Hello everyone,
We have a Scamp 13' on order but just found out today that our garage cannot be modified to accommodate it, as I had hoped. We will be in our present home another 3-4 years and I am wondering if keeping the Scamp at an outdoor storage facility (here in central NC - mild winters with hot summers), with a cover over it, is a terribly bad idea. I've read several reviews about mice, bugs, etc. and was so hoping to have it garage-kept. (Our home lot is too narrow to place in the back yard.) Has anyone stored their Scamp outdoors with a cover for a few years? Thank you in advance.
Our 2019 scamp 13 has been stored in our drive under cover 90% of the time. It is on a concrete drive and jacked up off the tires all winter. We did find the Scamp cover was toast after two winters but I did not expect much more. We were lucky with bugs and mice but we do not see much mice by us. But chose to put several bars of Irish spring in places inside and even in the outside fridge compartment and we tried moth balls the first year. Both leave a smell for a while but it fades. The cover is important for protection . We are from Chicago area so similar weather. Proper winterizing is key also . Also not a single scrap of food left inside and well cleaned before storage
2019 Scamp 13 standard
Hello. Thank you for your thoughts and advice. I will try moth balls and Irish Spring. I will also do some due diligence in researching a better cover than the one Scamp sells. (I have read a lot of negatives about it - which is too bad.)
p.s. I am the only person I have known that likes the smell of moth balls! They remind me of my great-grandmother's home. I even put them in our closets - just for the smell. :)
Every see a new car stored outdoors all the time, vs a new car stored in a garage all the time? For the first few years you can't tell them apart. In years 4-6 you can see the outdoor one has aged more. Both cars and campers are meant to be outdoors but sunlight will take its toll after some years. When I did not have a garage, I had to replace the wiper blades on my car every few years. My current vehicle is six years old, always garage kept, and the wiper blades are original. On a trailer, UV light will affect the gel coat, rubber items, etc.. a good and frequent waxing can prevent most Gel Coat degradation but if the trailer is covered you can can wax less often (unless you get a loose fitting cover than abrades the surface). UV light on the tires is an issue also so I keep them covered most of the time even under a shelter.
Great analogy! I had not thought of it in car-like terms before. I will begin planning now for a good cover for the body (one with an opening for door), four covers for the tires. Please share your favorite gel-coat waxes!! Thank you. :)
i keep mine outdoors in cleveland ohio, a winter wonderland. it's under the cover scamp sells at their store, and it's fine.
1987 Scamp 16
Hi. Do you mind my being nosy and asking how many years you have storied outdoors and if it is stored on concrete or rock? We will be at a storage unit that has crushed gravel. I don't know if it makes a difference but I am curious.
Cleveland winters are much more brisk than our puny NC ones! (Well, unless a hurricane comes...) This gives me hope. :)
i've only had it out there for 1 winter but the previous owner lived in Michigan close to the Upper peninsula and left it outside as well, but they didn't even have a cover! i bought it from them, it needed a good washing/waxing but it's fine. the fiberglass is made to hold up to the elements so i wouldn't worry. i keep mine on my asphalt driveway.
what we do is winterize it and close up all the doors/windows and put 2 buckets of Damp Rid (get it at home depot) in the scamp. this will collect the moisture and keep it dry. the cover that SCamp sells has a waterproof top (so it won't allow rain/snow to penetrate the top) but breathable sides. there are 2 vents on either side that allow air to move in/around the scamp/cover as well. you won't have to worry about it molding/mildewing. the cover is 200 dollars, but it's nice quality and worth it. when i take it off in the spring i give it a good wash and wax and it's ready to go. only thing i do actively during the winter is to get on a 6 foot ladder and take a broom and clear the snow off the top if we get a heavy snow. a little is fine, but anytime we get a decent snow i clear it off, that way the roof doesn't get weighed down.
1987 Scamp 16
We've lived in MI so I can appreciate the hardiness of it withstanding all that white stuff! Wow.
Thank you for the cover and Damp Rid tips!! Is there a particular wax you would recommend? Thanks.
there are tons of recommendations for wash and wax here on the site, people have lots of opinions on that. i use this stuff and like it.
https://www.amazon.com/Gel-Gloss-RV-Wash-Wax-oz/dp/B001FCE5AI/ref=sr_1_5...
1987 Scamp 16
Is this good for getting a shine or only good for maintaining an already shiny trailer? Thank you!
MA Shea