Wooden CLC Teardrop Camper Kit May Result in Most Affordable and Beautiful Mobile Habitat

Folks, back in 1991, a new name started hitting the boating industry with wooden kayaks, canoes, and even sailboats. So what the heck does this crew have to do with mobile living? Well, a few years back, the gods of CLC Boats felt they had all the right goods to develop a teardrop camper kit based on their boatbuilding design principles. Considering wood is a favorite building material for this crew, it only made sense to add a teardrop to their available lineup.

However, CLC does things a tad differently, and what you actually see in the gallery are completed works; CLC offers you a build kit that does not include the trailer upon which you place your downsized and mobile dwelling. Once you do, however, I'm sure you'll agree that you're looking at one of the most eye-catching teardrops you've seen in a long time.

So, what exactly are we looking at here? To kick things off, you need to consider that CLC has been in the boating business for decades, and the team's combined experience surpasses the hundred-year mark by quite a bit. Knowing this, Jonh C. Harris, Owner and Managing Director of CLC Boats, asked, "What if we take the same boatbuilding materials and techniques we've been refining for 25 years at Chesapeake Light Craft and build a teardrop trailer? And the same sculptural approach that we bring to boat design?" The result is, well, yeah...go on, explore.

Right from the start, you need to realize that CLC offers teardrop camper kits only, which means you will ultimately assemble your mobile habitat yourself and at home. Again, the trailer is not included, so you'll need to dish out some extra cash on that, but once you have all your components in the same garage, CNC-milled marine Okoume plywood is what you'll be working with. Fiberglass, epoxy, and marine acrylic windows will also be added to the mix.

What's all this mean for you? It means you'll receive a build-it-yourself camper, which is one of the reasons this kit is priced so low. How low? $2,845 (€2,900 at current exchange rates)! That's all the basic camper kit will cost. Sure, you can add the front storage box for a few hundred more, integrate a cargo carrier for another $1,640 (€1,680), and a galley module for $370 (€380). If you ditch the cargo carrier, you're looking at a camper for a tad over $3,000, and I'm sure you can find a solid trailer for $500 - $1,000. That's $4K for a teardrop camper, albeit a basic one, but a looker nonetheless.

Once you've dirtied your hands, gotten some fiberglass splinters, and epoxied your fingers together for fun, the result is something along the lines of the works found in the gallery. "Along the lines" because each unit is built by different people leading to completely unique habitats.

After a few days or weeks, depending on how handy you are with the contents of your box, you'll be ready to finally load up and hit the road. Driving along, you can't say anything about the suspension of your trailer as you picked it out; if it's not up to par, only blame yourself. Once you've covered the necessary miles, you finally pull into a campsite, and with that, heads should start turning. Why? Simply because of the wooden build.

Considering that most manufacturers stray away from using wood as an exterior for campers, the moment one is spotted, it'll stick out like a sore thumb. Questions you'll receive may include, but are not limited to, "Hey, doesn't your camper bloat when it rains?" or "What do you do about pests?" "How do you sleep at night, knowing you may have made a mistake when you built it?" You know what? Show them the manufacturer's website, and before long, they'll understand. Heck, you may even start a little subculture in your area.

Do you know what I love about this camper the most? It proves you don't need tons of cash to get in on mobile living, and your habitat can still stop people in their tracks, if you put in the effort to make it so. We all know that saying about doing things yourself, and it seems to be true; I want a CLC teardrop too!