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I am planning on buying a ford transit/vw t4 in europe and decking it out and i assume that using wood, may be the easiest method.
The plan is to deck it out so that u sleep at the top and then you have your sections etc underneath.
There would be a seperate wooden flap that locks back on the back of the van over the sectioned back end much like the boot of a car would open and close but only for the sections with the gear. this would be padlockable.
Also i assume there would be room at the front near the side sliding door to build some shelving and lockable cupboards for belongings etc.
I have NO IDEA of how im really goin to do this and am trying to go to europe prepared with a fool proof plan of attack to do this in a day, so i can hit the road.
If anyone has any tips etc or PRO's n CON's on different systems and how they did it (finer details), then this would be much appreciated. And pictures would be helpful.
Cheers
1) I wouldn't bother with the padlockable cover - if someone is going to break into your van with the intent of nicking windsurf kit, they probably won't think twice about gemmying open that as well.
2) Marine ply is your friend
3) Keep it simple - at least to begin with. If you're going to get on the road in a day I would suggest making a simple frame and screwing it together and laying the marine ply bed on top.
This will at least get you mobile and then you can do more stuff whilst you're on the road or sat in Tarifa living the good life.
Do a search in the forums - people have posted stuff about this before. Not too difficult - just don't get too ambitious too fast.
Also, plastic containers are good - big stackable boxes. One for food, one for cooking stuff, one for tools, one for fins / harness / wetsuit, etc etc, one for clothes. Keeps everything separate and relatively sand free, and saves hassle of making cupboards etc.
Finally, get some kind of plastic-backed covering to lay down on the floor to prevent your wet sails from dripping salt water onto the floor of your lovely van.
If you're going to be going anywhere hot or chilly, I would recommend getting loft insulation (pink batts) and putting it behind ply panels screwed onto the walls and ceiling. It'll keep it much warmer / cooler.
Good luck.
PS - Edit - don't bother with Transits. Loads of my mates have had them and they're a disaster. Get a T4 - if you're after one now you should be able to pick one up cheap on ebay.co.uk that already has half the work done as it's the end of the summer. Parts for T4s are much cheaper in Europe than Oz.
I did pretty much what you were talking about with a Mazda van. I did have the luxury of welding a strip of angle iron to the drivers side of the cargo compartment though. Maybe you could screw it to the side of the van if you have to.
I screwed a sheet of 16mm hardwood marine ply to this to make the top. For the side I had a sheet that was 60cm deep and was joined to the top by screwing it to a 19x42mm strip of pine, which was also screwed to the top.
The 'boot' was attached to the floor by screwing to some hinges, and a hasp to lock it to the top of the plywood box.
I bought a T5 long wheel base just after summer this year. I was able to set it up for 6x boards, 6x sails, masts, booms, with a bed on top. I also setup a bench seat for getting changed and getting on to the bed. Plus a electric fridge. the front is captian seats for easy access to the back.
I used right angle mental frame work from Bunnings with ply wood and rubber or plastic sheets for wet areas. The bed base is pine with a self inflatable double matress.
I decked out a hiace with the most basic racking I could think of.
Cover the floor in rubber.
Drill six pairs of holes at ceiling height - 3 on each side opposite one another. Bolt 2 L shaped steel lengths into each hole at the top...
You have then have six verticals which should be in compression against the floor (wider at the bottom than the top so that they're held in compression).
These verticals have holes every inch or so.
Between each pair of verticals, attach long bolts with thick washers in between the verticals.
Wedge horizontals between the washers and tighten the bolts.
Cover in foam or bubble wrap.
Whole thing took a day or so. I have three shelves that I can put a surface onto to sleep on if required.
I'll post some pictures when I get the chance
Windrider you look like you have one to many sails there can i have one? come on i will be ya best buddy for life
Thanks for the tips materials are a wise choice.
The T5 is a sick car but im goin to another country to tour around and not goin to spend the minimum $10000 on the latest model used transporter. A Wicked idea and setup by the way.
vw t4's and transits are pretty cheap through germany.
You can get a pretty good ford transit with 100-150000 km for 2500 euro, but if you tried to get a similar condition vw t4 you are probably looking at 3500 to 4000 euro.
I am only looking at doin about 10000km maximum, its not a long term vehicle so aslong as it does the kms in the short term it would be sold off at the end of the trip so i cant see a transit being such a bad idea and room to spend a little if few glitches.
Transits are cheap for a reason. Go the T4.
It took me 3 minutes on ebay to find this:http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VW-T4-TRANSPORTER-CONVERSION-2-BERTH-AWNING-READYTOGO-/290470377719?pt=UK_Campers_Caravans_Motorhomes
I know it's got an interior that's not good for windsurfing, but it proves the point that you can get a T4 in reasonable nick for that kind of money. Vehicles are a lot cheaper in the UK at the moment because of the exchange rate.
come on now windrider this is not the 90s, you dont need all those sails dude
ya got one to many there son
I have since improved this by putting another layer of ribbed rubber matting on the mattress level. I use either a double or single foam mattress depending on company and or extra gear. Can fit esky, clothes bag, food boxes, hurricane stove etc all up front of matress and can load heaps of extra gear next to single mattress. Best part is when a few of us go away the mattress comes out and we can stack about 5 more boards on their sides plus sails masts etc.
The whole level is removable as it is aluminium angle bolted to threads within the walls of the van so if you need to cart motorbike or similar it only takes ten minutes to get it out. The bearers for the wooden bed floor are alum square tubing which sit on the angle with the wood sitting inside the whole frame. The whole lot is secured by flat head bolts with wingnuts for quick removal
I decided to put my sails in the roof in basically upside down roof racks made from angle brackets and square alum tubing with pipe insulation around it. I think it makes best room of the "dead space" in the roof area.
With rubber matting on both levels which has a lip up the sides of about 200mm nearly all your sand and saltwater is caught. I let it dry then just brush it out with a dustpan brush.
Its a simple concept but works really well and was easy to put together with the ability to remove if you need too.
With the setup as shown I can fit three boards, two booms and 3 masts in the bottom section and up to seven sails in the roof space. I put the curtain in to keep the light out from the front end. When the rear door is down, due to tint on rear window and curtain it is near impossible to see in the back.
If you want any photos of the anchoring or framework just email us and Ill send them on.
a regular piece of plywood from the hardware store is nearly the perfect size for the back of a van. Add some 4x2 legs and you're done. Real easy.
My pride and joy, has room for everything but only room for 1 to sleep, Which is all good as the GF never wants to go windsurfing with me anyway....which is not a bad thing as she understands my addiction and feels its something I need to deal with on my own.
mmmm......now I have this blank canvas.......
by the way you can get plywood lining kits in uk for most vans..google it.
Even more upmarket ,you can even get complete "plastic" moulded non factory lining kits for both T4 and T5 VW vans
Rehydration is an important part of any extreme sport but nothing to do with this actual posting.
