings--ruined. Most of this is duplicated in my home laboratory, though. In time, I may be able to make more than a shed out of my old Airstream--but I'm not counting on it. My new toy--a '68 Safari in cherry condition--will be its successor.

I was told about the efforts of the Corps of Engineers by a neighbor. They considered exposed, dangling propane tanks like mine to be hazards and removed them. Not many vandals have had acccess to the island--yet.

[aggie81]

Hey amu,

Sorry to hear about your trailer. Let me know if I can help drag it back to Tyler or work on it when you get it up here.

I live about a block east of you. Head towards Broadway, I'm in the Tudor house on the right with the blue Jeep in front and a 72 Tradewind in back by the garage. If the jeep is there I'm in the garage working on the trailer, just walk on back and holler.

Mike

[26.982 amu]

Quoting myself: "I've got a new toy on order: a '68 Safari in great shape. I'm going to keep this one parked at home! But it needs AC for the murderous Texas summer climate. What do you folks recommend: an external unit, a roll-around internal (Supentown), or a custom roof installation?"

I'm really leaning toward a split-level AC at this point. I hate the idea of wrecking the clean lines of my trailer with a big excrescence on top--high or low profile. Any caveats, other than the price?

[26.982 amu]

Originally Posted by aggie81

Hey amu,

Sorry to hear about your trailer. Let me know if I can help drag it back to Tyler or work on it when you get it up here.

I live about a block east of you. Head towards Broadway, I'm in the Tudor house on the right with the blue Jeep in front and a 72 Tradewind in back by the garage. If the jeep is there I'm in the garage working on the trailer, just walk on back and holler.

Mike

I'll come down for a visit as soon as I can--but I want to get my new trailer first, so that we can compare notes. Thanks for the offer to tow the old one, but I think it's going to be a permanent addition to the Bolivar Peninsula.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Distantdrummer

Hello Professor;

I too am surprised (happily) at how little crush the roll over did to the curbside.
Does it appear the roll was caused by a wave of water or wind?
Do you think the debris shown alongside (perhaps a shed) or the trees in pic. kept the trailer from rolling again and again?
Is the concrete pad (if that is what I see) shown where the trailer was before roll? i.e. How far did it move?
What ruined the inside? water? or just the 90degree nap?

How exactly did yall right the ship? I would like Inland Andy's thoughts on what a fall over and the resulting righting does to the axles. If anything.

Had you ever had any vandalism probs in leaving your Airstream down there all alone?
Oh, and how do you know it was the Corp of Engineers who removed the gas bottles? What do they have to say about their whereabouts? And why did they remove them?
Did you guys use Bolivar as a base camp for fishing, or do ya just like the salt air? I once owned two Airstreams, planned one for the coast and one for the lake. Sold the coastal and the other ended up on storage lot by way of hunting lease, still planning the lake side placement. My fear of the coast (Matagorda) was not storms but vandalism and corrosion worry.

Lotsa questions I know, but your misfortune is out of the mainstream (no pun intended).
Best of luck in your new direction and please keep us all posted on both trailers fates.

No need to ask if the axles were damaged. Typically when a roll over has been righted, the axle or axles will be damaged.

But, in the case of your photo, the axles are already shot.

Andy

[26.982 amu]

I agree with Inland Andy. It's not possible that the axles came through undamaged--the trailer came down with a BANG when it was righted.

I'll soon have my "new" '68 Safari, and I'm EXCITED.

[26.982 amu]

If I were to put a standard Coleman AC on my new '68 Safari, is the wiring already in place? Exactly where should it be installed?