rv review
What you see is what you get with this classic travel trailer Coachmen Clipper
L ightweight travel trailers aren’t just for new RVers and young families anymore. A surprising number of sea- soned RVers are downsizing to smaller trailers to save on fuel costs and simplify their camping trips. Coachmen’s ultralight Clipper lineup fits the bill with seven models from 15 to 21 feet. Dry weights top out at 2,800 pounds, making these nimble trailers towable by a wide variety of fuel-efficient vehicles. Coachmen, now owned by Forest River, is an old name in the RV business, and so is Clipper for that matter. In that spirit, the construction follows old school styles and uses basic materials. Frames are powder-coated steel I-beams, wheel wells are galvanized steel, and the walls and ceiling are wood framing and trusses. Aluminum siding covers these trailers, with the exception of a nice diamond plate front-wall protector. The roof is a one-piece rubber mem- brane, and you’ll see caulking in all the seams and joints. Coachmen uses these tried-and-true techniques to curb costs and keep things simple. One popular Clipper floor plan, the 17FQ, features a queen-size bed up front and a bathroom that stretches the full width of the trailer in the rear. For couples looking for an affordable, uncomplicated recreational vehicle, this is the ideal model. My test trailer was the more family-friendly 17BH, a bunkhouse model. The first things I noticed in the 17BH were the sizable kitchen counter, the floor-to-ceiling pantry and numerous cabinets and appliances. Standard galley features include a high-neck faucet over the deep steel sink, a microwave, a two-burner LP-gas stove and a 3-cubic-foot refrigerator under the laminated countertop. Color schemes are attractive, materials are good, and the overall effect is one of simple, useful elegance. Most bunkhouse trailers are meant for families with younger kids, but the Clipper’s full-size bunks support up to 300 pounds. The lower bunk folds to create a large storage space that’s ideal for bicycles that can exit through
the exterior half-door for an easy in and out. More storage space is accessible under the front bed, either by lifting it or through locking exterior doors. Coachmen builds its Clipper line with all the standard conveniences and offers just a handful of options, with the idea being that the price quoted reflects a well-equipped trailer that suits most buyers’ needs. Other standards on my test model included a 13,500-Btu roof air conditioner, a 20,000-Btu furnace, a six-gallon water heater, a built-in AM/FM/MP3/USB player, a monitor panel and TV antenna with a booster, HDTV cable hookups, miniblinds, window valances, residential grade flooring and an electric bath fan. Outside, the trailer has a dual battery rack, a hand-crank tongue jack, radial tires (with a spare), electric brakes, four crank-down scissor-style jacks and a large awning. Even the Clipper’s new solar panel system comes standard. When deployed, the plug-and-play panel trickle-charges the house batteries. Then the panel can be stowed so it’s not sub- jected to the elements like a built-in one. I think Coachmen is on to something with this smart, eco-friendly idea. — Howard J. Elmer
2014 Coachmen clipper 17bh coachmenrv.com Base msrp: $14,529 GVWR: 3,626 pounds Dry Weight: 2,818 pounds
Freshwater: 33 gallons Gray Water: 25 gallons Black Water: 25 gallons
exterior Length: 21 feet, 8 inches exterior height: 9 feet, 8 inches Interior height: 6 feet, 4 inches
fall 2013 COAST TO COAST 21
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