Will we be laughed at?

[jeremyb]

My wife and I got a vintage trailer that was completely gutted ---- and are adding items back in. We want to keep things simple and are considering just having a propane cook top and nothing else (no fridge, oven or sink). 

My wife is concerned that without a sink we'll be laughed at for doing our dishes at vintage rallys via garden hose/bathroom sink. 

I'd prefer to not install one, but wanted to ask all of the pros out there what their opinion is? 

Thanks for all the help in advance,
Jeremy

[Bob]

Not by people at a vintage camper rally. We have sinks in our campers, but no storage tanks. The water comes in via a garden hose and then out through a hose onto the ground or into a 5 gallon jug. But we also take a folding table with a sink cut into it and a spigot to set up outside, and that's where we do most of our dishes and food prep. There's a lot more room outside and you don't have to worry about making a mess. We cook outside, too. That's part of the fun of camping.

[Deleted]

The Number One Most Important Rule of All Rules is: You MUST have a kitchen sink.

Okay, not really. The first real Rule is, if you own the camper, then make it YOURS, make it work for YOU, perform to what YOU are comfortable with. I know lots have had the ovens removed in deference to a cooktop, and some with the addition of a microwave. Lots have also been re-vamped as far as their water systems, and some were even simplified by doing so. One post from a long while back was concerning the cooking odors inside, and the author ONLY cooks outdoors.

The choices really only hinge on your own preferences, if you are going for all original, or updating to modern, or just making it work for sleeping comfort...or a host of other choices that lead up to the (your) finished product.

Relax, and enjoy the ride!

[universalexports]

I can see a lot of advantages to not having a sink, no need to buy a water tank, run plumbing, worrying about a water leak, etc. if you can go with out it, go for it. nothing like roughing it.

[65callie]

Well we won't laugh. We have a sink but no running water inside, and wash dishes outside in a table/sink/faucet set up my hubby made, and use a porta potty in the bathroom since the toilet was broken. Not planning on installing a new water tank or plumbing, its fine the way it is.

[mobiltec]

I'm not only going to laugh at you, I'm going to put it on film and show it on You Tube for the whole world to see and laugh at too....

OK not really.... I hardly ever cook anything more than coffee in my trailers and I never wash dishes in them. Just not enough room. About the only two things I do in my trailer are sleep and get out of the weather. So if it's not raining or snowing or the wind is blowing 100mph, I'm outside when I'm awake. But when I am in the trailer I like for it to be comfortable. A good mattress, thick curtains and soft seats and Im happy.

[schweetcruisers]

Maybe not to your face!

It's your trailer so make it how you want, I am the living proof of that!

[bigbill]

We are putting ours back to suit us with the things we want. If no one likes it they don't have to visit and I hope to keep it long enough to get my money back in enjoyment, then if some does buy it they can change it to suite them. So go for it, make yourselves happy.

[Hamlet]

We kept the sink in Hamlet. We use it, and the stove and the oven and the icebox all the time. It is what we wanted. We rarely cook outside, but we live in an area where it rains a lot. We don't find it inconvenient or messy to do the cooking or dishes inside, but that's just us. It is your trailer, and you get to do what you want! One thing to think about, if you think you might sell it in a few years, is that it can be easier to sell a trailer that is "complete." You might consider leaving the sink, but making a Formica cover so you can use it as countertop instead. You don't have to use the water, or even hook it up if you don't want to. But it will be there for "just in case." Or not! Good luck!

[mobiltec]

May 15, 2013 21:15:54 GMT -5 Hamlet said:

We kept the sink in Hamlet. We use it, and the stove and the oven and the icebox all the time. It is what we wanted. We rarely cook outside, but we live in an area where it rains a lot. We don't find it inconvenient or messy to do the cooking or dishes inside, but that's just us. It is your trailer, and you get to do what you want! One thing to think about, if you think you might sell it in a few years, is that it can be easier to sell a trailer that is "complete." You might consider leaving the sink, but making a Formica cover so you can use it as countertop instead. You don't have to use the water, or even hook it up if you don't want to. But it will be there for "just in case." Or not! Good luck!

DITTO!

[hellonwheels]

I find my sink comes in handy, but I do keep a plastic tub in it and soak my dishes; no hot water, so I usually boil a kettle of water and make a luke-warm bath for the dishes right before I take the tub to the wash station or spigot - I find that the warm water gets the greasy camp food residue off my dishes/pans/utensils much better. Finding hot or warm water at a wash station is a real luxury.

[boandsusan]

We kept our sink inside but rarely use it. I do prep food inside but never cook inside as I don`t want the interior wood and curtains etc smelling like food. We have a large vintage aluminum wash bowl that we use to wash dishes etc outside, however most all the campgrounds do not want grey water spilled on the grounds so we empty any and all grey water down our sink so that it goes into our portable waste tote. Can you imagine the bugs and smells of a campground that allowed the dumping of grey water on the ground?

[tiajannet]

My 69 has a sink, water in, water out, no tank, I do put a 5 gallon bucket under the drain outside, I'm configuring a hose to the woods for the outlet where do able. I use biodegrade soap. all cooking is under my awning, I go camping to be outside. Do think about that resale part. I liked the sink idea. Main use is that private body wash up before sliding into bed. I also have a tiny porta potty, so nice.
as all others have said It's yours, do it to your joy. Be Blessed