Like many others
we had lots of camping gear and a tent that had seen it best days many
years earlier. We debated over the purchase of another tent but still
needed a trailer to carry everything away for a trip. The hunt was on.!
When we decided
that it was time for the camper upgrade we spent around 6 months looking
at different styles, makes and even sifting through the second hand
market. We had so many brochures, option lists, prices and memories of so
many different campers things started getting ‘As clear as mud’. Only one
camper kept getting put on top of the pile due to its quality of canvas
and workmanship, features and price - that was the Customline Camper
Trailer. We purchased our Customline in 2000 when it was a backyard
operation out of Dave Jenners backyard shed. The camper is personally made
not a ‘production line’ model with the quality that only Dave could make.
Because we
purchased the camper during the early years of Customline Camper Trailers
it was not without some problems. The problems are common throughout
camper trailers - Dust and Water. Dust came in through the trailer floor
and rear door but silicon and extra sealing has this fixed. Water comes
through the join of the floor and walls, into the storage box on the
drawbar and under the rear of the cover when traveling. These and many
other problems have been fixed by feedback to Dave.
As I mentioned
earlier, the Customline is a soft floor camper that unfolds off the side
of the trailer. This gives us plenty of room inside to set up bed for the
kids. The camper does not need any extra poles to be set for a quick
overnight stop just flip-over and extend the poles that are attached to
the side of the trailer. With a couple of bags in the corners the camper
is ready. Setting up the awning takes a little longer using 5 poles, ropes
and pegs.
It has a queen size
mattress (now due for replacement) on top of the trailer. The bed base can
be opened for access into the trailer. The camper top can
be opened (when camper packed) for access into the trailer. This opens
from the passenger’s side so it can be safely done on the side of a busy
road. This top can be removed if the trailer is required for other duties.
Our
kitchen is a home made slide out style kitchen made from angle iron and
aluminum with ‘Stakka Drawers’ for plates, food, etc. It was design and
built around a very old
Chescold 3-way fridge that has since been replaced. The new fridge can
just fits in the same position but only during camping. It is too big to
fit inside the trailer. Opening the rear tailgate and sliding out gives
access to the kitchen. The Stakka Drawers stay in position.
A box is fitted to the drawbar along
with the spare wheel with a gas bottle ring and jerry can holder on the
side of the trailer. These are standard items. I store shade cloth, ropes,
pegs, hammers, axe, caravan leg winder, shower tent, etc and anything else
I can squeeze into this box.
The
options that I have fitted are a poly block Treg coupling and a water tank with the tap
located near the gas bottle ring. I have taken this trailer through some
medium 4WDing terrain and it handled it with ease. The caravan legs and
poly block coupling are the only things to touch.
Things we would
like to change include............
* Brakes. The camper is about 750Kg when
loaded and that weight has pushed the car on downhill gravel roads.
* An electric pump tap. The standard hand
pump works great but a little less effort whilst camping makes it all
the more enjoyable.
* New wheels from six stud 15” to 16” that
match the Patrol I now own.
Thanks to Chris and Sally
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