#4 THE BIG "OPPOSITION" TO YOUR "PLAN" (PART ONE) ,.. 2 MARCH, 2024
WHAZAMMO & THE GILLIG
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Building anything, a house, car, boat, refinery, family or what have you, very rarely begins from "all new", I mean to say that most projects begin around some sort of an existing base, a what-have-you beginning... you in reality, usually are "rebuilding" something, rather than "building" new from scratch.
But, once in awhile, we get to sit down, order in the pieces-parts, scheme and design from scratch with "all-new"... and so it is with boats, race cars, and houses (be they permanent or wheeled)... We can start with an empty field, an open garage floor (a checkbook), an idea, and build something... not so when building a bus, truck, van.
A review of the hundreds of years of "wrong"-thinking, poor designs, inferior craftsmanship, inappropriate material choices, and lack of knowledge has created a long path of wreckage, money, life, injury, waste, and embarrassment that has finally caused rules to be placed.
Slowly, the incompetent "dreamer", armed only with "money", ruined the playground... forcing controls, licenses, certifications, inspections, permits, review boards, associations, and the governments to intervene.
Closing that lens down to myself means that every bus I build, every boat I build, every car I build, and every house I build is open to this system of scrutiny, it must pass muster, be approved, inspected by some supposed authority... (for the safety of all mankind, the planet, and myself).
This does not imply that the inspector or the criteria have a knowledge or basis for their review, or that the inspector is seen "competent", it is simply a "process" that someone must get paid for, and so they can track, and tax you.
Modern times (2024) have us living in an open-handed payout world, we now need building permits, licenses of all types, and certifications everywhere to be legal, from dog licenses to COVID-19 shot records, to passports, "approved by" letters, pertinent to me now is the RVIA sticker/placard required for building a legal RV... or... checking into an RV Park.
In short, the big corporate RV product makers of wheeled anything (motor homes travel trailers, fifth wheel, campers, tiny homes) have unified against the private owner/builder, they completed the circle of control by including the RV parks, campgrounds and "all" related affiliators.
Again, this is the result of the unskilled amateur "wrong"-thinking, poor designs, inferior craftsmanship, inappropriate material choices, and lack of knowledge by amateur builders of mobile dwellings, that has created a long path of wreckage, money, life, injury, waste, and embarrassment that caused these rules to be placed and allowed these corporations and the government to Sovietize the industry (top to bottom).
Land tax money is "that" important... it is easily accessed money, and agreeable to all who live ashore (or in the foundation-house), in the end, it is a no-win (you are outnumbered) situation...
This little plastic emblem is your key to unlock all the doors, grant all of the hall passes, make those who control the parking (police, RV parks, campgrounds, city ordinances, and the US government) all smile in approval, it even lets you have insurance !
NOTE: Italicized statements tell the tale...
"With RVIA offices in the Washington, D.C. area, and Elkhart, IN, the RV Industry Association is the leading trade voice of the $140 billion dollar RV industry, representing over 500 manufacturers and component and aftermarket suppliers who together produce 98 percent of all RVs made in the United States, and approximately 60 percent of RVs produced worldwide.
The association works with federal and state lawmakers and regulators to pursue a favorable business environment for its members, to provide compliance.
Every RV and Park Model RV produced by a member manufacturer must display the Association’s seal. The seal communicates manufacturers’ certification that it has complied with the RV standards adopted by the Association and has been subjected to regular, periodic compliance audits by inspectors, who monitor the thousands of requirements impacting electrical, plumbing, heating, fire & life safety systems and construction of RVs.
RV dealers and consumers look for the RV Industry Association seal on their units, as a visible indication of the manufacturers’ commitment to the industry. Moreover, most public and private campgrounds in the United States require that RVs and Park Model RVs have an affixed seal to obtain entry to their park."
You have "one" option ... you can either live in a taxable, stationary house on a foundation, and stay where we can find you, tax you, control you ... otherwise, you are a nomad, a gypsy, a rover, wayfarer, and are to be shunned and excluded as a tax evader... unless, you follow the rules and have an RVIA emblem mounted on your mobile house (coach, truck, boat, bus, van, camper, trailer, caravan, or auto, wheeled park model tiny home).
Our 2024 building up of "one more" Bus Coach for full-time living is no different than it was back in the 1960s, the stigma lives on... and may even be worse today, thanks to the RVIA.
After the RVIA emblem, their latest incarnation is their 10-year rule (to sell more RV's), and their "good appearance" guidelines issued for RV parks. And, in retrospect, the political, social, government-involved dynamics are the same (identical), today as they were during the bus-intensive alternative lifestyle of the 1960-1970's.
Today, as we look around for alternatives, freedom from being subservient, and ways to cut costs, live better, and be independent, the last vestiges of doing that are a "tiny house", RV, boat, or bus.
There are four differences within that camp...
Beginning with the wealthy who simply "buy" what they need to transition, Vs. the "have nots" who must "build"... (the multi-skilled craftsman Vs. the "I can do nothing" person), the true wanderer, nomad, boondocker/sail boater Vs. the RV Park/In-port, Yacht type, and (the retiree vs. the "I need to work") differences.
When you live in a regular house or apartment, you don’t have to think about things like where and how your water and power come from, or where your waste goes after you flush, or goes down the drain. with unique arrangements like a bus conversion, boat, or tiny home these all become things that you have to understand, design and plan around, and accommodate mentally.
Converting and "living" full-time in a bus conversion or boat isn’t something that you just jump into, there are nuances.
Why live on a boat or in a coach in the first place?
Wanting to go off-grid, or leave the city life behind, to be more self-sufficient, save money, make a "clean-break" from it all, to be "free", actually believe some sort of save the planet ideal, appear more worldly, or simply being out of options, nearly homeless, or just plain nuts... as an alternative lifestyle both of these modes have it all... it looks, sounds, and smells colorful, adventurous, exciting, and unique, but very-very... few people last beyond a few months.
This decision becomes intimate, talk about it with your partner and your family, and whoever else is involved in the project with you, you might need to stay somewhere while building out your bus, boat, tiny house, and you’ll need help from the very negative-critical non supporters in your family, and laughing friends during this whole process.
Many long, frustrating, expensive, mistake laden grueling months of designing, building, and acquiring permits, parts, pieces, and knowledge for your bus conversion is a long and arduous process; one that should not be undertaken without dedication, purpose, money, and a broad-based skill set in the trades (AC & DC electrical, plumbing, mechanical, cabinetry/carpentry, and the rules and regs).
Different design options reflect/impact your lifestyle, you must consider your lifestyle and standard of living, how many people and/or pets, storage spaces, climate, and presentation appearance.
If you are tall, short, fat, or disabled now is the time to design around your needs, never compromise on cooking, sleeping, or bathroom needs that you would have in a normal house.
Weather conditions, leaks, and insufficient insulation can make you either hate bus living, or simply ignore the hot to sub-zero extremes. Be realistic about the climate conditions of the place you plan to live and how you can cater to those climatic conditions in order to live comfortably in your bus, boat, or tiny home.
Figure out how much firewood you’ll need for your wood stove if that’s what you’re using to heat your bus, boat, and maybe even to cook on, some types of wood stoves are too small to accommodate fire logs, so you'll have to get your firewood or firelog cut it to length, consider pellets, and storage space.
The issue with using propane heat specifically, is that if your bus, boat measures about 40 feet long, you'll find that the heat doesn’t travel well, and, Propane is a very "wet" heat and causes quite a bit of condensation.
In summer, venting the hot air out of your bus, boat through the overhead emergency escapes or side hatch with a box fan works great, to pull air from inside-out, rooftop air conditioners, and household window units work great as well, or you can reverse-clutch your engine driven bus A/C unit to be AC motor driven from shore power.
Toilet, black water, systems:
With the many different Toilet options, using a composting toilet is probably the most cost-effective and easy-to-manage option because it eliminates the need for water, piping, septic tanks, nasty holding tanks, putting out that "boat-RV-bus" holding tank SMELL, or massive amounts of maintenance.
But, there are different types of composting toilets, some with ready-made separation into two sections (liquid-solid), these are quite high in maintenance because, they need emptying every one or two days, they initially cost more, and sometimes over-filling or slosh creates a problem.
The DIY composting toilet, which is also referred to as the old green bucket system was/is still the age-old tradition, using a 5-gallon bucket, and then covering up your “business” with some sawdust, leaves, pine needles, or pine shavings, coconut fibers, etc.
Overall, composting toilets allow you to be off-grid completely, in port, in town, you might need to hook-up to connect to a septic tank or a sewer system, or use the Sani-sailor waste pump on the dock.
Almost every boat, RV, bus, or motor home has a grey water "holding" tank for the sink-shower, and a blackwater-sewerage "holding" tank for the toilet, these are needed for boondocking, anchoring out, and usually require a weekly "dump" (or cheating)... personally, I am disgusted and averse to holding tanks... I simply find them smell-invasive, uncleanable, repulsive, and have "never" used one, instead, removing and discarding them from any boat, RV, bus, or cabin I have ever owned. We got overly impressed with Incinolet electric incinerator toilets in all our boats, and busses to eliminate the holding tanks completely, these newer lever flush Dometic RV toilets are a great new item to consider for simplicity.
But remember... I am not a boondocker/anchor outer type, I use cassette camp toilets when rarely traveling, and always build and live long term periods at a full service dock or in a RV park.
Water?
Water is the secret to any living condition, it’s something that you’ll become astonished-aware of as you transition to bus, RV, tiny home, boat living. people generally do not realize just how much water washing dishes, clothes, taking showers, and cooking requires. The gallons of water required are based on the number of people, and lifestyle. remember heating it, pumping it, filtering it, possibly storing it and where it goes as "grey water".
So consider how you’re going to get clean water into your life, and then greywater out (legally).
If your bus, boat, RV is parked boondocking or anchored out, you usually have no access to a well, city water, or barge source. so you might have to collect rainwater or find some way of bringing water "in" (tank truck), dnd storing it for later use.
Freshwater tanks are the most popular water systems for mobile conversions, you simply drill a hole on the side of the bus, RV, van, or tiny house and hook-up a hose that connects the tank to the faucet remember water weighs 9 pounds per gallon...
If you plan on storing water for a period of time, moving down the road, or wintering, simply treat it, or drain it and go, and protect it from freeze up.
Anyone who’s ever converted a bus, boat, van, or a tiny house will tell you that whatever you think you’re going to spend; double it. It’ll take far longer than you expected, and the "redo" into design 2 (or 3) is imminent... depending on where you live, it might be difficult to register and/or insure your on-wheels/on-water habitation after it is finished, some states and insurors are EZ, others want to "see", "inspect", and get paid, do the homework.
These and other challenges can make it feel as if you’re not making any progress, and it’s going to take a while to see everything come together. It can feel downright overwhelming sometimes. But that’s okay. You’ll get past it (maybe).
You might have to stop halfway... just to keep your sanity, over smoke, over drink, but, the therapy or 1/2 way house will push the timeline even further out from the initial Plan "A" timeline, so it’s probably a good idea to mentally prepare for this possibility and know that you’re not the first or last person to go through a divorce, rehab, bus/boat build, financial ruin, or feeling shunned and incompetent... always listen to the advice, but, be cautious of "the experts"... do what works for you.
Most importantly, enjoy this undertaking, it is a soul searching, insight into "you"... your abilities and your ignorance, your ability to mimic what others have done, and your need for "research" will be the most important lessons learned, patience and redo's are a must (until you get it right), as is withstanding the criticism and loss of supporters.
Old timers, and "gifted" multi-builders are usually arrogant and boastful, but have empirical knowledge, experience, and a never talked about bevy of screwups, failures, disasters, and bad thinking behind them... there is no need to retrace their past footsteps or mistakes, listen to their end-knowledge, "do"... the research. In fabrication, construction, and racing the rule book is your friend, read the RVIAA spec book, check out the electrical and building codes, interpret them, and CYA. (not ment as "see ya')... remember... your "next" build will be better than this one.
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