Alaskan access with Top Down

[doryplug]

If you need to get into an Alaskan Camper with the top in the down position, what can be accessed?

I assume you use the lower door...

Can you access the overhead cupboards, the cassette toilet. Can you sleep on the dinette bed etc...

Can you use the stove?

I was thinking of access when travelling during the daytime , stopping and not bothering to put the top up all the time???

Thanks...

 

[Rusty]

The hydraulic tubes have several levels where they can be pinned up...anywhere from 5 inches up. The beauty of the system is you can pump it up in a few minutes...pin it for the night....and lower it in the am...your gone and on your way.

My 85 year old grandmother used to regularly visit us and stop along the road for her lunch....pump up the camper...have lunch and be on her way. I now have that same camper...with a few modifications.

all of the cabinets are accessible in the down position although it's a bit crowded...and the benches can be slept on with the top down...but it's a bit clostrophobic.

The cassette toilet however...needs to have the top counter folded over, which requires the top being up.

you must open both doors to access the interior with the top up or down.

when you get used to the pumping...or pushing the button on the newer ones...it's a piece of cake!

Welcome Doryplug....san juan variety?

 

[doryplug]

Thank you very much for the information...

Regarding the cabover models, is there a problem when setting up (or taking down) when the weather is bad, for instance heavy rain and wind driving water into the bed area?

Dory is just a poor old East Coast Banks type....

 

[Rusty]

no problems with raising in the weather....you just get a bit of a breeze and a couple drops until you get the sides up

Lapstrake or cold mold?....nice, simple, seaworthy boats....sail?

 

[doryplug]

Thanks...

Yes the dory was Lapstrake, but only 4 red pine boards, flat bottom, and tombstone stern, and white oak ribs. Sail and two sets of oars.

Not very good at tacking, but once set up off the wind a bit it would sail all day by itself, unless you ran out of room !!

 

[Henricksen]

Thank you very much for the information...

Regarding the cabover models, is there a problem when setting up (or taking down) when the weather is bad, for instance heavy rain and wind driving water into the bed area?

Dory is just a poor old East Coast Banks type....

I would have to add that raising or lowering my 10 ft CO is definitely not my favorite thing to do in strong winds. I have to let down the the cabover doors which opens up the front to whatever the winds want to do as far as lifting the CO. However, that being said,we never have had bad luck during raising or lowering. A month or two ago we were camping in Guadalupe Mountains National Park and needed to leave and the winds were gusting from 50 to 65 miles mph but we waited for a brief let up and down it came with no problem.