Boondocking with 19CB?

[MAJ]

Please be patient with me all, I'm new to this forum. I've been looking at a 19CB, but can't find any info on it's boondocking capability. Not talking about anything really serious, but just some solitude from time to time. My tow vehicle will easily handle the trailer and while it's not an aggressive off road vehicle I can lock it into 4WD if needed and it has 8 inches of ground clearance so depending on what the trailer can handle I should be able to access some nice places. Has anyone had any experience boondocking with a 19CB? I'd definitely appreciate some wisdom and tips. I also can't find any information on the ground clearance for the 19CB either, so if anyone could share that with me I'd sincerely appreciate it. Thanks in advance for any help anyone can provide.

Michael

[fossil5775]

Hi there,
My husband & I actually full time in a flying cloud 19cb. We are set up for boondocking- meaning being off grid as long as possible. We have 180 watts of solar & a generator. We switched our batteries out for 2 trojan t105's in series, adding 50% more capacity. We carry extra water with us in 5 gallon containers. The limiting factor between need to dump for us is the 18 gallon black tank. We can make a week consistently between dumps. Now, you sound like you want to go off road. I will tell you it's not quite as easy as just having clearance. Rough roads are not impossible, but you have to go slow & careful. The 19 is pretty good in that the longer you get the more you have to worry about angle of departure etc. Without measuring I think our clearance is 7". (I can check on that) our original intention was to always camp away from campgrounds, never hookup. What we have found these last 3 years is that at most of the places that are worth seeing & spending time at there is usually a campground. We still could go forever without hooking up, but will always need to dump. Solar provides the greatest ability to cut the cord along with the simple battery change out. We pull with an F150, & we have 4wd. There are days I wish for more space, but when we go to a tight site that is hard for anything bigger to get into, we are so thankful we have a 19.

[bhelgemo]

Originally Posted by MAJ

Please be patient with me all, I'm new to this forum. I've been looking at a 19CB, but can't find any info on it's boondocking capability. Not talking about anything really serious, but just some solitude from time to time. My tow vehicle will easily handle the trailer and while it's not an aggressive off road vehicle I can lock it into 4WD if needed and it has 8 inches of ground clearance so depending on what the trailer can handle I should be able to access some nice places. Has anyone had any experience boondocking with a 19CB? I'd definitely appreciate some wisdom and tips. I also can't find any information on the ground clearance for the 19CB either, so if anyone could share that with me I'd sincerely appreciate it. Thanks in advance for any help anyone can provide.



Michael

We had the dealer lift our 22 Caravel. Our clearance is much better.

[FLCoast]

We’ve had our 19 since 2016 and love it. We find it’s very comfortable for the two of us and very convenient when looking for campgrounds and managing in small places: campgrounds, gas stations, parking,… We spend the majority of our time boon docking, a term that I use to mean having no hookups. I agree with fossil5775 in that we find the most limiting factor when boon docking is the tankage, specifically the gray and black tanks. We carry (2) 7 gallon cans for additional fresh water when needed. You’ll find ways (lots of good advice in this forum) to stretch this out extend your stay. For example, we use a folding bucket (bought at Old Time Pottery) that exactly fits our kitchen sink and allows us to capture our dish water and we pour it into the toilet (black tank) rather than the gray tank. You’ll learn to balance the two. Better yet, a lot of the campgrounds have a washing station or a drain to dump your gray water for dishwashing. The cold water that runs before the water turns hot we collect in a pan to use for tea/coffee or cooking… You mention raising your trailer for more clearance which, as was mentioned, sounds more like asking about off roading. We haven’t taken the trailer over very rough terrain (dirt roads ok; miles of washboard, no thank you). We usually find a campground close by and enjoy exploring and going off road via truck (Silverado 1500). I’m sure taking it over some rough terrain very carefully and slowly might be ok, but I don’t feel that it’s an off road design. And you’ll find everyone has their opinion on this. It’s a choice. We travel all over the US and Canada, and never felt the need for 4 wheel drive with/without the trailer until recently. Never considered 4 wheel drive. Of course, we’re from Florida… We were kept from going over some dirt roads out West (Utah) because we didn’t have 4 wheel drive. We also visit our friends in VA with a very long, steep road to their house and needed their tractor to tow us (and the AS) up the hill. That’s when we decided to buy the 4 wheel drive. I now also use it when dropping our boat in/out the ramp. We travel with a generator, but will soon be adding solar. I hope you’ll enjoy your trailer as much as we do ours.

[Dennis C]

You can boondock in any Airstream. You simply need approach it with a realistic attitude and prepare accordingly. If you’ve got 4 people in your trailer and everyone wants to shower, then it’s not going to work. If you are careful about the use of your batteries and you are realistic about the plumbing limitations, then you’ll be fine. I find that grey tank capacity is usually the biggest limiting factor when boondocking.

You’ll need to view the Airstream more as an aluminum tent than a small apartment with all the creature comforts of home. You’ll get better at it as you gain experience.

Have fun!

[GetawA-S]

Michael,
Follow your dream... carefully! We have no idea of your actual experience. Are you a seasoned backcountry hiker? Had other trailers? Spent time off road in your current vehicle? What particular destinations do you plan to visit?
I'll offer the same advice I give to anyone wanting to trust an unknown system in an unfamiliar location. Try things out in a less risky way. "Boondock" in your driveway (no power or water connection) and see how long you can go. For off road adventure, go first with just your vehicle. Try to imagine what you would do if you realize you've taken a wrong turn and need to turn around with a trailer. Rent a utility trailer from UHaul with similar length and clearance to the 19, take it out to a potential campsite and see if you make contact with the terrain or trees. While there, sit in a chair for a few hours and see if the wildlife and local humans let you appreciate the experience comfortably.
With the current wait for delivery of just about any type of RV, you've got lots of time to do your own investigating. The advice here is good, but you are the only one who can answer what is right for YOU.
Happy camping!

[Saluda372]

Welcome.

[field & stream]

All good advice above. With power and water limits, the more you think of this as tent camping the better.

Not mentioned was whether you were looking at newer models with the electric only fridges or older ones with propane fridges. If electric only, and with the standard Airstream batteries, you will only last a day or two before killing your batteries and losing lights, water pump, and heat.

Be prepared to spend a few thousand dollars on lithium batteries and electronics and as much solar as you can get on the roof. Even then you probably will need a generator to keep you going on cloudy days and in shady spots.