Ghostrider10-32

Ok dumb question from someone who doesn't yet own a trailer... Does the trailer charge off the tow vehicle electric while towing? I assumed they wouldn't. From your post it seems like Lithium doesn't (charge from tow vehicle) but if our trailer has traditional batteries it will? Thanks in advance for humoring my rookie question. Nik

Truer words have never been spoken.

I thought I'd start a new thread for this question. What options have people come across for heated storage of your Oliver? I'm sure cost varies in different parts of the country, but I'm in SE Wisconsin and (per other thread I started) we want to use our trailer exclusively in the winter early November to Mid March for 3 day weekends. (leave Friday afternoon, come back Sunday afternoon) So we don't want to have to winterize for the work-week every week. Curious what people pay for heated storage and if its accessible to come-and-go as you please or if once its in, its in til spring? Anyone store on their own property and run electric heat inside the trailer to keep it from freezing? Brainstorming ideas if my endeavor to modify my garage door opening to fit an Oliver doesn't pan out. Also, how long does it take to winterize an Ollie?

More fantastic feedback. Validates some of my brainstorming. Its just weekends, so the cozy aspect isn't as much of an issue vs. something I was going to try to live in or take long trips in. I also agree with your "ease of use of the Elite 1 given our requirements". That's my thinking with the Elite 1. Though smaller, it seems like it would be easier handling, maneuvering... Just looks a little more sporty/adventurous/nimble to me compared to the Elite II which looks more elegant and liveable.

really good feedback on the size aspect of the LE1. I did come across the Snoozy previously but had written it off because I fell in love with the fit and finish of the Oliver. Its so much like the fit and finish of our yacht. Super clean and polished on the inside with the molded cabinets and marine-grade hardware. I don't think the Snoozy is 4 season rated though.. But after your post I did go to their website and give it another look. On the positive side, I think I could get it in without any door modifications. It is a cool little trailer. Might still be an option for the milder winter weekends. I'm putting that back on my list of options. Thanks Mike!!

Funny you should mention that. I employ structural engineers and one of them did suggest a steel beam would be lower profile than the glulam header... but the garage door people thought the garage door itself (even if you went with a 12" radius track vs a typical 15" radius) would end up being lower than the opening.

Yeah, I'm on a split grade lot. My rear exposure is 3 stories, front is 2 stories. My lot drops off significantly to the rear. I did think about having a driveway poured around to the rear and building something back there but its such a significant grade and for winter use, I think I'd have trouble keeping it snow-free enough to get it out on a weekly basis... ..and then getting the HOA to approve it.. 😞

Yeah, fitting the LE is already requiring a door modification and we aren't done talking to contractors yet, but I think 9'3" is the most we are going to be able to squeeze out. I currently have 2 double 8x16 doors. 10'6" ceiling height. I can go with a jack-shaft opener (fits on the side) and won't have to worry about the door opener being in the way, but you still need a 12" radius for the track. The first contractor thinks 9'3" is gonna be the max. Here's what I have. I also took a picture of all the framing when I was building the house. The 2nd picture shows the header of the wall. The most I can do without MAJOR structural work is take out the cripples and raise that glulam header up to the top plates. I actually currently have 8'1" on clearance. It would be really close. We'll have to open up the wall and measure to make sure, but so far 9'3" max

Thanks for all the great advice... We will really only be using the trailer for sleeping, eating, and a shower each weekend. So I'm not totally opposed to something a little cramped since we will be spending our days hiking and outside, coming in the warmth to eat, sleep, shower, play a game of cards, watch a bit of tv and go to bed... But I'm going to take everyone's advice and make sure to get in a LE before ordering one. If just a shower and sleeping is uncomfortable its probably not a good fit. We love hiking and the problem is we've hiked all the great trails within a couple hour drive of where we live. So by the time we get rolling on Saturday, we get somewhere and have no time to hike given the short winter days. We'd really like to get further out in the state to section hike the Ice Age Trail where we haven't been able to yet as well as getting to the UP to hike the North Country Trail across Michigan's upper Peninsula. So our routine would be drive a couple hours on Friday evening, get to our weekend spot, watch an hour of TV and go to sleep. Get up, eat breakfast and take a morning hike, come back for lunch, shower, and then head out for an afternoon hike. Drive to a local restaurant for dinner on Saturday night, return to the camper to play a couple games of cards or watch a bit of TV and then sleep. Get up Sunday, eat breakfast in the trailer, and drive home. So ok with a "cozy" feeling in the camper (because we aren't going to try to "live" in it or even take a weeks vacation in it...) but just not an uncomfortable feeling or difficult situation to sleep or shower.

That's interesting you mention that because it had crossed my mind (trying to get one without the AC) but its not uncommon in March for Wisconsin to get a warm spell where I'd want to run AC and I wouldn't want a trailer that we'd find unusable in the event we had to skip boating for one weekend in the summer (bad weather? traveling to a wedding?). Add to all that I don't think anyone would want to buy a trailer without AC and I wouldn't want to kill resale value when I want to upgrade. I did wonder if the AC unit on the LEII is the most low-profile type you could get. A quick internet search did show they make low profile AC units (this one is 3 inches shorter at 9.5 inches compared to some other dometic units that are 12.7 inches) https://www.amazon.com/Dometic-640315C-Penguin-Profile-Conditioner/dp/B00NRDHTVA

First post, read through 10 or so pages of threads but only saw one reference to a taller person being in a LE. Kinda caught in a catch 22 between a LE and and LE2. Long story short. We plan to use a trailer exclusively in the winter (we boat on Lake Michigan every weekend from late March to early Nov) and want to use the trailer almost exclusively from Nov to mid March. We are in SE Wisconsin and because of professional commitments almost entirely weekend warriors. Leave Friday afternoon, return Sunday afternoon all winter long except for below-zero cold snaps. Here's my catch 22. I'm 6'02 with shoes on and for that reason I think the LE2 would be most comfortable BUT... Since we are going to be cold-weather weekend campers I want to store the trailer in my heated garage (so I don't have to worry about freezing during the week and can rinse off the road salt after our 3 day weekend trips) BUT I'm height limited to 9'03" entry door (10'6" ceiling). So an LE2 won't clear height (and I don't think I can cheat 3 inches worth of height letting air out of tires long enough to get the AC unit under the door. So that has us looking at the LE. Unfortunately there are LE2's very close to us to see before we buy, but no LE's anywhere close and a trip to the factory in the near term won't fit my schedule either. So I'm curious about any input from taller guys who have an LE. Since we are only weekend warriors, its not like I'll be spending a week or weeks on end in the trailer. We won't. Just 2 days and 2 nights. One shower per weekend. Any thoughts on the LE for a taller person? Will it feel too claustrophobic? Difficult to shower? Difficult to sleep on the smaller bed? Thanks in advance. Really deflated to find out there isn't an LE close to us to experience in person. Don't want to buy the LE sight-unseen and find out its too uncomfortable.