Off grid - living in an RV (or smaller) full time

Discussion in 'Off Grid Living' started by DKR, Jul 21, 2017.


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  1. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    I lived in a highly modified 19 foot trailer for most of a year in rural NV. Very pleasant, roomy even, for a singleton. It did have propane and electric service, staying warm isn't easy and going to work everyday meant staying ut.

    So, what if you don't have to stay put? What if your are willing to boondock - AKA - go off grid?

    (Edit to Add -- Several of these RV based folks have extensive solar setups, and do a good job of documenting to setup, power use, batteries and so on)

    Here are some folks that live in their RVs full time - the most popular sizes run betwen 16 and 19 feet. The Airstreams are all 25 footers, a common size for full timers. I have one link to a guy that lives i the back of his Subaru...

    rvsue and her canine crew retired teacher and her pups living in a 16 foot Casita. Been at it for over 5 years. Worth reading if you will be camping in the Intermountian West - she spotlights cheap, public camping spots. (Solar setup defined)

    Blog a couple modified a 25 foot 5th wheel to be 'carbon free - and live in it full time. Does point out the need for a safe harbor if you need to do some serious repair work. Lots of photos (Major solar setup, well defined)

    Interstellar Orchard single female living full time in a ’99 17′ Casita Spirit Deluxe.

    Rv'ing Full Time as a SOLO woman! yes, another single female living full time in her RV - lots of photos, very new age

    About a young couple, in love and on the road. He's a Navy Vet, she, a college education worker bee. See their life on the road. New agers.

    JenEric Ramblings an older couple that travel in a 29′ Holiday Rambler Traveler (Class A) - this is the high-dollar life on the road.

    Home younger Canadian couple with 3 kiddos. They run a '84 Wanderlodge Bus (and pulling a Westy) - fun blog.

    Places and Platypie older couple for NY living in a 29' Winnebago Outlook. Lots of pics of their travels.

    How do these people live, make money? This is how:

    Wand'rly // How to Travel Full-time they sell books on how to live full time in an RV

    Most of the others above have a link to Amazon to get a piece of the action - you don't pay any more and they get a faction of the sale. Affiliate marketing. It works.

    HereForTheBeer.com These folks are 'half-timers" and have a business at home. Fun blog.

    Home follows a single male who gets married on his road trip in life. Has some good tips on setting up an RV for full timing off grid

    Meant For Adventure full timing life in a big, fat 1978 Airstream.

    Mali Mish – About Mali Mish a family of 5 living full time in a 2007 Airstream International 25FB

    Subaru Vagabond a single guy living in his Subaru Outback. Living Setup how to live in a Subaru (solar shower, portable solar panels, solar storage batteries in the spare tire space etc)

    WatsonsWander - Exploring and working full-time from our Airstream another couple full timing in a big fat 25 foot Airstream - how fun.

    So, everything from a guy in the back of his Subaru to some Airstreamers. All full timing. All pretty much off grid for the most of their travels....

    Enjoy

    Edit to add
    Mali Mish – Other Airstream Blogs
    this is a link to a page full of links to Airstream full timers.
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2017
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  2. 3M-TA3

    3M-TA3 Cold Wet Monkey

    Don't bug out to your BOL, just take it with you...
     
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  3. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    Lived in a 26 footer and then a 30 footer for almost 8 years. The ex got the house (of course) so it didn't make sense to me to pay rent or buy another place only to come home after 3 or 4 months to find it had been broken in to all all my stuff gone. So all my stuff went into a locked climate controlled conex set on a buddy's place. My plan was to continue to live that way as long as I was working in the oil field-beats the heck out of Man Camp quarters. It does get a bit old after awhile, but you save money and if you are pulling 100 hrs weeks like I was then it didn't matter much-you pretty much just use it as a place to shower,shave and sleep.
     
  4. Gray Wolf

    Gray Wolf Monkey+++

    Mine is 40 feet long and has 3 slide out rooms, with about 400 square feet of floor space, it's about the size of a studio apt. Plenty of space for me and the two mouse catchers we rescued in 2003. enough space for my huge roll top desk. It probably helps that I don't own a tv, so I don't have to tie up wall space for the latest and biggest flat screen!
     
  5. Meat

    Meat Monkey+++

    RV's aren't for me. They have nothing I need. A good van is a much better option in my opinion. :D
     
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  6. RightHand

    RightHand Been There, Done That RIP 4/15/21 Moderator Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Aha - another one without a TV. Sometimes I think I'm the only one in American without TV.
     
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  7. SB21

    SB21 Monkey+++

    There's quite a few of these guys on YouTube , full time RV'ers, from cars, vans , and pickups , to the big motor coaches. Some of these guys make money from the YouTube videos they post. I thought about hitting the road myself, there's lots of beautiful country here that I haven't seen , and would really like to. Maybe in a few more years I might give it a try for a while.
     
  8. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    I really like Air Stream trailers but dislike the price. Personally I would like to renovate an old school bus. That is a great concept and just enough space for one person. Many of the school buses have wood stoves and that is a bonus IMO
     
  9. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    Moto's new ride
    6a00d834543b6069e200e54ff2c2768833-800wi.
     
  10. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    This is my Ultimate Bug out dream rig! 8000 mile range, plenty of space to live, and plenty of cargo space. 1200 sq ft of food storage, and 600 sq ft of freezer space! Water purification system, aux electrical gensets, and a tow winch capable of 160 tone pull. Currently offerd for sale at 2.8 mil U.S. and has current inspections and ice class rating 2!!!!
    [​IMG]
     
  11. Merkun

    Merkun furious dreamer

    Yeah, but can you water ski behind it?
     
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  12. Dunerunner

    Dunerunner Brewery Monkey Moderator

    But where are the gun mounts???? [YD]
     
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  13. Merkun

    Merkun furious dreamer

    Stowed below decks so the TSA won't stop and search.
     
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  14. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    I got a Miller Genset, Mig/Tig Heli Arc, I think I can rig something up! A few of J.M. Browning's finest of the M-2 verity should about cover it, maybe a nice Orlikon KC series 37 MM on the fair weather top, you know, for those really heavy days! LOL
    Water ski, NO, but behind my 23 foot Mako, quite possible! Would be taking that with us on board, as well as my Jeep and our dual sports! Still have all my fishin stuff, should be a pretty fun and exciting R.V. experience!!!
     
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  15. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    [​IMG]
    A stay sail ketch, steel hull. Canoe stern, AMP Air genset. Good stuff.
    Better gas mileage....good.

    [​IMG]
    35 foot cutter rigged ketch - better (this is a nice Fuji)

    [​IMG]
    Cutter rigged, center cockpit ketch - best.
    This is a nice Formosa 47. These have nice thick glass hulls and a Ford diesel.
    7 foot draft. If this had bilge keels, it would draw about 5 foot in draft.

    This is the exact type of boat that served as a model for the BOLT in my last book - The Fisher People.


    [​IMG]
    bilge keels mean never having to say you're sorry to the insurance man..... just the thing for the EU and the pacific islands....

    all of these are very off-grid...
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2017
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  16. duane

    duane Monkey+++

    Not a bug out vehicle in the classic sense, but as a place to escape to, it would be hard to beat John Wayne's Wild Goose wooden mine sweeper. The few pictures of him I have seen of him and his family and friends on it always show him smiling and relaxed. It is 100 % utilitarian and beautiful in its own way as are most well designed boats. Boats may not really be practical for a bug out vehicle due to your location, being a large target, the maintenance required, high purchase cost, etc, but they sure can be addictive and are oh so easy to fall in love with.
     
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  17. Gray Wolf

    Gray Wolf Monkey+++

     
  18. Gray Wolf

    Gray Wolf Monkey+++

    The drawback to the tiny R V is the minimalist lifestyle they require. I have read the stories of people who have no more than twenty possessions! I probably have that many socks!

    They are totally dependant on others for food and a means to prepare it, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. With solar panels on the roof, as long as there is some source of water, I have enough beans and rice to last a long time.

    Alternate means of lighting and cooking too. Being a Survival Monkey and a minimalist do not seem compatible, but Maye that's just my view.

    R
     
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  19. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    The minimalist lifestyle requires that one be close to other resources much like modern manufacturing JIT. Just In Time .
    If those resources run dry, so the the minimalist.
    If on'e resources rely on cash and the economy dumps, an cash is toilet paper at least they got plenty of TP but no reason to wipe.
     
  20. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    My apologies -

    I've now marked the sites where the RV bloggers have extensive solar setup and have documented same. I understand most Monkeys would not choose to live in an RV - but if you are going off grid there are lessons to be learned from the full-time RV set in energy use, water discipline and so on.

    Please post any other RV related sites you think our tree dwelling crew would find useful
     
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