Featherweight fibreglass model hits the runway
Curvy '60s styling blends with cutting-edge composite construction for new 17ft lightweight caravanWhat do you get when you blend retro styling with cutting-edge aviation- and marine-inspired composite construction techniques?
In the RV world, something like Cortes Campers' new full-height travel trailer (that's a caravan in Aussie-speak!) that despite a feature-packed 17ft length body, tips the scales at just 816kg unloaded.
The Cleveland, Ohio based manufacturer reckons its latest bright blue 17ft model is "designed to last a lifetime", boasting patent-pending designs that represent the "most exciting breakthrough in trailer technology in more than 50 years".
"Moulded fibreglass travel trailers haven't changed much since the 1960s," the company explains on its website.
"They are still made out of cheap 'chopper-gun' fibreglass sprayed into a mold. Builders use screws, rivets, and OSB (Oriented Strand Board), the same particle-board-like material used by house roofers."
With a background in building offshore high-performance powerboats, the founders of Cortes Campers said they decided to "throw that all away and built something revolutionary".
The unique top-bottom, two-piece body construction - a vacuum infused combination of aluminized fibreglass and carbon fibre -- also borrows from the aviation and F1 racing industries.
"Our fibreglass layers are bonded to a DuPont Nomex honeycomb core, a space-age material used in helicopter blades and engine nacelles," they explain further.
"The entire exterior is sealed tight in marine-grade Armorcote gel coat, an advanced technology developed for high-performance offshore racing boats."
The use of aircraft-grade hardened 6061 aluminum for the chassis along with a full-custom molded interior fit-out helps keep Tare weight for the curvy, single-axle caravan to just 816kg.
The 17ft Cortes caravan is priced from US$39,950 (AUD$54,000) and available in a range of exterior colours and various two- and three berth layouts, all with single or double beds, dinette/lounge, kitchen, shower and toilet.
Standard features include air-conditioning, central heating, a fridge/freezer, microwave, three-burner cooktop and oven, 28in TV and 123 litre fresh water and 135 litre grey tank tanks.
Cortes Campers also plans to offer other caravan body sizes, along with motorhomes, truck campers and a multi-coloured teardrop camper priced from US$29,900 (AUD$40,000).
No word yet on whether it will be available down under, but the bright blue example would certainly turn heads at the local BIG4!
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